Should coffee chains around the country push back the release of their fall drinks? Coffee chains like Starbucks release specialty fall drinks such as pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin cream cold brew, pumpkin cream chai lattes and apple crisp oatmeal macchiatos. They are also releasing baked items like baked apple croissants, pumpkin cream cheese muffins and a pumpkin and pepita loaf.  

Other chains, like Dunkin’, offer signature pumpkin spice lattes and their nutty pumpkin coffee. Dunkin’ is also releasing baked items, such as pumpkin cake donuts and pumpkin donut holes, along with pumpkin muffins. Dunkin’, unlike most other coffee chains, releases savory fall items such as maple sugar bacon and a breakfast sandwich. 

Scooters is following the same boat as these other chains with the pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin cold foam. Scooters set themselves apart from other chains with their baked items, including pumpkin spice cake bites, pumpkin muffins and a maple waffle sandwich.  

These coffee chains release their fall drinks between Aug. 16 and Aug. 24.  It is too early to have these drinks released. The official first day of fall is Sept. 23, yet the fall drink release across these major chains started a month and a half before the official fall season.  

Not only this, but it never really feels like fall in August; it is still extremely hot across the country, especially this year when the temperature was often over 100 degrees during this time.  

The temperatures never drop until the end of September to the beginning of October, thus another reason chains should push the release back. When chains release these pumpkin drinks while it feels like 100 degrees, it is not something people necessarily want to order.  

These drinks are supposed to enhance the fall time, when everyone is going to apple orchards, picking pumpkins and going to get a drink that is only released for a limited time. Many people go to get their drinks now, even when many of the fall activities that everyone knows about are not yet open. Instead, coffee shops should wait until our favorite fall activities start to open before releasing the seasonal drinks. That way, when going to your favorite fall activity, you can do it with a fall drink in your hand.  

While coffee chains would not have these products released for as long, that would increase the anticipation for customers. This would create a rush in people wanting their fall drinks, boosting business sales when it comes to the pumpkin spice seasonal flavor. 

Coffee chains should push back the release of their fall drinks until the official start of fall in late September.