In the past few years the release date of the fall menu at Starbucks has crept farther into summer, and drinks are available for longer. On August 22nd Starbucks released their fall menu, including multiple new items. The main flavors of fall in Starbucks stores are pumpkin, apple, and pecan, even if these are being served before Labor Day.
This year the Pumpkin Spice Latte (commonly known as the PSL) turns 21. Last year for its 20th birthday Starbucks released an article with 20 fun facts about the history of the PSL. The well known latte was going to be named the Fall Harvest Latte, or FHL. The Starbucks “team sampled a forkful of pumpkin pie, followed by a sip of hot espresso to identify the flavors from the pie that best complement the coffee”. They were unsure how the PSL would go over with customers, seeing as it was the first seasonal fall beverage, so it was initially only sold in one hundred stores. Due to the phenomenon that the PSL started, Merriam-Webster added “pumpkin spice” to the dictionary. This is now a well used term for items ranging from cereal flavors to candle scents.
The fan favorite PSL made its return to stores along with the iced pumpkin cream chai, pumpkin cream cold brew, and other non dairy apple flavored beverages. With the eight seasonal beverages, there are many new food options for a crisp autumn day. They range from a sweet raccoon cake pop or baked apple croissant to a savory pumpkin cream cheese muffin. The pecan items (pecan crunch oat milk latte, iced pecan crunch oat milk latte, and salted pecan cream cold foam) were released separately from the rest of the fall menu on September 19th. The newest addition is the mummy cookie that was a quiet release on October 1st. There wasn’t as much advertising from Starbucks about their releases later into the fall season. Items seem to speak for themselves to customers. To continue their theme from the past holidays, Starbucks also released a new line of merchandise including a green Stanley tumbler.
Kaja Laybourn ‘27 says that the fall menu is “the perfect fall feel in a drink”. She explained that the release in August seemed too early, but she is on board with the flavors that come with the chill in the air. To some, the 22nd of August is considered too early for hot drinks, especially when they are marketed as fall flavors while it is still summer. Others believe that it is never too early for a flavor, and it could be served year round. Some have found a happy medium by creating their own recipes by making adjustments to year round favorites like the caramel ribbon crunch frappuccino, which have been circulating social media feeds. For example, one recipe adds a pump of pumpkin sauce, white mocha sauce, and a pumpkin spice topping to spice up a year round favorite.
Starbucks has experienced short-term limited edition fall drinks as well. Items from past years grabbed the attention of many customers with their bright colors and bold flavors. In 2016 the Frappula Frappuccino was released with an eye-catching appearance. A white chocolate mocha base with a blood red strawberry purée drizzled on the side of the cup intrigued many customers. Although only offered for four days, it was the best selling limited edition frappuccino. The following year the Zombie Frappuccino was introduced. It is described as having “tangy fall flavors” as well as being the first addition of apple on the drink menu. The appearance of a vibrant green apple drink with a pink whipped cream attracted younger customers that were looking for a sweet treat. It was only available for five days, which is drastically different from the releases of today’s items.
The dates don’t seem to bother too many customers, as the sales never drop because the PSL is the best selling seasonal drink at Starbucks. From new frappuccinos to a crisp flavor of cold foam, the Starbucks fall menu never seems to disappoint eager customers.
Indresh Chandel