Some folks ease into the day. Tradespeople don’t usually get that luxury. To get a clearer picture of what “ready to roll” looks like before the first stop, SupplyHouse surveyed 532 U.S. trade workers about their early-morning routines, from what they drink to what they listen to on the way in. The results paint a pretty relatable portrait of how the trades power up for early starts and long days.
Key Takeaways
- Home-brewed, Dunkin’, and McDonald’s coffee are the top 3 caffeine sources fueling tradespeople.
- Monster Energy, Red Bull, and Celsius are the most popular energy drink brands among tradespeople.
- Nearly 1 in 5 tradespeople (18%) drink 4 or more cups of coffee per workday.
- About 1 in 5 tradespeople (17%) spend $10+ per workday on morning drinks, totaling roughly $2,600 per year.
- Trade workers rank Linkin Park, AC/DC, and Eminem as the top artists boosting on-the-job productivity.
- The Joe Rogan Experience, Crime Junkie, and The Pat McAfee Show are the most listened-to podcasts during the workday.
Morning Drinks: Coffee Leads, But Water Has a Moment
What you grab first thing says a lot, especially when you’re heading out before most people have checked their inbox. The morning drink routine also hints at how different generations approach the start of the workday.
Coffee came out on top as the drink that tradespeople most often start their days with, at 47%, while water followed at 30%. Energy drinks (7%), soda (6%), and tea (5%) rounded out the top 5 beverages.
When tradespeople went for coffee, home-brewed coffee ranked first, followed by Dunkin’ and McDonald’s. On the energy drink side, Monster Energy took the top spot, with Red Bull and Celsius close behind.
Age played a big role in what ended up in the cup:
- Gen X and older: coffee (58%) vs. water (23%)
- Millennials: coffee (43%) vs. water (30%)
- Gen Z: water (45%) vs. coffee (34%)
How Much Fuel It Takes To Get Through a Workday
Workers’ coffee routines are also about how much it takes to stay sharp, and “just grabbing a drink” can quickly add up during a busy week.
Average cups of coffee per day by age:
- Gen X and older: ~2 cups
- Millennials: ~2 cups
- Gen Z: ~1 cup
Nearly 1 in 5 tradespeople (18%) said they drink 4 or more cups of coffee during a typical workday. About the same share (17%) reported spending $10+ per workday on morning drinks — that adds up to at least $2,600 per year!
Trade workers drinking 4+ cups of coffee daily by age:
- Gen X and older: 20%
- Gen Z: 14%
- Millennials: 12%
The $10+ daily drink spend skewed younger:
- Gen Z: 21%
- Millennials: 18%
- Gen X and older: 12%
Wake-Up Times, Sleep, and Breakfast Habits
Early starts are part of the job, but “early” can mean different things depending on the schedule and the crew. Sleep and breakfast habits help round out what a typical morning looks like for trade workers.
Most tradespeople said they woke up during these windows:
- Before 4:00 a.m. (7%)
- 4:00–4:59 a.m. (17%)
- 5:00–5:59 a.m. (29%)
- 6:00–6:59 a.m. (27%)
- 7:00 a.m. or later (19%)
Tradespeople averaged about 7 hours of sleep on a typical worknight. Shorter nights (5 hours sleep or less) showed up more for older workers:
- Gen X and older: 18%
- Millennials: 16%
- Gen Z: 11%
Breakfast was a mixed bag. Here’s how often tradespeople eat breakfast before work:
- Every workday: 29%
- Most workdays: 22%
- A few days a week: 16%
- Rarely: 24%
- Never: 10%
The Commute Soundtrack and Work-Mode Music Picks
For a lot of tradespeople, the day starts in the van or truck. What’s playing on that drive can set the tone, whether it’s something to pass the time, stay focused, or shake off stress before the first call.
Music dominates morning commutes, with 63% saying they listen to it on the way to work. Radio (30%) and podcasts (26%) followed, while talk radio (13%), silence (12%), and “it varies a lot” (10%) filled in the rest.
When tradespeople pick music to lock into work mode, classic rock (42%) leads the way, followed by hard rock/metal (40%) and hip-hop/rap (36%). Pop (24%), country (23%), and EDM (17%) came next.
Top 10 Artists Overall for Productivity
- Linkin Park
- AC/DC
- Eminem
- Metallica
- Nirvana
- System of a Down
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Post Malone
- Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Green Day
Gen X and Older Tradespeople: Morning Commute Listening
- Music: 54%
- Radio (music + DJs): 38%
- Talk radio: 19%
- Podcasts: 17%
- Silence: 10%
- It varies a lot: 8%
Millennials: Morning Commute Listening
- Music: 65%
- Podcasts: 32%
- Radio (music + DJs): 29%
- Silence: 13%
- Talk radio: 12%
- It varies a lot: 11%
Gen Z: Morning Commute Listening
- Music: 79%
- Podcasts: 22%
- Silence: 14%
- Radio (music + DJs): 14%
- It varies a lot: 9%
- Talk radio: 5%
Gen X and Older Generations: Top 5 “Most Productive” Artists
- AC/DC
- Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Metallica
- Aerosmith
- Led Zeppelin
Millennials: Top 5 “Most Productive” Artists
- Linkin Park
- Eminem
- System of a Down
- Post Malone
- Blink-182
Gen Z: Top 5 “Most Productive” Artists
- Linkin Park
- Kendrick Lamar
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Eminem
- The Weeknd
Why Tradespeople Choose What They Listen To
- Pass the time: 39%
- Stay calm or focused: 25%
- Energize myself: 22%
- Distract from stress: 12%
- Match the crew’s mood: 3%
Talk, Comedy, and Podcasts on the Job
When it wasn’t music, tradespeople still leaned heavily on audio to keep the day moving. Podcast and talk choices also hinted at what people wanted from their listen: a laugh, a distraction, or something to stay dialed in.
Comedy led the way among podcast and talk content at 49%, followed by news/politics at 43%. True crime came in at 31%, with business/money (24%), sports (21%), and mental health/self-improvement (20%) close behind.
Top 5 Podcasts Powering Tradespeople’s Workday
- The Joe Rogan Experience
- Crime Junkie
- The Pat McAfee Show
- Dateline NBC
- This Past Weekend with Theo Von
Gen X and Older Generations: Top 3 Podcast & Talk Genres
- News/politics
- Comedy
- True crime
Millennials: Top 3 Podcast & Talk Genres
- Comedy
- News/politics
- True crime
Gen Z: Top 3 Podcast & Talk Genres
- Comedy
- News/politics
- Business/money
Gen X and Older Generations: Top 3 Podcasts Listened to Regularly
- The Joe Rogan Experience
- Crime Junkie
- Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend
Millennials: Top 3 Podcasts Listened to Regularly
- The Joe Rogan Experience
- Crime Junkie
- This Past Weekend with Theo Von
Gen Z: Top 3 Podcasts Listened to Regularly
- The Joe Rogan Experience
- Call Her Daddy
- The Pat McAfee Show
Conclusion
Tradespeople’s mornings are built around early alarms, reliable caffeine, and audio that helps them lock into the day ahead. Coffee still leads the way, but water, spending habits, and listening preferences show clear generational shifts across the trades. Whether it’s classic rock, comedy podcasts, or talk shows, these routines help workers stay focused, energized, and ready for whatever the job brings.
Methodology
SupplyHouse surveyed 532 U.S. trade workers to explore the early-morning rituals that power America’s skilled trades, what they drink, listen to, and do before the first job of the day. The sample included Gen Z (15%), millennials (53%), and Gen X and baby boomers combined (33%). Some percentages in this study may not total 100% due to rounding.
About SupplyHouse
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