Starbucks introduced the beverage under the name "pumpkin spice latte" in late 2003.[1] It obtained a trademark for the abbreviation PSL in 2015.[2] The flavor has inspired a range of seasonal product variations.[3] The pumpkin spice latte has since been offered by chains including Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's.[4]
History
Starbucks began developing the pumpkin spice latte in January 2003, following the success of winter beverages such as the peppermint mocha and eggnog latte. Peter Dukes, the company's Director of Espresso for the Americas, explained that developers recognized the appeal of pumpkin flavor, noting, "there wasn't anything around pumpkin at the time."[5] During development, Starbucks' team collaborated with food scientists to create four potential seasonal beverages: a chocolate-based drink, a caramel-flavored beverage, a cinnamon-flavored option, and a pumpkin-flavored latte. Although the pumpkin beverage initially received mixed feedback, Dukes and the team advocated for its inclusion, ultimately approving it as the fourth option. To inspire the desired fall flavor profile, the development lab was decorated with autumnal items such as leaves and pumpkins, and the team sampled pumpkin pie mixed with espresso to refine the recipe.[6] In late 2003, the final recipe was tested at select Starbucks locations in Vancouver and Washington, D.C., where sales exceeded expectations. Dukes stated, "We couldn't keep up initially... we had to expedite inventory to the stores."[7] The pumpkin spice latte was subsequently rolled out to all U.S. Starbucks locations the following year.[8]
In 2013, Starbucks introduced a promotional gaming element, allowing customers to "unlock" the pumpkin spice latte at select stores by ordering it with a code prior to its official release.[9] That same year, the company applied to trademark the initialism "PSL," with the trademark officially registered in 2015.[2] In August 2015, Starbucks modified the pumpkin spice latte recipe to include actual pumpkin and remove artificial colors. The updated ingredients included a "pumpkin pie–flavored syrup" made with sugar, condensed skim milk, pumpkin purée, coloring, and preservatives.[10] According to the Institute of Food Technologists, the change was largely imperceptible to consumers and was implemented primarily to satisfy those who wanted real pumpkin listed among the ingredients.[11] In 2017, the pumpkin spice latte became available iced or as a Frappuccino, and later that year, Starbucks introduced a pumpkin spice chai latte variant.[12][13]
Reception
Starbucks pumpkin spice latte with whipped cream
As of 2013, Starbucks had sold over 200 million pumpkin spice lattes since the drink's launch.[14] In some seasons, it generated at least $80 million in revenue annually, outselling other seasonal beverages.[15]Forbes estimated that the beverage accounted for $100 million in revenue for Starbucks in 2015.[16]CNBC reported in 2019 that the pumpkin spice latte is Starbucks most popular seasonal drink, with worldwide sales of around 424 million.[17] By 2025, the drink generated approximately $500 million annually.[18][19] In September 2025, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol stated that the company had already seen an increase in sales, noting that fall products, including pumpkin-flavored offerings such as the pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin cream cold brew, and iced pumpkin cream chai, helped Starbucks "deliver a record-breaking sales week" at its U.S. company-operated store.[20][21]
Donston-Miller of Forbes attributed the enduring popularity of the drink to its limited annual availability, which fuels anticipation and engagement; fans eagerly await its seasonal release, share their excitement on social media, and lament its absence until the following year.[22] During the fall season, Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte generates substantial social media engagement, with an estimated 3,000 daily tweets using the hashtag #PSL. The company maintains an official Instagram account featuring the beverage in seasonal-themed illustrations.[23] The pumpkin spice latte also helped popularize a wider range of pumpkin spice products, including candles, air fresheners, doughnuts, breakfast cereals, cough drops, and pasta sauce.[24][25][15]
Following the success of Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte, other major chains introduced similar seasonal beverages, including Dunkin' Donuts in 2007 and McDonald's in 2013.[26][27] In 2021, Starbucks experienced a 10% week-over-week sales increase during the first week of its pumpkin spice latte release, an effect often referred to as the "PSL effect." Similarly, Dunkin' Donuts saw an 8.4% sales increase during the introduction of its pumpkin spice beverages in 2019, maintaining elevated sales the following week, with foot traffic rising 3% on the day of Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte launch.[28] In 2023, when Starbucks rolled out the pumpkin spice latte nationally, foot traffic rose 24.1% compared to an average weekday, with some states experiencing increases of 42–45%. Traffic remained elevated in the following three days, ranging from 11.3% to 15.9% depending on the day. Dunkin' Donuts has also reported similar traffic spikes during the rollout of its fall menu; for example, in 2021, foot traffic increased 12.2% in the first four days of its fall release compared with the prior three weeks.[29]
↑ "New Drinks at Starbucks: Fall 2017". What's New at Starbucks This Fall. Starbucks. September 5, 2017. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
