Who said “If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some…”?

Misattributed

Not Abraham Lincoln. It's commonly credited to them, but the evidence shows it isn't theirs.

What the research foundNot by Abraham Lincoln. Earliest known source: Anonymous joke, Madison Courier (18 January 1840).

Evidence: Quote Investigator · Wikiquote · How we check

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“If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee.”
— Abraham Lincoln
MisattributedNot by Abraham Lincoln. Earliest known source: Anonymous joke, Madison Courier (18 January 1840). · evidenceHumor
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Cite this quote

APA

“If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee.” [Quotation attributed to Abraham Lincoln]. (n.d.). Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/22957-if-this-is-coffee-please-bring-me-some/

MLA

“If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee.” Attributed to Abraham Lincoln. Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/22957-if-this-is-coffee-please-bring-me-some/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

“If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee.” Attributed to Abraham Lincoln. Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/22957-if-this-is-coffee-please-bring-me-some/.

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