We’re just a couple of days into September, but have we already reached peak pumpkin saturation?
There’s no doubt fans eagerly welcome the return of pumpkin spice latte. It’s since been joined by pumpkin cold brew, bubble tea, chai, Americano, mocha and even pumpkin cold foam. If a coffee chain or beverage concept doesn’t offer one or more pumpkin drinks this time of year, they could easily lose business to a competitor.
Smoothies, concretes, thick shakes and other sippable or spoonable treats also make sense as pumpkin vehicles. So do ice cream, baked goods and desserts. All pair well with pumpkin and the sweet spices associated with it: Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. But has the trend gone too far when pumpkin spice chicken wings and pumpkin bagels with pumpkin cream cheese hit the menu?
There is evidence that consumers are starting to suffer from pumpkin fatigue. New research from Rubix Foods, a flavor and functional ingredient company, indicates that 47% of consumers say pumpkin is overrated and 25% are completely over it (especially Gen Xers and Boomers). That said, pumpkin remains one of the most recognized and craved seasonal flavors, with 15% saying it’s actually underrated.
But Rubix also discovered that consumers want variety in their fall flavor palette. Operators can’t ditch pumpkin altogether, as 49% of those surveyed still look forward to that seasonal standby. But a narrow majority—51%—crave new fall flavors.
Sonic introduced Salted Caramel Toffee Iced Coffee and Salted Caramel Croissant Bites to fight pumpkin monotony. | Photo courtesy of Sonic.
Some chains are taking advantage of that dichotomy by detouring into other flavors and marketing their nonconformity. In a tongue-in-cheek PSA, Sonic is calling on customers to “Save a pumpkin, sip a salted caramel toffee iced coffee.” The spot stars comedians, podcast hosts and internet personalities Alexandra Madison and Jon Bouff, following the couple as they bemoan pumpkin’s fate as an expected fall drink or deodorant scent.
It’s all part of Sonic’s humorous campaign to promote its new Salted Caramel Toffee Iced Coffee and Salted Caramel Croissant Bites—the Oklahoma City-based chain’s seasonal beverage and snack. On a more serious note, Sonic plans to donate $15,000 to Agricity’s Pumpkins for the People to support the program’s mission to rescue edible pumpkins and reduce food waste.
While Sonic is wrapping a promotion around pumpkin spice monotony, other chains are more subtly getting the variety message across. Caribou Coffee is bringing back its iconic pumpkin beverages, but the Minneapolis-based coffee chain also offers a full lineup of Honeycrisp apple beverages, inviting customers to choose sides in the great pumpkin-apple debate. There’s a Honeycrisp Apple Caramel Espresso Shaker, Oatmilk Steamer and Energy Drink—all showcasing caramel, too, like Sonic’s fall items.
Philz Coffee is also embracing caramel, releasing the new Caramel Banana Brew, a mix of cold brew, almond milk and banana-caramel sauce made with banana puree, topped with a caramel swirl. It’s joined by Spiced Vanilla Soul with characteristic fall spices but not a lick of pumpkin.
Gregory's Coffee is going in a cardamom direction. The New York City-based concept introduced Carda’mama Latte, a blend of its Night Vision Espresso, house-made tahini mocha sauce, oatmilk and cardamom. But Gregory's is not abandoning pumpkin, offering its spin on a classic PSL as well as the Smashing Pumpkins Cold Brew with house-made pumpkin syrup, vanilla and oatmilk.
Apple is Tropical Smoothie Cafe's antidote to pumpkin. | Photo courtesy of Tropical Smoothie Cafe.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe is also taking a stance against pumpkin, debuting an Apple Pie Paradise Smoothie with Biscoff Cookies as “a fresh, bold alternative to pumpkin.” The smoothie is a blend of apples, cinnamon, nonfat yogurt, banana and coconut, topped with Biscoff cookie crumble.
And Starbucks, the coffee cafe that started it all, is reaching beyond the pumpkin patch this year. Of course, there are the expected pumpkin-forward coffee drinks and even a Pumpkin Spice Whiskey at Reserve Roasteries. But pecan is the 2025 flavor sidekick, spotlighted in a new Pecan Oatmilk Cortado and the returning Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte.
Caramel, toffee, apple, cardamom and pecan are not quite pushing pumpkin out of the fall picture, but they’re adding some spice to the competition.
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