Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is back, here's how it became a fall obsession
As Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte returns for autumn, check out how it became a fall obsession
Fall has not officially begun until the Pumpkin Spice Latte lands back at Starbucks. The cult-favorite drink returned to US and Canadian menus starting August 26 onwards, and NBC Philadelphia reports it remains the company’s most successful seasonal item more than 20 years after its debut. First poured in 2003, the Pumpkin Spice Latte - or PSL, as fans call it - has sold hundreds of millions of cups and inspired endless imitations.
Dunkin’ rolled out pumpkin-flavored drinks in 2007 and even beat Starbucks to shelves this year with its fall menu drop. McDonald’s joined the trend in 2013 with its own latte. Still, the original holds its ground.
How it all started
According to NBC Philadelphia, the drink began with a test run at just 100 Starbucks locations in Vancouver and Washington, D.C., back in 2003. It went nationwide the next year and never left the rotation. At the time, Starbucks’ net revenue was $4.1 billion. By 2024, that number had ballooned to $36.2 billion, proof that pumpkin spice is more than just a fad.
Today, Starbucks has more than 40,000 stores worldwide. The PSL was sold in 79 markets last year out of the 85 countries where Starbucks operated. That reach has now grown to 88 markets.
Also read: When does Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte return? Here's the full fall menu
The cultural takeover
{{/usCountry}}Also read: When does Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte return? Here's the full fall menu
The cultural takeover
{{/usCountry}}Pumpkin spice itself has become bigger than the latte. Technomic data cited by NBC Philadelphia shows mentions of pumpkin spice on menus climbed 33.8% between 2014 and 2024. Merriam-Webster even added “pumpkin spice” to the dictionary in 2022. The flavor combo is simple - cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice - but it has become shorthand for fall.
{{/usCountry}}Pumpkin spice itself has become bigger than the latte. Technomic data cited by NBC Philadelphia shows mentions of pumpkin spice on menus climbed 33.8% between 2014 and 2024. Merriam-Webster even added “pumpkin spice” to the dictionary in 2022. The flavor combo is simple - cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice - but it has become shorthand for fall.
{{/usCountry}}The date Starbucks launches the drink has also crept earlier. In 2015, it hit menus on September 8. This year, customers lined up on August 22, a Thursday that saw foot traffic at U.S. Starbucks jump 24% compared to the eight Thursdays before. In North Dakota, traffic spiked 45.5%, the biggest jump of any state. Mississippi saw the smallest bump at 4.8%.
The fan base
{{/usCountry}}The date Starbucks launches the drink has also crept earlier. In 2015, it hit menus on September 8. This year, customers lined up on August 22, a Thursday that saw foot traffic at U.S. Starbucks jump 24% compared to the eight Thursdays before. In North Dakota, traffic spiked 45.5%, the biggest jump of any state. Mississippi saw the smallest bump at 4.8%.
The fan base
{{/usCountry}}Starbucks even turned the hype into a community. In 2018, it launched the Leaf Rakers Society on Facebook - a private group with 42,000 members who celebrate autumn year-round. The Pumpkin Spice Latte, once Starbucks’ third seasonal beverage after the Eggnog Latte and Peppermint Mocha, has since become a cornerstone of its brand.
Love it or hate it, the PSL is not just a drink anymore. It is a cultural marker that signals the start of sweater season.
FAQs
When did Starbucks first launch the Pumpkin Spice Latte?
In 2003, after a limited test in Vancouver and Washington, D.C.
How many countries sell the PSL now?
Starbucks sold it in 79 markets last year and now operates in 88.
What spices are in pumpkin spice?
Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice.
When did Merriam-Webster add “pumpkin spice”?
The dictionary added it in 2022.
How much did Starbucks’ revenue grow since the PSL launched?
From $4.1 billion in 2003 to $36.2 billion in 2024.
