PSL fans can relax—there’s plenty of pumpkin spice on Starbucks’ fall menu, which launches Thursday. After all, 10% of the coffee giant’s sales come from returning favorites, and as early as July, customers start clamoring for the pumpkin spice latte that started it all.
But that was over 20 years ago, and while PSL remains Starbucks' most popular seasonal beverage of all time, the brand’s Millennial and Gen Z customers of today are looking for other flavor profiles.
Joining the 2024 fall menu is Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai, a beverage that checks several boxes. According to Starbucks, there’s an increased interest in tea-based beverages in that age group, especially chai, which is growing nearly 30% year over year. Additional research by the Seattle-based coffee chain also reveals that Gen Zers and Millennials favor cold, nondairy drinks.
Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai is tea-based and chilled, two trends that appeal to younger consumers.
Cold beverages accounted for 76% of U.S. beverage sales in Starbucks third quarter. Toward that end, the chain is also bringing back Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai as seasonal specials. Chai tea lattes are ordered iced as often as they are hot, and customizing chai with pumpkin is a growing trend, Starbucks finds. Plus, the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai—a blend of spiced chai with pumpkin cream cold foam and pumpkin spice topping—was inspired by guest and barista customizations
Customization has long been infused in Starbucks’ DNA, sometimes to the dismay of those waiting on long lines to order a simple dark roast drip coffee. But Starbucks has found that customizations are up 28% year over year in the U.S. and cold foam is a popular request.
Aside from the returning pumpkin beverages and customizations, apple seems to be edging in on pumpkin's menu territory this fall. Along with the new iced chai, the coffee chain is bringing back Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato and Iced Apple Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. And on the food side, there’s a Baked Apple Croissant.
The autumn food menu offers several other seasonal items. For a limited time while supplies last, there’s a new Raccoon Cake Pop, which combines vanilla cake and buttercream, dipped in chocolaty icing. There’s also the returning Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin, with sweet cream cheese filling and a sprinkling of chopped spiced pepitas, and the Pumpkin & Pepita Loaf.
Starting Thursday, Starbucks Reserve locations in Chicago, New York City and Seattle will also debut their fall menu with the return of iced and hot Starbucks Reserve Pumpkin Spice Lattes. They're crafted with reserve espresso, steamed milk and characteristic spices including cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. New on the reserve menu this fall are Pumpkin Spice Whiskey Barrel-Aged Cold Brew, Pumpkin Spice Affogato with gelato, a Pumpkin Spice Chai Martini and Pumpkin Spice Martini Flight.
The Starbucks Reserve fall menu includes an inspired lineup of food and drinks with seasonal flavors.
Starbucks Reserve guests can pair these elevated beverages with food to match. The new Pumpkin Croffle, exclusive to NYC's Empire State Building location, is a croissant and waffle hybrid with pumpkin and chocolate ganache and candied pumpkin seeds. And coming back to all Reserve stores is Pumpkin Spice Cake, Pear and Almond Tart and the 4 Stagioni Pizza.
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