Dunkin’ vs. Starbucks: Which Chain Has the Best Pumpkin Spice Latte? A Food Editor’s Honest Review

Preparation

Pumpkin spice sauce (which is mainly sugar, condensed skim milk and pumpkin purée) is added to the cup. The barista pulls the designated amount of signature espresso into the cup. Ideally, they’ll swirl it with the sauce to dissolve it (this is especially important for iced drinks, so you don’t get a straw’s worth of syrup from the bottom of the cup in those first few sips). As the espresso brews, they prepare the milk. For a hot PSL, it’ll be steamed by hand to create microfoam for the ideal texture. For an iced PSL, cold milk is simply poured into the cup and topped with ice. The latte is finished with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice, a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.

Cost & Availability

Hot and iced tall PSLs, made with regular milk and no customizations, each cost $5.95 at the 3901 Walnut Street Starbucks location in Philadelphia, PA. Starbucks launched its fall menu for 2024 earlier than ever on August 22. The PSL should be available at least through early November.

Flavor

In general, Starbucks PSLs are sweet and easy on the eyes. The whipped cream garnish and flurry of spices on top go a long way. The hot latte is arguably a bit sweeter than the Dunkin’ version, but its flavor is much more complex. It has a rich, silky mouthfeel and a more prominent pumpkin flavor.

If you’re in it for the looks, the iced PSL is more photo-worthy, thanks to its decidedly orange color and whipped cream crown (which dissolved on the hot one before I could snap a pic). While the flavor was milkier and sweeter than the hot PSL, this one was still more robustly spiced than both Dunkin’ options. I’m betting it’s tastier with an extra shot, as the bitterness probably brings out the earthiness in the sauce.

Iced or Hot

I preferred the hot Starbucks PSL, because its flavor was more complex and the temperature ups the coziness of the drink tenfold.

Nutritional Information (grande hot, 16 ounces)

390 calories, 14g fat, 52g carbs, 50g sugar, 14g protein

Preparation

I haven’t worked at Dunkin’, so I took to TikTok to see how employees make their PSLs. The preparation is a bit less involved than at Starbucks. While a machine pulls the proper amount of espresso at both chains, themilk is steamed by a machine for a hot latte instead of by hand. Another major difference is that the PSL includes bothPumpkin-Flavored Swirl Syrup *and* vanilla flavor shots (aka unsweetened vanilla syrup). In most cases, it’s topped with whipped light cream, caramel drizzle and cinnamon sugar.

Cost & Availability

A hot small PSL cost $3.59, a bit less than the iced small PSL at $3.99, at the 4100 Chester Avenue location in Philadelphia, PA. Dunkin’ brought back its fall favorites, like the Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte, pumpkin donut and maple sugar seasoned bacon, on August 28. The PSL should be available at least through November.

Flavor

If you’re someone who loves PSL season for the vibes and not the actual pumpkin, you might enjoy Dunkin’s version of the drink, which is very lightly spiced and super milky. Quality is the most notable difference between both chains’ offerings. Dunkin’s Pumpkin Flavored Swirl Syrup is mostly sweetened condensed skim milk, sugar and high fructose corn syrup—no pumpkin in sight. As a result, the hot pumpkin spice latte was very creamy and lightly spiced, but only vaguely pumpkin-y. When it comes to the iced version, it looked and tasted bland, mostly like milk, and the sauce was all pooled at the bottom.

Iced or Hot

Between the two, I liked the hot PSL better because it was slightly more flavorful. But TBH, I didn’t love either iteration.

Nutritional Information (medium hot, 14 ounces)

420 calories, 14g fat, 59g carbs, 55g sugar, 12g protein

Preparation

Starbucks takes the cake here, mostly due to the sauce being better dissolved in both the hot and iced lattes and the hot latte’s milk being the optimal texture. Also, the pumpkin spice sauce actually contains pumpkin, which Dunkin’s doesn’t. 

Cost & Availability

They’re equally available, but Dunkin’s are about $2 cheaper. If you’re a PSL lover on a budget (or want to get in on the craze but aren’t a huge fan of pumpkin), their hot option may fit the bill. However, you get what you pay for.

Flavor

Starbucks wins this one on both hot and iced fronts. The pumpkin spice sauce and espresso are simply better quality.

Iced or Hot

Generally speaking, I think this fall flavor is better suited for a warm, cozy hot latte. I preferred the hot version at both chains.

Nutritional Information

They’re pretty evenly matched (read: loaded with sugar). Starbucks’s PSL is slightly lower in sugar and calories, despite the hot grande being two ounces larger than Dunkin’s hot medium.

Summary: Dunkin’ vs. Starbucks: Which Pumpkin Spice Latte Is Best Overall?

TLDR? The hot PSL from Starbucks was the tastiest of the lot, and the Starbucks iced PSL was the prettiest. The Dunkin’ hot PSL was the most affordable option that’s arguably worth trying, though I’d skip the Dunkin’ iced PSL entirely.