By Natalie Soldatova

What Autumn season would it be without fall-themed drinks from Starbucks? As much as I love Starbucks, I can say that I usually stick to my favorite drinks all year long and rarely try something new. There is still a lot on the menu that I haven’t tried yet, but this fall season I got influenced by my friends who were excited about the limited seasonal drinks.

Just recently Starbucks released a deal on fall-themed drinks. Every Thursday after 12 p.m. you can buy one fall drink and get another one for free, so I had to take the opportunity to try something new.

I think that my Starbucks orders are very basic since I have my favorites all year long, but this time I decided to try my first drink from the fall menu which was a hot Pumpkin Spice Latte. I actually made a mistake at first, since I wanted an iced one instead. Even though the hot latte was pretty good, I would not get it again. I still prefer my Cinnamon Dolce Latte or White Chocolate Mocha. I did try the Pumpkin Spice Latte again but this time it was iced and I liked that one better. When it comes to Starbucks drinks I usually choose coffee and drinks that are more sweet.

I decided to give a try to another fall-themed drink, the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte, and this one is my new favorite drink. I used to be skeptical about any drink that involved Chai, but as I said, only because I prefer to stay with my favorites. It was my first drink with Chai and I loved it. Since this drink will likely stay on the menu only during the fall season, I’m getting this order often. One good thing about Starbucks drinks is that you can modify them based on your preferences. I personally always get any iced coffee or drink with light ice because then the melted ice won’t ruin the actual flavor of the drink that much later. Starbucks offers many options to modify your drink, so you do not have to stick to the original ingredients.

Starbucks is known to offer pumpkin-flavored drinks during the fall season. An interesting fact is that this fall it is the 20th anniversary of Starbucks’ iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte. My new favorite drink, Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte, was added to the menu for the first time this year. Other drinks such as Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew have returned for their fifth year on the menu.

Some might say Starbucks is overrated, especially seasonal drinks that everyone wants to get because it is for example trending on social media. It is true that if I see a TikTok about any Starbucks drink and tips on what to add and modify for something new, it makes me want to try it as well.

Some people say they prefer to make their own coffee and that Starbucks drinks are not worth it. I personally prefer Starbucks drinks more than any other coffee but I will get coffee from different coffee shops from time to time as well.

I still have some other fall drinks to try before the season is over, but I unfortunately don’t think I will try them all. However, Starbucks’ ability to continually offer exciting fall options adds a touch of autumn magic to my coffee routine, making it a season I eagerly anticipate year after year.