Pumpkin Spice is Back in Wenatchee, Somebody Stop the Madness

Pumpkin Spice is Back in Wenatchee, Somebody Stop the Madness

Screen shot / about.starbucks.com/stories/2026/fall-starts-with-starbucks/#explore

It's not even September yet, but pumpkin spice lattes have returned to Starbucks in the Wenatchee Valley. Starbucks introduced the Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003. It was a huge success and has turned into a precursor of the fall season.  

Now the idea of pumpkin spice permeates everything. Don't get me wrong, I love pumpkin pie, but I don't think I'm ready for pumpkin spice French fries. French toast? Yeah, maybe. 

Getty Images
Getty Images

For me, the fall season truly begins when Costco starts making pumpkin pies. That's the real pumpkin spice in my life. 

The price is.... 

Let's talk about inflation a little bit. Pumpkin spice lattes are not immune to inflation. In Seattle, when you buy your pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks, it'll cost you about $6.45. That's nearly double the price of the pumpkin spice latte that people bought in 2003. The price is increasing faster than inflation. 

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Everybody wants that pumpkin spice money. 

This year, Starbucks was actually beaten to the punch, bringing out pumpkin spice. Several coffee vendors including Duncan', Dutch Bros, and even 7 Eleven beat Starbucks by releasing their versions of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at least a week before. If you look around the Wenatchee Valley, you'll find that our local Coffee vendors like Auto Moca also offer their own version of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. 

screen shot / Google Maps
screen shot / Google Maps

The scary thing for me is there seems to be no end to where pumpkin spice will go. 

According to seattletimes.com,
‘But some people’s love for pumpkin spice is practically priceless. Pumpkin spice has evolved from a fun flavor to a way of life for fanatics, who collect pumpkin spice merchandise, such as shirts and doormats, and snap up oddities including pumpkin spice hummus and deodorant.’ 

I must admit I wouldn't mind a pumpkin spice latte T-shirt if it had an image of a pumpkin spice latte with a big red circle and a slash through it.  

Getty Images
Getty Images

Yes, I am the Grinch of pumpkin spice. If it's not in a pie, I don't want it. Also, Full disclosure, I'm not really a coffee drinker. 

Maybe pumpkin spice hot chocolate, how about that? 

Four Chains That Don't Use Real Pumpkin in Their Pumpkin Spice Lattes

We've entered pumpkin spice season, which makes summer-lovers cringe . . . while fall-lovers are trying to pretend they don't have the A.C. on, while they get out their pinecone- and pumpkin-themed decorations.
 
 
Here's a question for pumpkin spice latte aficionados: Do you care if your PSL contains ACTUAL pumpkin . . . or are you fine with whatever ingredients are in that delicious, mysterious pumpkin spice syrup?
 
 
TheTakout.com has a list of FOUR chains that DON'T use real pumpkin in their PSLs. They are:


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