Everyone knows that Starbucks and Dutch Bros have always competed for business and held a rivalry. With the Fall menu out, we must determine which new items are the best and whether St\On the Starbucks fall menu, the new options include a pumpkin spice latte, iced pumpkin cream chai, pumpkin cream cold brew, iced apple crisp non-dairy cream chai, apple crisp oat milk macchiato, iced apple crisp oat milk shaken espresso, and the option to add pumpkin flavor or cold foam to most drinks. For Dutch Bros, there’s a caramel pumpkin brûlée breve, cookie butter latte, and a caramel apple rebel.
Elena and Elise, distinguished journalists and reviewers, first visited Starbucks. We ordered the apple crisp non-dairy cream chai and the iced pumpkin cream chai. If you order a grande, both drinks cost $5.95. They were bursting with delicious flavors. The pumpkin chai was sweet and refreshing; if you enjoy chai, I would highly recommend it. While I didn’t taste much pumpkin, it had a great flavor, and I wasn’t disappointed. The apple chai made me feel warm, and a sip reminded me of Christmas. I would choose the pumpkin chai for a classic everyday drink, while the apple chai felt more like a treat for special occasions. I also recommend getting the apple chai hot, as it was very warming and soothing.
After Starbucks, we headed to Dutch Bros. We ordered the caramel pumpkin brûlée breve and the cookie butter latte. Both were sweet but not overwhelmingly so. If you enjoy strong and sweet drinks, these are for you. The prices were similar to Starbucks; the small (16 oz) drinks were actually cheaper at Dutch Bros, costing $5.09 each. The pumpkin drink had a strong pumpkin flavor, with caramel making a great combination. The cookie butter latte, while not particularly seasonal, was still tasty, featuring a strong cookie butter flavor with each sip. I’d recommend both drinks, depending on your preferences.
Overall, we enjoyed the Starbucks pumpkin chai latte the most. It had a good size, price, and unmatched flavor. However, trying the other options is worthwhile to find your favorite. We rate Dutch Bros an 8/10 and Starbucks a 9/10.
