Pumpkin spice latte

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Pumpkin spice latte
A pumpkin spice latte in front of a black background, in combination with two decorative cinnamon sticks and some coffee beans strewn in front.
TypeCoffee drink
Place of originUnited States
Main ingredientsPumpkin pie spice, milk, espresso, whipped cream, sugar, pumpkin puree
VariationsHot drinks, iced drinks, frappuccino, instant coffee, masala chai latte
  •   Media: Pumpkin spice latte

A pumpkin spice latte is a coffee drink made with a mix of traditional fall spice flavors (cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove), steamed milk, espresso, and often sugar, topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice.

Starbucks began selling pumpkin spice lattes in late 2003.[1] It obtained a trademark for the abbreviation PSL in 2015.[2] The flavor has inspired a range of seasonal product variations.[3] The pumpkin spice latte has since been offered by chains including Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's.[4]

History

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Pumpkin pie has a long history in the United States, dating to its colonial era. Starting in the 1930s, spice companies began selling readymade pumpkin pie spice blends. Who first added pumpkin spice to lattes is unknown.[5] In the 1990s, small coffee shops in the United States sold pumpkin spice lattes, and Tori Amos was quoted during a 1995 show played in Seattle, Washington, home of Starbucks, that she preferred her own homemade brew "that tastes like pumpkin pie. It's my own invention; it's my contribution to Halloween."[6]

In January 2003, Starbucks began developing its pumpkin spice latte, following the success of winter beverages such as the peppermint mocha and eggnog latte.[7] During development, Starbucks' team collaborated with food scientists to create four potential seasonal beverages: a chocolate-based drink, a caramel-flavored beverage, a cinnamon-flavored option, and a pumpkin-flavored latte. Although the pumpkin beverage initially received mixed feedback, Dukes and the team advocated for its inclusion, ultimately approving it as the fourth option.[8]

To inspire the desired fall flavor profile, the development lab was decorated with autumnal items such as leaves and pumpkins, and the team sampled pumpkin pie mixed with espresso to refine the recipe.[9] In late 2003, the final recipe was tested at select Starbucks locations in Vancouver and Washington, D.C., where sales exceeded expectations.[10] In 2004, pumpkin spice latte was rolled out to all U.S. Starbucks locations.[11]

In 2013, Starbucks introduced a promotional gaming element, allowing customers to "unlock" the pumpkin spice latte at select stores by ordering it with a code prior to its official release.[12] That same year, the company applied to trademark the initialism "PSL," with the trademark registered in 2015.[2] In August 2015, Starbucks modified the pumpkin spice latte recipe to include actual pumpkin and remove artificial colors. The updated ingredients included a "pumpkin pie–flavored syrup" made with sugar, condensed skim milk, pumpkin purée, coloring, and preservatives.[13] According to the Institute of Food Technologists, the change was largely imperceptible to consumers and was implemented primarily to satisfy those who wanted real pumpkin listed among the ingredients.[14] In 2017, the pumpkin spice latte became available iced or as a Frappuccino, and later that year, Starbucks introduced a pumpkin spice chai latte variant.[15][16]

Reception

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Starbucks pumpkin spice latte with whipped cream

As of 2013, Starbucks had sold over 200 million pumpkin spice lattes since the drink's launch.[17] In some seasons, it generated at least $80 million in revenue annually, outselling other seasonal beverages.[18] Forbes estimated that the beverage accounted for $100 million in revenue for Starbucks in 2015.[19] CNBC reported in 2019 that the pumpkin spice latte is Starbucks most popular seasonal drink, with worldwide sales of around 424 million.[20] By 2025, the drink generated approximately $500 million annually.[21][22] In September 2025, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol stated that the company had already seen an increase in sales, noting that fall products, including pumpkin-flavored offerings such as the pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin cream cold brew, and iced pumpkin cream chai, helped Starbucks "deliver a record-breaking sales week" at its U.S. company-operated store.[23][24]

In 2013, Donston-Miller of Forbes attributed the enduring popularity of the drink to its limited annual availability, which fuels anticipation and engagement; fans eagerly await its seasonal release, share their excitement on social media, and lament its absence until the following year.[25] During the fall season, Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte generates substantial social media engagement, with an estimated 3,000 daily tweets using the hashtag "#PSL". The company maintains an official Instagram account featuring the beverage in seasonal-themed illustrations.[26] The pumpkin spice latte also helped popularize a wider range of pumpkin spice products, including candles, air fresheners, doughnuts, breakfast cereals, cough drops, and pasta sauce.[27][28][18]

Hot pumpkin spice latte sold by Pret a Manger

Following the success of Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte, other major chains introduced similar seasonal beverages, including Dunkin' Donuts in 2007 and McDonald's in 2013.[29][30] In 2021, Starbucks experienced a 10% week-over-week sales increase during the first week of its pumpkin spice latte release, an effect often referred to as the "PSL effect." Similarly, Dunkin' Donuts saw an 8.4% sales increase during the introduction of its pumpkin spice beverages in 2019, maintaining elevated sales the following week, with foot traffic rising 3% on the day of Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte launch.[31]

In 2023, when Starbucks rolled out the pumpkin spice latte nationally, foot traffic rose 24.1% compared to an average weekday, with some states experiencing increases of 42–45%. Traffic remained elevated in the following three days, ranging from 11.3% to 15.9% depending on the day. Dunkin' Donuts reported similar traffic spikes during the rollout of its fall menu. For example, in 2021, foot traffic increased 12.2% in the first four days of its fall release, compared with the prior three weeks.[32]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "More Than 200 Million Sold: Fans Celebrate the Return of the Original Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks". Business Wire. September 3, 2013. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "PSL - Starbucks Corporation Trademark Registration". USPTO.report. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  3. ^ Franks, Sarah (August 21, 2019). "Starbucks launches Pumpkin Spice Latte earlier than ever". dayton-daily-news. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  4. ^ Tepper, Rachel; Food, HuffPost (September 26, 2013). "Which Chain's Pumpkin Spice Latte Is Best?". HuffPost. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  5. ^ Friend, Nina (September 19, 2025). "The Surprising History of Pumpkin Spice". Food & Wine. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  6. ^ Breihan, Tom (October 17, 2025). "Did Tori Amos Invent The Pumpkin Spice Latte?". Stereogum. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  7. ^ Chou, Jessica (October 28, 2013). "History of the Pumpkin Spice Latte". The Daily Meal. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  8. ^ Wilshere, Meredith (August 30, 2025). "The 'Father' of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte Says Drink Almost Didn't Make the Cut, Reveals Alternate Name (Exclusive)". People.com. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  9. ^ Wilshere, Meredith (August 30, 2025). "The 'Father' of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte Says Drink Almost Didn't Make the Cut, Reveals Alternate Name (Exclusive)". People.com. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  10. ^ Goldfine, Jael (September 14, 2020). "A brief history of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte: How the cult favorite spawned memes and moral panic". Business of Business. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  11. ^ Press, The Associated (August 26, 2025). "The rise of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte, by the numbers". CTVNews. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  12. ^ Fieisher, Lisa (August 30, 2013). "Pumpkin Spice Latte, the Drink That Almost Wasn't". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  13. ^ Dukes, Peter (August 17, 2015). "Big News for the Beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte". My Starbucks Idea. Starbucks Corporation. Archived from the original on August 26, 2015. Via Leah Durain (September 8, 2015). "Starbucks debuts new Pumpkin Spice Latte ingredients list". 12 News. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
  14. ^ Shelke, Kantha (February 2, 2016). "Pumpkin Spice 101". Institute of Food Technologists. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  15. ^ "Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte". Starbucks Coffee Company. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
  16. ^ "New Drinks at Starbucks: Fall 2017". What's New at Starbucks This Fall. Starbucks. September 5, 2017. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
  17. ^ "More than 200 Million Sold: Fans Celebrate the Return of the Original Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks". Starbucks (Press release). September 2, 2013. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  18. ^ a b Maynard, Micheline (September 22, 2013). "How Starbucks Turned Pumpkin Spice Into A Marketing Bonanza". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  19. ^ O'Connor, Clare (November 10, 2015). "The Pumpkin Spice Economy: How Starbucks Lattes Fueled A $500 Million Craze". Forbes. Archived from the original on September 8, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  20. ^ Lucas, Amelia (August 26, 2019). "Starbucks is introducing its first new pumpkin coffee beverage since the pumpkin spice latte". CNBC. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  21. ^ "Unexpected Menu Bestseller: The Case of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte". Food & Beverage Magazine. August 9, 2025. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  22. ^ Jr., Bill Murphy (August 25, 2025). "Starbucks Spent 22 Years on a Secret Weapon. It All Pays Off Tomorrow, Thanks to Neuroscience". Inc. Archived from the original on September 25, 2025. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  23. ^ Shibu, Sheri (September 2, 2025). "Starbucks Just Experienced a 'Record-Breaking Sales Week' Thanks to One Line of Products". Entrepreneur. Archived from the original on September 26, 2025. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  24. ^ Sirtori, Daniela (September 1, 2025). "Starbucks CEO Says Pumpkin Spice Season Drove Record Sales Week". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  25. ^ Donston-Miller, Debra (December 26, 2013). "The Branding Magic Behind Pumpkin Spice Lattes". Forbes. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  26. ^ Swiers, Autumn (August 6, 2022). "What You Never Knew About The Origin Of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte". Tasting Table. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  27. ^ D'Costa, Krystal (September 20, 2017). "The Rise of Pumpkin Spice". Scientific American. Archived from the original on September 12, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  28. ^ Popomaronis, Tom (September 8, 2017). "The World Has An Obsession With Pumpkin Spice (And Businesses Know It)". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 25, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  29. ^ ""Fall" in Love with New Seasonal Menu Items from Dunkin' Donuts". Dunkin' Donuts. September 26, 2007. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  30. ^ "McDonald's pumpkin-spice lattes target Starbucks crowd". Financial Post. September 24, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  31. ^ Castiglia, Barbara (August 18, 2022). "What Makes Pumpkin Spice Season a $500 Million Industry". MarketScale. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  32. ^ Passy, Charles (August 26, 2025). "Customers are rushing to coffee shops like Starbucks and Dunkin' thanks to the pumpkin-spice latte 'halo effect'". MarketWatch. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
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