Starbucks Sees ‘Biggest Pumpkin Spice Latte Launch Ever’

Starbucks saw its biggest Tuesday foot traffic this year on August 25 when it launched its fall menu, according to research from Placer.ai. Visits on launch day were 25.7% above Starbucks’ 2026 year-to-date daily average and 35.1% above its average Tuesday. Traffic also topped its fall menu launch in 2025 by 6.7%, “in line with Starbucks’ announcement that this was its biggest North American Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) launch day ever.” The autumn menu features Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte alongside new flavors banana and pecan.

Placer.ai noted that the standout success of this PSL launch day “once again highlights the strength of Starbucks' promotion-stacking playbook—using closely timed launches to keep excitement building. Just ten days before Pumpkin Spice Latte Day, the one-weekend-only return of the Unicorn Frappuccino sent visits soaring, driving Starbucks' best North America sales weekend ever.”

“Pumpkin season is only getting started. And with back-to-back launches driving outsized traffic, Starbucks is showing how effectively it can turn limited-time moments into repeat reasons to visit,” Placer.ai concluded.

Last week, 7-Eleven released its new pumpkin-inspired coffee lineup, available now at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes stores.

According to the 2025 NACS State of the Industry Report, hot dispensed beverages accounted for 8.5% of foodservice sales, remaining flat year over year, while seeing a 5.4% dip in gross profits. Read more about how retailers and suppliers are keeping things fresh at the coffee bar in the July 2026 issue of NACS Magazine feature “Perking Up the Coffee Bar.”

QSR