Bring on the pumpkin spice, Palm Beach County.
Florida's August weather certainly isn't indicative of leaves falling and cinnamon-and-nutmeg scents. The Sunshine State's heat likely won't cool down for real until Thanksgiving. But we can pretend that summer has ended with a pumpkin spice latte.
Starbucks, the company credited with the years-long Pumpkin Spice Latte craze, released its fall menu today, Tuesday, Aug. 25. There were 50 Starbucks locations in Palm Beach County as of July 2025, from Boca Raton to Wellington to Jupiter.
Here’s a look at the Starbucks 2026 fall menu.
Starbucks' uber-popular Pumpkin Spice Latte — PSL for those who like acronyms
— is credited with starting the nationwide annual craze, and it returns today, Tuesday, Aug. 25. And this fall, Starbucks is teaming up with lifestyle icon Martha Stewart to promote their fall favorites.
"For years, the Pumpkin Spice Latte has been a defining symbol of fall, an icon. It has inspired memes, sparked commentary, and become an unmistakable sign that the season has arrived," a news release said.
"Just ask Martha Stewart, the queen of fall and keeping it real. Known for her thoughts on the beverage’s mainstream popularity, she confidently portrays that the PSL fits perfectly in fall … "
Along with its classic pumpkin flavors, the coffee chain is also revealing a new fall-inspired latte: the Banana Bread Latte. There are also three new pumpkin drinks: the Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso, the Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha and Pumpkin Spice Chai.
Here's a look at the Starbucks 2026 fall drinks that dropped today
- Classic Pumpkin Spice Latte.
- Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso.
- Pumpkin Spice Chai.
- Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha.
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew.
- Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai.
- Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino.
- Pecan Cortado.
- Iced Pecan Crunch Latte.
- Pecan Crunch Latte .
- Iced Banana Bread Latte.
- Iced Banana Bread Chai.
- Chaider — a combination of chai and cider.
Starbucks is also releasing a pumpkin spice-specific line of merchandise in its fall 2026 drop.
"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," a Starbucks release said.
There are also a few new fall-forward food items: the Chicken Bacon Protein Pocket and the Hedgehog Cake Pop. The Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin is also returning.
Why are people obsessed with pumpkin spice coffee?
There's actually some science behind why we are so obsessed with pumpkin spice every year.
Why are people obsessed with pumpkin spice coffee?
According to Johns Hopkins' Arts and Science Magazine, the key to why people love pumpkin spice is its smell. Its scent is strongly associated with the holiday season, and likely evokes comforting memories.
“Pumpkin spice aromas emerge in the fall in shops and cafes, coinciding with the arrival of colorful leaves, family gatherings, and back-to-school bustle. The association that the smell has with the season in our memories allows it to powerfully evoke the refreshing feelings of fall,” Jason Fischer, assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences, told the magazine in 2021.
Science journalist Alice Gray also told the BBC in 2024 that the drink's high sugar levels trigger the brain's reward system, releasing feel-good chemicals that make us crave more.
When is the first day of fall?
The first official day of fall 2026 is Tuesday, 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. Florida doesn't usually see cooler weather until November, though.
Lianna Norman and Samantha Neely are journalists for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
Maya Washburn is a Trending News Reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Pumpkin spice returns to Starbucks in Palm Beach County with fall menu
