Dunkin' Vs Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte: How The Fan-Favorite Fall Drinks Differ

The arrival of autumn each year means the return of fall flavors and cozy drinks. Pumpkin spice lattes are at the head of the pack, with leading coffee chains Starbucks and Dunkin' even getting a jump on the season by rolling out the fan-favorite beverages in August, 2026. Although the chains' PSLs have the same name and are both available hot or iced, there are some differences between them, including in taste, ingredients, assembly, and price.

Starbucks began the PSL era when it first introduced the latte in 2003. Its popularity led others to follow its lead, including Dunkin', which debuted its first coffees with what it called a pumpkin flavor swirl in 2007. Although not everyone was on board with the craze — for instance, late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain couldn't stand the drink — the flavor was incorporated into many other foods and beverages, even in seemingly disparate matches like mac & cheese, Spam, and Slurpees.

Starbucks and Dunkin' have both introduced other pumpkin drinks over the years and continue to do so, such as cold brews, non-espresso coffees, and chai teas. They offer some baked confections and treats with the popular flavor as well.

The PSL granddaddy had a big revamp in 2015, which is when Starbucks began including actual pumpkin after being criticized for not using it. However, it's not the classic orange ones you see at Halloween. Instead, pureed kabocha squash, which is also known as Japanese pumpkin, is part of a flavored sauce that replaced the previous iteration. The sauce also includes sugar, condensed skim milk, and natural flavors, and is combined with milk and espresso to make the latte. Whipped cream with vanilla syrup is swirled on the coffee and sprinkled with a powdered topping of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove.

The ingredients elevate the beverage, which has more pumpkin and warm spice flavor than Dunkin's. Starbucks also hand-steams the milk for the hot drink to produce microfoam, tiny bubbles that create a smooth texture, while its competitor uses a machine.

Dunkin' introduced its official Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte in 2020, 13 years after it first began offering coffees with the flavor. It switched from including a cinnamon taste to vanilla and added a whipped cream topping with a caramel drizzle and sprinkled cinnamon sugar. However, it still uses a syrup that doesn't have any actual pumpkin. It includes sweetened condensed nonfat milk, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, and natural and artificial flavors. Vanilla syrup is also added to the drink, instead of to the whipped cream like Starbucks'.

Dunkin's beverage is milkier than its competitor's, with less detectable coffee taste. It's also sweeter, although neither will disappoint anyone who likes sugary lattes. However, it does have the edge when it comes to price. Starbucks' PSL is usually more expensive, sometimes significantly so, which is in line with its high prices being one of its customers' common complaints.