Here we go! Pumpkin Spice Lattée Season gets earlier and earlier every year – usually with Starbuck’s leading the PSL Parade. But this is the earliest it’s ever been. Are they trying to clear up menu con-fusion over at the ‘premium pump’?
The famous Starbuck’s PSL: Celebrating 20 Legendary Years –
for better or for worse. And haters be damned!
They very well might. And this isn’t the first time in the last few months I’ve felt it necessary to spot-light this problem…
About a year ago…
Starbucks announced it would sack it’s current CEO in favour of turnaround specialist and hire well-known brand restoration hero Brian Niccol to ‘fix’ it’s damaged and sinking brand.
Since then, we’ve we’ve been receiving period updates on his progress, trumpeting floor plan and business model updates, bringing back original fave features fans love – such as free coffee ‘con-diments’ they can add themselves. And just generally easing the whole Starbuck’s concept toward the original ‘community hangout’ experience the funders originally envisaged.
Streamlined menu
One of the key components to the plan was to streamline the menu, ditching most of the fancy drinks the baristas didn’t know how to make concentrating and restoring the previously close relationship between counter servers and customers.
Alas for Niccol – and his menu-shrinking master plan – it seems more than one group within the organization has been secretly fighting to keep the menu ‘fat’ and load it down with season and thematic specials.
This it came as a surprise to me o see a big fall specials menu headlied by returning Pumpkin Spice Lattée.
Advance notice
The fall menu preview comes with lots of advance notice: It doesn’t take effect until August 26. But it does show some impatience and anxiety from certain movers and shakers at Starbucks to get a pro-ven winner back on the active roster.
It was accompanied by a whole collection of Starbucks and PSL Fast Facts, too. Which adds to the impression that the brand is placing a lot of importance on the return of it’s fall classic.
What raises a red flag for me is how early the ‘Fall’ specials have started to arrive. According to a company release within the last few business days, Starbuck’s plans to release no fewer than 9 new ‘Fall Retail Offerings’ as well as half a dozen ‘fancy’ hot and cold food and beverages menu items over the coming season…
My take
So… My question for everyone in the Starbuck’s universe is: Who’s actually driving the truck over there these days?”
~ Maggie J.