Why Does Pumpkin Spice Season Seem to Arrive Earlier Each Year?

Pumpkin spice: You either love it or loathe it. No matter your stance, it’s undeniable that it dominates fall. From coffee to desserts to everything in between, the flavor is everywhere.

And it’s not just everywhere, it’s everywhere starting in August. Maybe you’re like me, reluctant to embrace sweater season when the heat is still unbearable. Or maybe you’re the opposite, eager to dive back into the magic of fall as soon as possible.

No matter where you stand on the pumpkin spice debate, you can’t escape it once it arrives. So, you might as well get the inside scoop on how it became so huge—and why it keeps creeping up earlier every year.

What’s the Origins of Pumpkin Spice Season?

While pumpkin spice and pumpkin pies have been around for ages, the official start of pumpkin spice season as we know it began with the introduction of the Pumpkin Spice Latte by Starbucks in 2003.

It’s hard to imagine Starbucks without its signature fall drink. But the journey to perfecting this flavor was no easy feat. In their search for a new seasonal drink to rival their winter classics, Starbucks experimented with flavors like chocolate and caramel before settling on pumpkin for its 'unique' twist.

The inspiration for the iconic drink came from tasting a piece of pumpkin pie followed by a sip of coffee. (I’m in!)

By the 2010s, the latte had taken over social media and transformed into a cultural sensation. The PSL was officially the unofficial start of fall, making its way into an SNL sketch, TV shows like Scream Queens, and even posts from celebrities like Taylor Swift.

Other coffee chains have jumped on the pumpkin spice bandwagon, with Dunkin’ even offering a spiked version. At this point, pumpkin spice has become a true icon of fall. And everyone—from coffee shops to brands that don’t even sell drinks—wants a piece of the action. You can find pumpkin spice flavor in everything now: trash bags, bagels, ice cream, and even SPAM.

Even though pumpkin spice is nothing new, it can still be surprising to see these products appear in late August. Isn’t it still summer? The reason brands push pumpkin spice so early is actually pretty logical. You might not be ready to let go of summer, but here's why it feels like everyone else is rushing you to move on.

Why Does Pumpkin Spice Season Kick Off So Early?

August is a month packed with delicious food. The end of summer brings tomato salads and zucchini bread, back-to-school dishes, and the start of football season. It almost feels wrong to skip all that and jump straight into fall.

Though August is a great time of year, it’s also when restaurants and food brands hit a bit of a slow period. People are starting to tire of summer and looking forward to what’s next. Enter pumpkin spice. The flavor sparks excitement for the season ahead, and since it’s a limited-time offering, people are eager to embrace it as soon as it’s available.

It seems like it’s working for stores, as pumpkin-flavored products are being released earlier each year. If it’s delicious in October, why wouldn’t it taste just as good in August? (Although, I can’t imagine any time of year that would convince me to try Pumpkin-flavored SPAM).

Is Pumpkin Spice Season Starting Earlier Every Year?

It definitely feels like pumpkin spice season keeps creeping up earlier every year. But to truly know, we need a way to measure if this trend is real or just in our heads.

To get to the bottom of this, I decided to go straight to where it all began: Starbucks. What better way to track the start of pumpkin spice season than by observing the annual return of the PSL?

I conducted some highly critical research and reviewed the release dates of Starbucks’ fall menu (a.k.a. when the PSL makes its return). After this thorough investigation, I’ve concluded that the answer is yes. Pumpkin spice season does indeed kick off earlier each year.

The PSL first made its debut on September 8. But in 2024, Starbucks is offering their fall menu starting on Aug. 22—the earliest date yet. Previous years have seen releases on Aug. 24 in 2023, Aug. 30 in 2022, and Aug. 24 in 2021. So yes, it does seem like pumpkin spice season is creeping up earlier each time. If this trend continues, who knows? Maybe one day we’ll be sipping iced PSLs by the pool in July!

Does This Apply to All Pumpkin Spice Products?

Not all signals point to pumpkin spice season arriving earlier every year. While Starbucks has certainly been moving its fall menu launch up, not all brands are following that trend.

Take Dunkin’, for example: in 2023, the Dunkin’ fall menu dropped on Aug. 16. As of Aug. 21 this year, there’s been no word on when their fall offerings will arrive.

While I might grumble about the early arrival of fall every now and then, I almost always find myself enjoying my first fall drink before August ends. Sure, the end of summer has its charm, but I see it as the perfect blend of both worlds. After all, iced lattes exist for a reason, so there’s really no reason not to dive into pumpkin spice and all its goodness this early.