Autumn doesn’t begin for almost another month, but Starbucks has declared an early start to the season with the return of its beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte for the 11th year.
The drink will be available starting Sept. 2, but guests who decode clues from the Pumpkin Spice Latte Tumblr page can start ordering it today. Starbucks claims to have sold more than 200 million orders of the beverage since it was introduced.
Starbucks isn’t alone in rolling out cinnamon-nutmeg-and-clove-flavored coffee this fall. The flavors that give pumpkin pie its soul are springing up on a number of chain restaurants, especially in the coffee-and-baked goods realm where Starbucks lives.
This week, Au Bon Pain rolled out its annual fall menu with two new items: a Pumpkin Croissant, priced ($2.39-$2.69) and a Caramel Apple Bar ($2.19-$2.49).
Available through Nov. 2, the Pumpkin Croissant is a flaky pastry stuffed with creamy pumpkin filling and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. The Caramel Apple Bar is apple filling, caramel and rolled oats on a buttery crust.
The 310-unit chain is also bringing back its 9-Grain Cranberry Ciabatta, available by itself for $1.39-$1.69 or as part of a Turkey & Cheddar sandwich with arugula spread with Au Bon Pain’s proprietary apple butter mustard for $6.29-$8.29.
Earlier this year, Au Bon Pain debuted its answer to the Cronut — a croissant-bun hybrid called the CroisBun ($2.49-$2.99). For the fall, the pastry comes with a sweet pumpkin filling. In the summer it had a lemon filling and in the spring it had a strawberry filling.
Au Bon Pain is also offering a Pumpkin Coffee Cake for $2.69-$2.89.
On the beverage front, the chain is bringing back its Pumpkin Pie Latte, available hot or iced for $1.99.
Dunkin’ Donuts is brewing up new Pumpkin Crème Brulee Coffee and Lattes, which feature the flavors of pumpkin and vanilla. It is also bringing back its usual Pumpkin Coffee, Pumpkin Pie Donut, Pumpkin Donut, Pumpkin Donut Holes and Pumpkin Muffins.
Krispy Kreme is also offering a Pumpkin Spice Latte, served hot or iced, topped with whipped cream and a pumpkin topping for $2.40.
A company spokeswoman said the 254-unit chain is testing a new Apple Fritter that will likely be rolled out nationally later this fall. It is also bringing back its Pumpkin Spice Cake doughnut — a glazed cake doughnut with pumpkin spices — as well as a Pumpkin Cheesecake doughnut, which is a yeast shell with pumpkin cheesecake filling, frosted with cream cheese icing and a gingersnap cookie crumble. Krispy Kreme doughnuts are $1.29.
Caribou Coffee is taking the ginger route with its new Pumpkin Ginger Latte, spiked with a gingery pumpkin sauce and topped with a crumbled gingersnap. Returning for the season are the 361-unit chain’s Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Latte, Pumpkin White Chocolate Mocha and Pumpkin Chai Latte. Prices vary by market.
Caribou sister chain Peet’s Coffee & Tea is launching three chai options this fall at its 226 locations. The Chai Trio includes Dirty Chai ($3.95-$4.95), made with espresso, Masala Chai Latte ($3.20-$4.20) and Vanilla Chai ($3.70-$4.70). On the pumpkin front, it is offering a Pumpkin Latte ($3.50-$4.50), a chilled Pumpkin Freddo ($4.30-$4.80) and a Pumpkin Chai Latte ($3.70-$4.70).
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected]
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