Starbucks Says Fall Starts Now
Starbucks Says Fall Starts Now…and Banana Wants Pumpkin’s Crown
Pumpkin is back. Banana wants the crown. And Martha Stewart says apparently it’s time to put the sweater on anyway.
The Pumpkin Spice Latte officially returned yesterday, August 25, marking the unofficial start of PSL season – more than 20 years after the drink first became a phenomenon.
And Starbucks is leaning ALL the way into the seasonal switch. They’ve partnered with Martha Stewart and actor Belmont Cameli for a campaign basically saying: yes, we know it’s still summer but we’re celebrating fall anyway.
But this year’s menu has an interesting twist. We’ve been watching banana emerge as one of 2026’s biggest flavor trends, and Starbucks is putting it right alongside pumpkin with a new Iced Banana Bread Latte and Iced Banana Bread Chai, featuring banana, cinnamon and brown sugar. And unlike pumpkin spice, Starbucks says those banana drinks will stick around beyond fall.
Pumpkin gets some new company too: there’s an Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso, Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha, and a new Chaider, combining chai spices with apple-cider flavor.Plus returning favorites like Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and the pecan drinks, along with a new Hedgehog Cake Pop and Chicken Bacon Protein Pocket.
So yes, Starbucks has officially changed seasons.
