Circular stapling instruments for cutting and applying one or more surgical staples to tissue are disclosed. The instruments include various forms of feedback systems designed to provide at least one mode of feedback to the surgeon when the anvil has been attached to the device and/or when the anvil has been attached to the device and oriented in a firing position. Various types of feedback indicators are disclosed such as illumination devices, sound generating devices and vibration generating devices. In various embodiments, the feedback indicator comprises at least one illumination device mounted on the anvil which indicates that the anvil has been properly attached to the instrument and which can also serve to illuminate the surgical site.