4 Chains That Don't Use Real Pumpkin In Their PSLs

It's pumpkin spice latte time again. The festive favorite seems to arrive earlier every year; and with it, the debate about what a pumpkin spice latte is and what a pumpkin spice latte should be. For a while, pumpkin spice lattes had very little to do with real pumpkin as few coffee slingers included the autumnal vegetable in their drinks — but things change. In the 2010s, there was some public uproar about a drink with the word "pumpkin" in its title not containing actual pumpkin, which led Starbucks to add kabocha squash (aka Japanese pumpkin) to its recipe. 

These days customers expect PSLs to contain actual pumpkin in addition to the simple spice mix that gives pumpkin pie its distinctive, comforting flavor. And yet, some chains still use syrups that don't contain any real squash at all! Below are four popular chains that are confirmed to be guordless wonders with nary a hint of pumpkin in their autumnal concoctions. Unfortunately for real pumpkin cheerleaders, some of them are also really good, but let's not let that distract us from the unmasking.

Krispy Kreme takes its fall menu seriously. This year, its classic PSL is part of an autumn lineup that includes four donuts and one other latte flavor (apple crisp). This year, the seasonal offering appeared eye-wateringly early, with all items arriving in stores before mid-August.

This level of enthusiasm might help explain why Krispy Kreme is the only brand that's fully upfront about the omission of pumpkin from its PSL. The copy on the brand's website describes its version of the seasonal drink as espresso-based, flavored with Pumpkin Pie Sauce, and topped with whipped cream and pumpkin spice seasoning. It also states in no uncertain terms that the drink doesn't contain real pumpkin. Clearly, someone at corporate is aware of the pumpkin versus pumpkin spice controversy and they don't want to get caught up in it.

Krispy Kreme needn't have worried, though, as it's PSL is unlikely to be confused for a real pumpkin drink. It's so sweet and heavily spiced that it lands somewhere floral. That doesn't mean it's a bad PSL, if you're a fan. In fact, it's kind of a classic of the genre. Still, like this year's seasonal Krispy Kreme donuts, it's somewhat forgettable.

McDonald's might not be the first chain you think of when you hear pumpkin spice latte, but there is a McCafe interpretation of the classic PSL. Well, there is if you're lucky; according to speculation by fall flavor fans on Reddit, it's only available at participating locations. 

While McDonald's doesn't outright tell us its drink is completely sans pumpkin the way Krispy Kreme does, the ingredients are listed on the brand's website and there's no mention of squash; just fructose, water, and propylene glycol alongside caramel color and Natural Flavor. While this last could theoretically include a few molecules of pumpkin, it probably doesn't count. Usually, Natural Flavor is made from the same naturally-occurring chemicals that provide the flavor of well-known ingredients and is used as a substitute for those whole ingredients because it tends to be cheaper than the real thing while still triggering the right flavor receptors. Krispy Kreme lists Natural Flavor in its PSL too, and we know for sure it doesn't mean pumpkin.

If you find yourself ordering from the golden arches but you're wanting real pumpkin, you could pair your pumpkin spice latte with the festive Pumpkin & Crème Pie. This sweet treat does list pumpkin in its ingredients and would go very well beside a PSL. 

Dutch Bros Coffee goes hard when it comes to seasonal menus. The Oregon-native chain's current summer lineup includes fruity Supernova and Stardust Fizzes, loaded cookie dough shakes and lattes, hot and cold Mexican mochas, and an electrolyte-packed pomegranate float called the Island Potion Myst Energy Refresher. So, while we don't know for certain what's going to be on the Dutch Bros' fall menu, there's no doubt it'll be exciting. It won't include real pumpkin, though.

In previous years, Dutch Bros has offered caramel pumpkin brûlée drinks, a Sweater Weather Chai, and a Pumpkin Pie Frost. Since 2023, it's also regularly stocked a sugar-free pumpkin pie syrup through fall and winter. According to Redditors who appear to work at Dutch Bros, both the standard and sugar-free syrups used for these drinks come from Torani. If the pumpkin pie syrup sold on Torani's website is anything to go by, these syrups don't contain any real pumpkin. And thus, sleuthing pays off with confirmation that Dutch Bros belongs on this list! Don't let that put you off, though. If I had a Dutch Bros location nearby I'd be stopping by for a Mexican mocha ASAP and I might be back for some fake pumpkin flavors later in the year too.

Just like McDonald's and the rival donut giant Krispy Kreme, Dunkin's PSL contains the flavors of pumpkin but with no real pumpkin to be seen. While this year's full fall lineup hasn't been announced, in 2025 the chain's Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte was available both hot and iced and came with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and a dusting of cinnamon sugar. The donut chain's signature pumpkin swirl was also available to add to drinks, as it has been for several years.

It seems likely the PSL will be back very soon as Dunkin' has been heavily teasing an August 19 pumpkin spice drop via Instagram posts that seem designed to induce acid flashbacks. The brand also recently announced a seasonal collab with Flipz which means coated pretzels based on Dunkin's pumpkin cake donut will be available at select retailers through October. Clearly, Dunkin' is all-in for fall, even if it stops short of using actual pumpkin in its drinks. Anthony Bourdain would be utterly horrified by the fall vibes fadiness of it all, but if you squint it's kind of fun! Sure, Dunkin's drink offerings are often more a dessert than a pick-me-up, but if you think of an iced Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte as a milkshake it can be a lovely, cooling treat on a hot, late-August day. There's no excuse for those pretzels, though, sorry.