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Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Returns as Fall Menu Arrives in August
It may still be August, but Starbucks is already bringing the flavors of fall to its stores.
The coffee chain's popular Pumpkin Spice Latte, better known as the PSL, returned Tuesday, August 25, marking the official start of Starbucks' 2026 fall menu.
The seasonal favorite is arriving before Labor Day and while much of the country is still experiencing summer temperatures.
The PSL is returning alongside an expanded lineup of seasonal beverages, including new pumpkin-flavored drinks and several returning favorites. Starbucks is also bringing back the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai and Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino.
New offerings this year include the Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso, Pumpkin Spice Chai and Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha. The menu also includes banana bread-inspired drinks and the new Chaider, a beverage combining chai flavors with a cider-inspired twist.
Pecan-flavored drinks are also returning, including the Pecan Cortado, Iced Pecan Crunch Latte and Pecan Crunch Latte.
The Pumpkin Spice Latte was first introduced in 2003 after being tested in select Starbucks locations. It became a nationwide menu item in 2004 and has since become one of the company's most recognizable seasonal products.
Starbucks has increasingly moved the PSL's return earlier on the calendar. The drink launched in September for many years before the company shifted its release to late August. In 2024, the PSL arrived on August 22, making that year's debut earlier than this year's August 25 launch.
The early arrival of pumpkin spice has become part of a broader trend in retail, where seasonal products appear increasingly early on store shelves. For Starbucks, however, the PSL remains an important part of its seasonal strategy.
The company has faced a prolonged period of sluggish sales in recent years but has reported improving U.S. sales as it works through a broader turnaround effort.
For pumpkin spice fans, the message is much simpler: summer isn't over, but PSL season has officially begun.
Starbucks' fall menu is available beginning August 25 at participating locations, while supplies last.
By: CNN Newsource
August 25, 2026
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