Autumn over ice: the popularity of the pumpkin spice latte
Sarah Daponde Arts & Features Editor Fall in New England is a special kind of season. As a new school year begins, the air becomes crisp once again and leaves turn kaleidoscopic. The time has come to crack open the textbooks, take a stroll through the apple orchard, and appreciate the beauty of Autumn on the East Coast. But, of course, the true beauty of Autumn can be found within a mug in the form of a pumpkin spice latte. This seasonal beverage is enjoyed by millions across the country, and by hundreds across Framingham State campus. The PSL, as it has been fondly nicknamed, was first introduced by Starbucks in 2003, according to the NBC article, “The Rise of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte.” Pumpkin debuted at Dunkin four years later. According to The Observer, 20 million Pumpkin Spice Lattes are sold out of Starbucks alone each and every year. FSU does not have a Starbucks on campus, but we do have a Dunkin. Senior Erin Gemme, equipped with an iced coffee from the campus Dunkin, said, “I may be biased because I’m holding one right now - but I like pumpkin spice. I feel like there’s a strange hatred toward it. I like it though.” For even more pumpkin, Gemme recommended the new Pumpkin Pie Blizzard Treat from Dairy Queen. In 2022, the PSL gained enough popularity to convince Merriam Webster to add the term “Pumpkin spice” to the dictionary. And now, 23 years after its resplendent introduction, the PSL can be found in almost every coffee shop this Autumn, as cafes in Framingham and the surrounding area host their own creative spins on the festive drink. The Coffee Loft, located in Marlborough, offers the “pumpkin cupcake,” which is a flavor consisting of pumpkin, caramel, and white chocolate. It is offered year-round, but shines brightest in the sunny month of September, as students return in need of something sweet to get them through their first load of homework. The Muffin House is most famous for their muffins, which come in a wide array of colorful flavors - but coffee always comes first! The Muffin House has locations in Natick, Hopkinton, Medway, Mendon, Westwood, and Walpole, so there is no excuse to miss out on their lineup of cozy new drinks. Of course, they have pumpkin flavors, including a drink called the “Fluffy Pumpkin.” But, Muffin House seems to understand that, although the PSL is beloved by some, it is not beloved by all. The Muffin House offers an array of other flavors. Enjoy a “Maple Pancake” or “Caramel Apple” iced coffee instead. According to junior Ollie Mainguy, apple should be the dominant fall coffee flavor. “Pumpkin should not be in a drink. It’s so wrong. Apple drinks? Delicious,” she said. Mainguy said she waits for the day that Starbucks brings back their apple crisp seasonal drinks, which first debuted in 2021. She said she was devastated when she saw they had been cut from the 2025 and 2026 Fall lineups. Starbucks has not given an official reason for throwing their Apple Crisp Chai and other apple drinks to the curb. This year, their PSL is sharing the menu with pecan- and banana bread-inspired drinks. Senior Indigo Allain, a pumpkin fanatic, said she couldn’t disagree more. She said her go-to drink from both Dunkin and Starbucks is the PSL. “I love the fall season because I know everything’s going to be pumpkin. Pumpkin is the best flavor ever!”
