McDonald’s has made a notable change to its seasonal coffee offerings this fall by omitting the pumpkin spice flavor, marking the first time in a decade that the iconic fall taste will be absent from its menu. The company confirmed to USA TODAY that participating locations will instead feature a caramel apple flavor as part of its fall McCafé lineup. McDonald’s stated that the decision to introduce Caramel Apple Pie was driven by a desire to provide fans with a “fresh take on the familiar tastes of fall” and to offer a new seasonal flavor that they believe customers will enjoy.
The article notes that McDonald’s first introduced pumpkin spice to its seasonal coffee offerings in 2016, a flavor that has become nearly ubiquitous in the fall over the past two decades, particularly since Starbucks launched its Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003. The pumpkin spice flavor has since been incorporated into a variety of products beyond coffee, including bagels, over-the-counter medicines, and ice cream. McDonald’s described its new fall menu item as a “seasonal blend” that combines notes of apple and caramel flavoring with its bold blend coffee, topped with salted caramel flavored whipped cream and bits of apple pie crumble. Read the full article on USA TODAY