From Appalling to Appealing: I Tried Four Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Ranked Them

Who doesn’t love feeling the fall breeze on their neck and hearing the leaves crunch under their feet while sipping on a pumpkin spice latte? Though, it definitely matters where the latte is from, as some places undeniably do it better than others. You may ask yourself, which one is the best? In this article, a ranking of pumpkin spice lattes from Wawa, Starbucks, Dunkin, and McDonalds from worst to best is included.

Wawa, the disappointment! For starters, the latte on its own was not terrible, but not comparable to the higher rankings from the big coffee chains. But most importantly, there was so much ice that there were just three small sips before it was completely gone. Six dollars for an average pumpkin spice latte that a customer only gets three sips of? No thanks. The worst part is that Wawa’s kiosks don’t even give the option to add less ice or a special request, so there is no way you can avoid getting a drink overrun with ice. Overall, their latte is not recommended and gets a 3/10.

Next in line we have the McDonald’s pumpkin spice latte. Not terrible, but this latte does not hold back on the sweetness. It’s definitely drinkable, but if  possible, ask them to tone it down a bit on the next order, which may not be soon. Not to mention, it doesn’t come with whipped cream like all of the other lattes on this list, which may upset some people. This is not really a big deal. The sweetness of the latte and the way that it was made was just average, and not in a particularly good way. This one earns a solid 5.5/10.

Now it’s down to the big two, and Starbucks happens to get the shorter end of the stick. This latte is pretty good–definitely order it again. The whipped cream and the seasoning they put on top is a nice touch, and the overall flavor is what you’d expect from a big coffee chain, like Starbucks. However, that comes at a big price tag of almost seven dollars for a small size, which is outrageous for a regular pumpkin spice latte. You can’t ignore the delicious flavor though, so this comes in second place with a firm 7.5/10.

The best of the best, as per usual, is Dunkin Donuts Signature Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte. This is and always will be a go-to when in the mood for this wonderful fall beverage. They manage to get the flavor and sweetness perfect, and one can actually enjoy this without feeling like you need some water from a sweetness-overload like the McDonalds version. Also, a large is over a dollar less than the Starbucks small. Plus, you can ask for light ice and get even more drink, unlike Wawa. From the amazing pumpkin flavor to the perfect sweetness balance, this latte is the perfect example of a 10/10.

At the end of the day, these are just opinions. And the quality of each of these could vary from location to location. Anyway, try a pumpkin spice latte from all the chains, and decide for yourself which one is best!