Starbucks Advances Fall Menu Launch, Banks on Pumpkin Spice Latte Comeback

Starbucks will roll out its fall menu nationwide on Tuesday, Aug. 26, bringing back the two-decade-old Pumpkin Spice Latte alongside other seasonal favorites such as the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai. The company is again pushing the launch into late August, continuing a recent trend of introducing autumn offerings well before the official start of the season. This year’s line-up adds a Pecan Oatmilk Cortado—three shots of blonde espresso mixed with oat milk and topped with pecan crunch—and Italian Sausage Egg Bites. Returning food items include the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin and a Raccoon Cake Pop. The menu typically remains available through early November, when Starbucks transitions to its holiday beverages. The Seattle-based chain is counting on the popularity of its seasonal drinks to revive traffic after reporting a 2% decline in U.S. same-store sales for the quarter ended June 29. “There’s going to be a lot of customers that come into our business for the Pumpkin Spice Latte,” Chief Executive Officer Brian Niccol told analysts last month. Starbucks has sold hundreds of millions of the latte since debuting it in 2003.