Pumpkin spice latte season has officially arrived, and coffee chains are cashing in on the nation's increasingly lucrative obsession with the fan-favorite fall flavor.
Starbucks launched its now legendary Pumpkin Spice Latte in the fall of 2023, and this year it will launch the seasonal flavor on Tuesday, August 25.
And while Starbucks may offer the most famous version, it no longer has the pumpkin spice market all to itself.
Rivals like Dunkin' and Dutch Bros. are rolling out their own versions of pumpkin spice products as chains compete with limited-time menus designed to drive traffic - and spending.
La Colombe kicked off the race early, bringing back its popular Pumpkin Spice Draft Latte on August 4, beating Starbucks to the punch by three weeks
The Philadelphia-based coffee chain said this year's launch was its earliest ever, giving customers an early taste of autumn while much of the country was still sweltering through summer.
La Colombe's version is made with real pumpkin purée and warming spices, which the company describes as a smoother, less sugary take on the seasonal classic.
The early launch comes as retailers race to capitalize on America's obsession with pumpkin spice - research from LendingTree suggests that around 70 percent of US consumers look forward to the seasonal flavor's annual return.
Starbucks has brought back its iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte on Tuesday, August 25
Starbuck's rival Dunkin' is expanding beyond the traditional pumpkin play with a wider selection of fall-inspired drinks and treats
Dutch Bros has brought back its Caramel Pumpkin Brûlée while introducing an Autumn Berry lineup
Dutch Bros has brought back its Caramel Pumpkin Brûlée on August 21, and also introduced an Autumn Berry lineup, while Dunkin' is expanding beyond the traditional pumpkin play with a wider selection of fall-inspired drinks and treats.
McDonald's is taking a different approach altogether. After selling its own version of pumpkin spice latte for 13 years, the fast-food giant has dropped the flavor from its fall lineup this year, instead pushing a caramel apple pie drink.
Peet's Coffee, Scooter's Coffee, Krispy Kreme, 7-11, Panera and Tim Hortons are also adding pumpkin spice to their menu.
Starbucks, meanwhile, is going bigger than ever with its own fall push. The chain is introducing new pumpkin drinks, including an Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso, Pumpkin Spice Chai and Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha.
It's also bringing back pecan favorites and adding two banana-bread-inspired drinks, as well as a new Chaider, a combination of chai and cider-inspired flavors.
And Starbucks isn't stopping at beverages.
The company is launching a new Pumpkin Spice Latte Society merchandise collection, turning its most famous seasonal drink into a shopping opportunity.
La Colombe announced it was bringing back its popular Pumpkin Spice Draft Latte from August 4 - weeks before Starbucks rolls out its famous fall menu later this month
Starbucks is also launching a new PSL Society merchandise collection
Some of the items in the collection include a pumpkin-shaped gourd mug for $19.95, a PSL glass cold cup for $24.95 and a $32.95 Owala and Starbucks water bottle (pictured)
The collection includes a pumpkin-shaped gourd mug for $19.95, a pumpkin spice latte glass cold cup for $24.95, a $32.95 Owala and Starbucks water bottle, a stainless-steel tumbler with a pumpkin charm for $22.95 and a pumpkin spice latte hat for $29.95.
There is also a $19.95 ceramic mug and a $29.95 orange cold cup.
For Starbucks, the strategy makes sense: For them, Pumpkin Spice Latte has long been more than a coffee drink.
It helped turn pumpkin spice into a cultural phenomenon and created an annual ritual in which customers eagerly wait for the drink's return.
In fact, Starbucks' pumpkin spice push broke company records in 2025, with customer traffic surging more than 27 percent above the average Tuesday throughout the year during the seasonal launch on August 26, according to data from Placer.ai.
CEO Brian Niccol touted the blockbuster results in a message to employees, saying the momentum continued throughout the week and helped Starbucks deliver a 'record-breaking sales week' across its US company-operated stores, along with an 'incredibly strong week' in Canada.
The numbers help explain why rivals are so eager to get in on the action.
Placer.ai data shows Starbucks' fall menu launch generated a larger visit boost than comparable launches at Dunkin' and Dutch Bros., suggesting that while competitors can copy the seasonal strategy, they have yet to replicate the cultural pull of the original Pumpkin Spice Latte.
