Best Fall Drinks: What’s Trending?

Fall is here and what better way to start it off than with a sweet drink! Let’s check out what places around town have to offer. In Muscatine, most people go to the same four places each year for the fall season, Starbucks, Scooters, Dunkin’ Donuts, and The Coffee Belt.

Starbucks released its fall menu on August 22nd, and many were excited for the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. The Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai has also become a trendy choice. This drink consists of cinnamon and pumpkin flavoring with sweet cold foam. Starbucks offers a variety of other fall drinks such as the pumpkin frappuccino, pumpkin cold brew, apple crisp expresso, and many more after experimenting with their drinks, I picked out my top three favorites,

1.  Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai
2. Pumpkin Frappuccino
3. Iced Pecan Oat Milk Latte

Let’s see what the Scooters menu looks like! Scooters offers a larger variety of fall drinks ranging from cold brews, lattes, smoothies, energy drinks, to blenders. Their most popular by far is the Pumpkin Caramelicious (which can be hot, blended, or iced) and their green apple infusion (an energy drink). Just like Starbucks, Scooters sells an Iced Pumpkin Chai! This drink is coffee-based based, unlike the one at Starbucks. It is perfect if you prefer coffee. Barista, Kelsy Esmoil shared that currently, her favorite drinks are,

1. Carmel Apple Smoothie
2. Iced Pumpkin Caramelicious
3. Green Apple Infusion

Dunkin Donuts has always been very popular for their pumpkin spice latte now, they’ve come out with two new drinks; the Almond spice latte, along with the Dunkalatte. Although these drinks don’t contain any pumpkin or cinnamon they are a great addition to their fall menu. The Dunkalatte is perfect if you enjoy coffee that is sweet but not too sweet. Along with their coffee, everyone loves a Dunkin Donut! Their Pumpkin Donut and Pumpkin Spice Latte are the perfect combination to have this fall. After asking several students, the most popular drinks were,

1. Pumpkin Spice Latte
2. Dunkalatte
3. Almond Spice Latte

Lastly, is locally owned, Coffee Belt! Coffee Belt is unique to Muscatine and offers various drinks and sweets! Their fall menu currently consists of drinks named after a very popular 2000s TV show, Gilmore Girls. “I Am An Autumn” has been a big hit along with “Lorelai”. Both drinks consist of pumpkin and sweet caramel flavoring. The Coffee Belt always has new creative drinks and the same sweet faces. With that being said. One of your favorite baristas, Mia Huerta shared some of her personal favorites,

1. Stars Hallow
2. Doose’s Market
3. I am An Autumn

All of these drinks are limited time so get them while they’re hot! Or iced! Your local baristas will never disappoint, and neither will your coffee.