Many students yearn for pumpkin spice to make its return to coffee shops every year. With the fall flavor back at Dunkin’ and Starbucks this season, it's time to settle the debate: which coffee franchise sells the elite pumpkin spice latte (PSL)?
Seton Hall hosted a competition between Dunkin’ and Starbucks on Sept. 23 to measure which company could sell the most Pumpkin Spice Lattes (PSL), with [] taking the prize as students cite [reasons students like it].
PSL and other seasonal promotions have become a key part of autumn celebrations, with students crowding the counters of both establishments to taste different chai lattes, cold brews and matchas topped off with signature pumpkin flavoring.
Starbucks will now offer 10% off its products as a toast to students who chose to commemorate the beginning of fall inside its doors.
Immanuel “Manny” Burgess, a barista at Starbucks, said the competition was a great way to create community among students, citing increased orders and long lines as excitement for the fall season rushed in.
“That line is going through the door,” Burgess said. “This is mainly from eight to six, and is probably the busiest we get.”
Burgess said his favorite part of the PSL promotion is making the drinks because it adds fun flavor to the company's regular drink rotation.
We hardly get new drinks, so it's fun to learn and make them, and also to connect with students about the new drinks,” Burgess said.
During the PSL promotion, Burgess said the pumpkin spice chai tea lattes are the highest-selling drink, “catching [him]self making them more and more.”
Reflecting on the competition's significance, Burgess said it’s a great way to bring the whole SHU community together as students search for a hot drink to comfort the cool fall weather.
“At the end of the day, it’s gonna benefit both workers and students because if Starbucks or Dunkin’ wins, everyone will get 10% off from the stores,” Burgess said. “It’s a win-win for everyone, and it brings us together.”
While SHU’s champion has been crowned, some students remained undecided on whether Dunkin' or Starbucks reigned as the winner, with many citing affordability and taste as deciding factors.
Jamie DePasquale, a junior interprofessional health sciences major, said she believes the taste is similar across both companies, so she finds herself at Dunkin' more because of its prices.
“I use Pirate Bucks because I live on campus, so if I’m more interested in saving money or studying at the library, I would go to Dunkin',” DePasquale said.
Location is an important factor for DePasquale, explaining that Starbucks draws in more community while Dunkin’s atmosphere allows for more focus and is better for studying.
“I feel like the atmosphere of where the Starbucks is on campus is more social,” DePasquale said. “My friends usually hang out here, so I would feel more inclined to get a seasonal drink here because of the location.”
Echoing DePasquale’s sentiment, Jewell Ours, a junior psychology major, said she believes Dunkin' carries customizable drinks at an affordable price.
“Even though I like Starbucks seasonal drinks, I think Dunkin' has a better price and I feel like it’s more customizable,” Ours said. “But if I’m looking for a specialty drink, I go to Starbucks.”
Ours added that she believes Starbucks has more creativity in its menus, while Dunkin' is stronger in its cold brews and lattes.
“Starbucks does seasonal drinks better,” Ours said. “I think they have more specialty items. They have a lot of cool creations.”
Others are torn between the two, like Kayla Strand, a sophomore nursing major, who said she is undecided because she believes each company has its own strengths.
“For Starbucks, I really look forward to the iced pumpkin cream chai,” Strand said. “At Dunkin', I like the pumpkin patch latte with caramel.”
Strand added that she believes Dunkin' has better coffee, but Starbucks sells stronger chai teas.
“It depends on my mood,” Strand said. “If I want a coffee, I go to Dunkin'. If I want a smooth drink, I get a chai from Starbucks.”
With this year’s PSL collection, Strand said she looks forward to specialty drinks because she has outgrown her interest in the original PSL.
“[I’ll buy] only if they sound creative,” Strand said. “If they have cold foam, I’m more inclined to get it.”
Drink quality is a concern for others, like Veronica Otero, a sophomore nursing major, who said this influences her to choose Starbucks, as she believes Dunkin’ doesn’t deliver the same quality of pumpkin-packed flavors.
“I think Dunkin' has a lot of sugar, and their quality is not there, coffee-wise,” Otero said.
Sierra Torress, a junior social work major, agrees. She said Starbucks is better because its pumpkin flavor has more spice than Dunkin’s.
“Dunkin' has too much of a coffee flavor; there’s not enough pumpkin in it,” Torress said.
Torress added that she likes Starbucks’ aesthetic more, explaining that their PSL promotion feels more authentic than Dunkin’s.
“Starbucks has cuter drinks,” Torress said.
Reflecting on the excitement of the PSL promotion, Torress said getting PSL from Starbucks is one of her favorite fall traditions.
“The seasonal drinks are the highlight of my fall semester,” Torress said.
Since Starbucks won, students can receive 10% off a PSL if they order in stores on Sept. 25.
Michela DiLorenzo is the head editor of The Setonian’s News section. She can be reached at michela.dilorenzo@student.shu.edu.
