I know, the calendar says Fall starts on September 22nd, but for many (including myself), the true mark of fall is not a calendar date, but rather the day that Starbucks releases their pumpkin spice latte. While I always enjoy a good cup of coffee, there is something special about pumpkin flavored coffee. For that reason, and because I consider myself both a Fall and a coffee connoisseur, I adventured around Latrobe in order to bring to you this: a list of a few different places’ pumpkin spice lattes, rated.
I went to five different stores; Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Sheetz, Coffee Bean Cafe, and McDonald’s, to see what they had to offer. All of the drinks are rated on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best), based on the following criteria: pumpkin flavor, whipped cream/ other toppings, presentation, and of course, price.
Starbucks
- Whipped Cream/ Topping: 4/10
- Presentation: 4/10
- Pumpkin Flavor: 9/10
- Coffee Base: 9/10
- Price (Tall): $4.25
Dunkin Donuts
- Whipped Cream/ Topping: None
- Presentation: 7/10
- Pumpkin Flavor: 5/10
- Coffee Base: 7/10
- Price (Small): $2.99
Sheetz
- Whipped Cream/ Topping: 9/10
- Presentation: 8/10
- Pumpkin Flavor: 7/10
- Coffee Base: 5/10
- Price (Small): $2.12
Coffee Bean Cafe (Latrobe)
- Whipped Cream/ Topping: 10/10
- Presentation: 10/10
- Pumpkin Flavor: 5/10
- Coffee Base: 8.5/10
- Price (Small): $4.50
McDonald’s
- Whipped Cream/ Topping: None
- Presentation: 4/10
- Pumpkin Flavor: 3/10
- Coffee Base: 7/10
- Price (small): $2.12
So who wins, you might ask. After considering all aspects in which I rated the coffee (especially price…broke college student problems!), I would most likely buy Starbucks’s pumpkin spice latte. Even though it was pricier than a few of the others, it was worth it, in my opinion. What the Starbucks latte lacked in presentation, it made up for it in flavor. Of all the drinks, it really did taste the most pumpkin-y. Coffee Bean Cafe (Latrobe) came in a close second place, but the pumpkin flavor was just a little too mild and it was the most expensive of the five. That being said, if you are looking for a cheap, all around solid pumpkin spice latte, Sheetz is a good option. The Sheetz latte is actually pumpkin pie flavor, instead of pumpkin spice, but the flavor was still very good! Again, this is just one coffee/ Fall loving girl’s opinion! Hopefully this list will make your next pumpkin spice latte decision a little easier, or maybe you will feel adventurous and try a store you have never been to. Enjoy and happy Fall!