Official Rules

Approved terms

1. Sponsor. The CoffeeModes Challenge is operated and sponsored by CoffeeModes. 2. Entry window. Entries open October 1, 2026 at 12:00 a.m. and close October 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. America/New_York time. Entries received outside this window are not eligible. Judging begins after entries close. 3. Who can enter. Open to CoffeeModes account holders age 18 or older who are located in New York City. Free and paid CoffeeModes users participate on equal terms. No purchase is required, and paying for any CoffeeModes product does not increase your chances or give any judging advantage. 4. How to enter. Sign in to CoffeeModes, visit the Challenge page during the entry window, and submit the entry form: the CoffeeModes opportunity connected to your story, a short story about what you found, applied for, or landed, an optional outcome, and an optional image. Limit one entry per person per Challenge. Additional entries, or entries made through multiple accounts, are not eligible. 5. Your content. By entering, you confirm that your entry is true, that it is your own story, and that you own or have permission to share anything you submit, including any image. Do not include other people's private information. 6. Judging. This is a judged contest, not a random drawing. CoffeeModes reviews eligible entries on three equally weighted criteria: Usefulness, Authenticity, and Story quality. CoffeeModes makes the final winner selection as a deliberate decision; scores guide but do not automatically decide the result. CoffeeModes' decisions are final. 7. Winner notification and confirmation. The potential winner will be contacted using the email address on their CoffeeModes account. To receive the prize, the potential winner must respond and confirm that they meet these rules, including age and New York City eligibility. If a potential winner cannot be reached, does not respond within the time stated in the notice, is found ineligible, or declines the prize, CoffeeModes may select an alternate winner from the remaining eligible entries using the same criteria. 8. Prize. One winner receives $50 + CoffeeModes Tumbler + Sticker Pack. The prize is not transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other items, except that CoffeeModes may substitute an item of comparable value if a listed item becomes unavailable. The winner is responsible for any taxes that legally apply to the prize. 9. Fair play. CoffeeModes may disqualify entries or entrants that are false, copied, fraudulent, abusive, submitted through automated means or multiple accounts, or that otherwise violate these rules or the CoffeeModes Terms. 10. Privacy. Entry details and uploads are private and reviewed only by CoffeeModes for running the Challenge. We handle entry information as described in the CoffeeModes Privacy Policy. 11. Publicity. Permission to feature your story or image on the CoffeeModes site and social channels is a separate, optional choice on the entry form. Declining does not affect eligibility or judging. CoffeeModes features winner details only when that permission was given, and never shares private account or contact information. Winner selection and publishing the winner are separate steps. 12. General. CoffeeModes may cancel, pause, or modify the Challenge if it cannot run as planned for reasons beyond its reasonable control. The Challenge is void where prohibited and is subject to applicable law.

Entry information and privacy

Entry stories, linked opportunities, optional outcome details, and uploaded images are kept private for CoffeeModes review. Uploaded images are stored privately.

Publicity permission is a separate optional choice. Declining permission does not affect eligibility or judging. CoffeeModes will only feature a selected entrant’s submitted story or image when that entrant explicitly agreed.

Private account and contact information is never included in a public winner announcement. See the CoffeeModes Privacy Policy.