Apple crisp or pumpkin spice? Nice and warm, or cold and chilly? Everyone loves to have something nice to sip on whether it’s in the morning, or just some caffeine getting you through the day. But with the introduction of new drinks into Starbucks’ fall menu, many students are asking the question: Which drinks are superior?
The fall season is overwhelming to begin with. Balancing both school, sports, outside academics and extracurriculars is hard. Yet, a drink from your local Starbucks or nearby coffee shop might just cheer you up and keep you moving forward.
With the variety of choices ranging from cold brew to chai to refreshers, there are almost unlimited options when choosing a drink. Lately, with the addition of seasonal fall flavors, the selection has been especially wide, which can be troubling for those who are indecisive. We received feedback from many Upper School students that further prove this point.
According to popular opinion, pumpkin spice is much preferred over apple crisp in terms of fall flavors. Despite the dropping temperatures and chillier mornings, most students get iced drinks over warm. They also prefer tea-based drinks over coffee and refreshers. Almost all students get their daily caffeine dose from Starbucks, with a small percentage opting for local coffee shops.
The Starbucks rage begs another question: Are the new fall-inspired items any good? The variety ranges from the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte to the brand new Iced Apple Crisp Oat Milk Shaken Espresso to the Owl Cake Pop. Food-wise, the Owl Cake Pop is most popular, followed by the Pumpkin Loaf and Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin. The Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte and the Pumpkin Spice Latte prove to be the most popular fall drinks.
“An iced chai latte with a shot of blonde espresso, two pumps of brown sugar, an extra pump of chai, with oat milk, and pumpkin cold foam is the perfect drink to finish off a tough day with school work and sports practice,” sophomore Devon Geist said.
Specifically, the iced pumpkin chai with pumpkin cold foam is very beloved, being chosen over every other drink as the go-to fall drink by many Upper School students. Moreover, the combination of pumpkin and chai has taken the school by storm. Something about a nice tea to start off the day can warm the insides of your stomach and leave you feeling nice and toasty.
An Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte enthusiast, Nina Sager ‘26, said, “I love fall because I get to visit family and see my friends at school. I love watching Gilmore Girls after school with a Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte, either iced or hot depending on my mood.”
In accordance with popular opinion, our favorite drink is an Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte with a shot of espresso. We love matcha, chai, and tea in general so the Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte is a match made in heaven! We would recommend it to anyone who likes pumpkin or chai or if you are just looking for a new go-to drink!
In general, while fall-inspired drinks are much beloved, the drinks themselves only make up half of the experience. It is the brand-new drinks combined with the transition back into school, sports, and cooler weather that really speaks to GA students.