We are halfway through August, which means coffeehouses across the country are gearing up for the most special time of the year: pumpkin spice season.
Though it may still feel like summer, Halloween stores have already begun to open, and soon pumpkin flavors will be gracing coffee chains across Tennessee, with some stores introducing them as early as Aug. 13.
Pumpkin spice season usually starts mid-to-late August. Last year, Starbucks rolled out its fall menu on Aug. 26, and Dunkin' released its menu on Aug. 20.
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Here's when pumpkin spice drinks and other fall menu items will return to Tennessee coffee shops.
When is the first day of fall?
The first official day of fall 2026 is Sept. 22, marking the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.
For meteorologists,
however, fall begins earlier. The meteorological fall season starts Sept. 1 and runs through Nov. 30, aligning with the calendar months used to track seasonal weather patterns.
When will Dunkin' have pumpkin spice?
Pumpkin will be back at Dunkin' on Aug. 19, the company announced on Instagram.
It follows similar timing in recent years. In 2025, Dunkin' also launched its fall menu – including pumpkin – on the third Wednesday in August. The year before that, the company released its seasonal lineup on Aug. 28, 2024, the last Wednesday of the month.
The chain's fall menu has not been officially confirmed; however, some food accounts have reportedly leaked what the menu will include, which includes several tiramisu- and pumpkin-themed drinks among other flavors.
When does pumpkin spice return to Starbucks?
Starbucks' uber-popular Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL), which is credited with starting the nationwide annual craze, is returning on Aug. 25, according to an Aug. 3 release. But if you can't wait for a taste of Starbucks' pumpkin spice products, they are already on grocery shelves across the country.
To sweeten the drop, Starbucks is also releasing a pumpkin spice-specific line of merchandise this fall.
"For those who count down the days until PSL returns, and mark their calendars for the first sip, the PSL Society collection celebrates the season with new drinkware and an iconic hat made for PSL lovers everywhere," the Starbucks release said.
Does 7 Brew have fall flavors yet?
Although the coffee chain has yet to announce its 2026 fall flavors, seasonal pumpkin and fall-flavored featured drinks at 7 Brew typically release on Sept. 1 or in the first week of September.
In case you're wondering, 7 Brew is an Arkansas-based drive-thru-only coffee shop chain that aims to deliver a high-energy, positive experience and offers a wide range of unique coffee and energy drink flavors. Fun coffee flavors are just a footnote in the chain's wide-sweeping drink menu.
While it started with only seven coffee drinks, the coffee shop now offers countless customizable combinations and unique concoctions, like the “firecracker” frozen energy drink slushie and other energy drink flavors named “Ocean Breeze,” “Nightshade,” and “Pixie Stick.”
Is pumpkin spice available at Scooter's?
Pumpkin and fall flavors are dropping a little earlier at Nebraska-based coffee chain Scooter's, where the fall menu will be available Aug. 13.
And at Scooter's, there are four pumpkin drink options on the 2026 fall menu: the Pumpkin Caramelicious Latte, the Pumpkin Cinnalicious Latte, the Pumpkin Chai Latte and the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte. Other fall flavors dropping this week include maple and caramel apple.
What day is pumpkin spice coming back at Dutch Bros?
Arizona-based coffee chain Dutch Bros launches the fall menu during the last week of August each year. The menu stays available through October 31 at most locations across the country. Based on a release from earlier this year, over a dozen drinks are coming to the menu this fall.
Some of the drinks headed for Dutch Bros this August include: the Caramel Pumpkin Brûlée, Pumpkin Pie Frost, Pumpkin Cold Brew, Sweater Weather Chai, Snickerdoodle Dutch Frost, Cookie Butter Latte and Maple Pecan Breve.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Starbucks, Dunkin' set pumpkin spice return dates in Tennessee
