It is Autumn, and, like clockwork, the seasonal pumpkin spice trend comes back around. The marketing industry never fails to take advantage of the pumpkin craze. This blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger is all the rage for the few months before Christmas.  

    Customers become highly excited for their fall favorites to come back. Just about everything is offered with the words pumpkin spice on the product.

   From pumpkin spice lattes to pumpkin spice ravioli, even pumpkin spice scented candles and air fresheners, the marketing industry is slammed with customers. Consumers will buy anything labeled pumpkin spice during the months of Sept.-Nov. But, is pumpkin spice overrated?

    Nine out of ten people claim this blend of spices is overpraised. “Pumpkin spice is overrated because it’s good but not so good that you should make everything based on it for an entire month,” Said Dylan Huh.

   Starbucks and Dunkin even get into the fun, selling pumpkin spice items that range from coffee to snacks. Fall is the time of year that results in good profits from just adding two words to their products: pumpkin spice. Consumers seem obsessed with pumpkin spice because it is associated with fall and that cozy, warm feeling. Consuming these products likely brings a sense of nostalgia.

   Four out of five people say they prefer the Starbucks pumpkin spice drinks over Dunkin. “I Like the Starbucks latte better than Dunkin because Starbucks has the strongest flavor,” says Joey Colr. On the other hand, some prefer the Starbucks latte because Dunkin is a place where they make donut stops and not coffee stops.

   There is a large debate on whether Dunkin or Starbucks has a better seasonal drink. However, there is no denying that Starbucks tends to have a higher rating for its seasonal blend of spices over Dunkin.

   Eight out of ten people say they like the pumpkin spice editions during the fall season. “Pumpkin spice has an interesting blend of flavors, making it enjoyable to consume,” said Sammy Patel. On the flip side, some have extreme feelings of dislike towards this blend of spices. “There are so many better things to have during the fall. I don’t understand the hype around pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice is not everything nice,” says Conner Edwards.

   There seems to be no denying that pumpkin spice has become a staple of grocery store aisles and retail stores. Still, there is some debate about whether pumpkin spice is genuinely all that it is made to be. Many believe this product is overrated, not only for the fact that it is an advertising ploy but because pumpkin spice is not their favorite spice to consume.

   While it is unlikely this seasonal blend will be phased out soon, the question still lingers: is pumpkin spice everything nice, or is it overrated?

Photo 1:Maggie Metz displays her Starbucks pumpkin spice latte in front of some greenery. Pumpkin spice additions come to Starbucks during the fall season.