Starbucks will bring back its Pumpkin Spice Latte on Aug. 25 and expand the Starbucks menu with a wider fall lineup that includes new drinks, food, and merchandise. The company said Monday that the seasonal launch will also bring back several familiar items while adding a few first-time offerings.
For customers who wait for the first hint of fall, the date matters. Starbucks is pairing the PSL return with the Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso, Pumpkin Spice Chai and Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha, along with the return of the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai and Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino blended beverage. It is also adding a new iced banana bread-flavored latte and chai drink, plus the Chaider, a blend of chai and cider-inspired flavors.
The food side is getting attention too. Starbucks is adding a Chicken Bacon Protein Pocket and a Hedgehog Cake Pop, and the Chicken Bacon Protein Pocket carries 20 grams of protein. That gives the company a product it can point to as more than just a seasonal treat; in simple terms, it is closer to a breakfast item than the sweet add-ons that usually define the season.
The rollout comes after Starbucks reported third-quarter results last week and raised its annual sales and profit forecasts for the second time as CEO Brian Niccol's turnaround efforts reignited demand. Under Niccol, Starbucks has been trying to improve customer experience through a simplified menu and shortened wait times, and it has now logged four straight quarters of comparable sales growth. But Niccol also said Wednesday, “We have more work to do,” a reminder that the chain is still trying to prove the turnaround can last.
That push is happening while Starbucks moves 2,000 jobs to Nashville and faces the possibility that Seattle could lose hundreds of millions in tax revenue as the company expands in Tennessee. So the fall menu is not just a seasonal marketing swing; it lands inside a broader reset in which Starbucks is trying to sell more, serve faster and keep momentum while it keeps changing how the business works. For now, the next clear date is Aug. 25, when the Pumpkin Spice Latte returns to store menus and the season officially begins inside Starbucks.
