The holiday season is officially upon us, and for many, nothing signals its arrival quite like the release of Starbucks’ iconic holiday menu. While these festive drinks did hit the menu on November 7th, 2024, it often takes a little time for them to truly initiate the holiday spirit. But before we dive into the holiday classics, let’s not forget the comforting drinks that have already graced the Starbucks menu since early September. In light of the excitement surrounding both the fall and holiday offerings, we decided to take a deep dive into AMHS students’ thoughts on these two beloved seasonal menus and which one reigns supreme.

The fall menu at Starbucks usually rolled out at the end of August, is easily the more iconic of the two menus. Due to the release of the world-renowned Pumpkin Spice flavor, most Starbucks fans hold this menu dear to their hearts. This year, the menu consisted of the following drinks: Pumpkin Spice Latte, Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai, Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai, Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, and Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato. As for the bakery items, they included: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin, Pumpkin & Pepita Loaf, Baked Apple Croissant, and Raccoon Cake Pop. The Pumpkin Spice Latte is an absolute cult classic and probably the most recognized item on the menu. Beyond its iconic status, the fall menu offers a variety of other cozy, spice-infused drinks and treats that do an excellent job of evoking a sense of autumn. Whether it is the warmth of cinnamon, nutmeg, or the recent addition of the sweetness of apple, these flavors provide the perfect comfort for cool and crisp days. For many, these drinks aren’t just a sweet treat, but a symbol of fall’s arrival, kicking off a season full of warmth and nostalgia!

Asking Academic Magnet students about their favorite fall drinks generated a copious amount of excited responses. Overall, students’ absolute favorite drink on the Starbucks fall menu was the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai. This drink first hit the counter in late August of last year, but despite its recent introduction, it has quickly escalated to be one of Starbucks’ most popular fall drinks. It consists of a regular Iced Chai Latte with Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam and a cinnamon topping. Aiden Ball (12) rated this as his favorite fall drink, adding that “the cold foam is what makes the drink.” He also would like to add that “the cinnamon on top of the foam is absolutely crucial to the drink.” It’s no surprise that students’ second favorite fall drink is the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Senior Chloe Trowman likes to get a hot Pumpkin Spice Latte when it is chilly outside because it warms her up and makes her envision “orange and brown leaves falling onto the ground.” Chloe sure does have a lot of fall spirit! Students’ next favorite fall drink was the Iced Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. Isabelle O’Leary thinks that this drink is “extremely underrated” because it makes her want to “put on a scarf and jump into a big pile of leaves.” The other two favorites consisted of the ​​Apple Crisp Oatmilk Frappuccino and the Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai.

As for the holiday menu, although it may be considered less iconic, it is probably the most long-awaited of the two. Not only does Starbucks release the holiday menu at this time of the year, but it is also accompanied by the exciting events of Red Cup Day and the Starbucks For Life game. This year, the holiday menu consisted of the following drinks: Caramel Brûlée Latte, Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte, Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai, Peppermint Mocha, Chestnut Praline Latte, Cran-Merry Orange Refresher, Cran-Merry Orange Lemonade Refresher, Cran-Merry Drink. It also consisted of the following bakery items: Turkey Sage Danish, Dark Toffee Bundt, Penguin Cookie, Snowman Cake Pop, Sugar Plum Cheese Danish, and Cranberry Bliss Bar. The flavors of the holiday season are also all about warmth and spice. The Peppermint Mocha, with its classic combination of chocolate and cool peppermint, is an absolute holiday staple that brings the perfect balance of sweet and refreshing to the colder months. This drink, in particular, embodies the spirit of the season with a festive touch that is loved by many. Paired with the array of seasonal bakery items, these festive treats are a celebration of the season’s best flavors, making the holiday menu at Starbucks a true highlight of the year.

Once again, asking students at Academic Magnet about their favorite holiday drinks brought about many other enthusiastic answers. Magnet students’ favorite holiday drink, by far, is the Peppermint Mocha. The Peppermint Mocha has been a staple on the holiday menu since 2002, so it is no surprise that it has a loyal following. One of these loyal followers, senior Alden Evans, stated: “I like the Peppermint Mocha.” Daniel Kagan (12) also gave a similar statement on this drink (see below). Everyone’s second favorite holiday drink was the Sugar Cookie Latte. Although this drink is newer than some of the others, it also has many fans. Jenna Hallaba (12) thinks that “the Sugar Cookie Latte is fire” because it “has sprinkles on top.” The red and green sprinkles atop this drink add a fun factor that other holiday drinks are missing, making it a good contender to be students’ favorite. Following the Sugar Cookie Latte, the Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai is also a big hit amongst AMHS students. Freshman Judd Waggoner frequently orders this drink and considers it his favorite because he is “an avid oat milk drinker.” Other students, such as Elizabeth Hample, enjoy this drink simply because it is another variant of the classic Iced Chai Latte with a varying flavor of Cold Foam on it. The other two top drinks included the Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino and the Cran-Merry Orange Refresher.

Overall, when asked which menu they preferred, Academic Magnet students chose the Starbucks holiday menu. These results were made clear, as 66% of students preferred the holiday menu in comparison to the 34% that preferred the fall menu. The festive flavors and cozy drinks of the holiday menu seem to resonate more with students, capturing the cheerful spirit of the season. Whether you’re a fan of pumpkin spice or peppermint mocha, it’s clear that seasonal drinks add a little extra joy to the school year.