For years, fall tasted like one thing. You walked into any coffee chain in August, the seasonal menu was already up, and pumpkin spice had already claimed the top spot. This year, four major chains launched fall lineups at the same time, and the flavor underneath the whipped cream is no longer a given.
Starbucks, McDonald’s, Dunkin’ and Wendy’s all launched fall menus within three weeks of each other this August. Apple, chai, tiramisu, pecan, marshmallow and banana bread all earned featured spots this season. Pumpkin spice’s share of the seasonal set fell nearly 25% year over year. Some flavors sit alongside pumpkin this fall. At one chain, pumpkin didn’t make the menu at all.
McDonald’s Dropped Pumpkin and Went With Apple
McDonald’s Caramel Apple Pie collection launched Aug. 18 across four drink formats: hot and iced lattes, iced coffee and a blended frappe, all topped with salted-caramel whipped cream and apple pie crumbles. Pumpkin spice is not on the McCafé menu this fall. Last year it was. One of the country’s biggest restaurant chains looked at the most iconic fall flavor in America and chose apples instead.
Starbucks Kept Pumpkin but Built a Bigger Table
The Pumpkin Spice Latte came back Aug. 25, and Starbucks added three new pumpkin drinks alongside it: an Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso, a Pumpkin Spice Chai and an Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha. But the fall lineup also includes the Chaider, a new chai-cider hybrid with cinnamon and warm apple notes, plus pecan drinks and two new banana bread beverages. Pumpkin is still there. It’s just not the only story.
Dunkin’ and Wendy’s Made Their Moves Too
Dunkin’ launched five pumpkin drinks Aug. 19 alongside a four-drink tiramisu collection, including a Tiramisu Cloud Latte, a Tiramisu Shakin’ Espresso and a Tiramisu Marshmallow Matcha. The full fall menu keeps pumpkin at the top but gives Italian-dessert flavors their own real estate. Wendy’s went a different direction entirely. Its Apple Crumble Frosty Fusion, available since Aug. 3, blends spiced apple syrup and oat crumbles into a vanilla base. The chain named pumpkin spice directly in its announcement and described the drink as a fall option for people who want something different.
More Choices, Same Cozy Feeling
Pumpkin spice isn’t going anywhere. But this fall, the seasonal menu finally has room for something different. Apple, chai, tiramisu, pecan. The cozy feeling is still there. The flavor underneath it is now your call.