Starbucks has announced the return of the pumpkin spice latte
3 august 2026 в 15:02
August is already at the doorstep, which means it’s time in the retail world to sell autumn decorations, Halloween candies, and everything related to pumpkin spice. Yes, friends! The pumpkin spice latte (PSL) season is just around the corner. This year, Starbucks is reportedly set to release its fall pumpkin spice latte on August 25. Congratulations to everyone celebrating this day!
PSL is so popular that in 2024, the company sold about 20 million servings worldwide. In the U.S., Starbucks saw an average attendance increase of 24% on the day it was released, and sales set records in the first week. Over the years, it has inspired similar drinks and has become so iconic that Merriam-Webster added the term «pumpkin spice» to the dictionary. Given its success, one might think that Starbucks would want to add it to the menu year-round. But why does PSL remain a seasonal offering? According to Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol, its popularity is directly tied to its limited availability.
«We've discussed this several times and concluded that it really is a defining drink of the season», - Brian Niccol said on Yahoo Finance. «It kind of launches people into the fall and holiday season. At this time, we have no plans to make it a permanent item. But we will do our best to capitalize on people’s desire to enjoy a great pumpkin spice latte season. And that’s not too far off».
Starbucks first introduced the pumpkin spice latte in 2003, testing it in about 100 stores before rolling it out nationwide the following year. Since then, it has become the company’s signature seasonal drink. Since its debut, Starbucks has reportedly sold hundreds of millions of pumpkin spice lattes worldwide. PSL typically returns to the U.S. menu in late August, well before the official start of fall, which is a strategy aimed at creating buzz and launching Starbucks' important autumn sales season.
I agree with Starbucks. They show remarkable restraint in an era when anything that is even slightly successful is excessively exploited for profit. PSL works because it elicits a certain seasonal response, and its limited availability creates greater demand. However, if pumpkin spice is your thing and you want to enjoy it year-round, there’s no judgment here. My favorite drink at Starbucks is the iced white chocolate mocha. I order it with oat milk, two pumps of white chocolate syrup, and two pumps of mint (no whipped cream, because that’s only for pumpkin pie). I got hooked on it after experimenting with mint mocha one winter.
I prefer savory, so I’m not a big fan of sweet PSL. I usually drink an iced latte once a year, at the end of September. Halloween season is my favorite, and it always inspires me to start my annual holiday decorating. I also love the scent and try to buy a pumpkin spice-scented candle every year. It’s the perfect fragrance to transition into the holiday season
PSL is so popular that in 2024, the company sold about 20 million servings worldwide. In the U.S., Starbucks saw an average attendance increase of 24% on the day it was released, and sales set records in the first week. Over the years, it has inspired similar drinks and has become so iconic that Merriam-Webster added the term «pumpkin spice» to the dictionary. Given its success, one might think that Starbucks would want to add it to the menu year-round. But why does PSL remain a seasonal offering? According to Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol, its popularity is directly tied to its limited availability.
«We've discussed this several times and concluded that it really is a defining drink of the season», - Brian Niccol said on Yahoo Finance. «It kind of launches people into the fall and holiday season. At this time, we have no plans to make it a permanent item. But we will do our best to capitalize on people’s desire to enjoy a great pumpkin spice latte season. And that’s not too far off».
Starbucks first introduced the pumpkin spice latte in 2003, testing it in about 100 stores before rolling it out nationwide the following year. Since then, it has become the company’s signature seasonal drink. Since its debut, Starbucks has reportedly sold hundreds of millions of pumpkin spice lattes worldwide. PSL typically returns to the U.S. menu in late August, well before the official start of fall, which is a strategy aimed at creating buzz and launching Starbucks' important autumn sales season.
I agree with Starbucks. They show remarkable restraint in an era when anything that is even slightly successful is excessively exploited for profit. PSL works because it elicits a certain seasonal response, and its limited availability creates greater demand. However, if pumpkin spice is your thing and you want to enjoy it year-round, there’s no judgment here. My favorite drink at Starbucks is the iced white chocolate mocha. I order it with oat milk, two pumps of white chocolate syrup, and two pumps of mint (no whipped cream, because that’s only for pumpkin pie). I got hooked on it after experimenting with mint mocha one winter.
I prefer savory, so I’m not a big fan of sweet PSL. I usually drink an iced latte once a year, at the end of September. Halloween season is my favorite, and it always inspires me to start my annual holiday decorating. I also love the scent and try to buy a pumpkin spice-scented candle every year. It’s the perfect fragrance to transition into the holiday season
© Kolganov Andrey
