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It may still be the dog days of summer, but if you’re ready to dream about fall foliage and cooler weather — like this South Floridian — you’re in luck.
Starbucks has brought back its renowned pumpkin spice latte and other fall delights, giving you the perfect reason to start thinking ahead to the next season.
And fortunately, there are a number of ways you can make the most of your pumpkin-flavored purchase.
Here’s what you need to know about this exciting development.
Starbucks’ pumpkin menu is back
As of Tuesday, Aug. 25, you can now order Starbucks’ full line of pumpkin-themed drinks at locations across the U.S. While the pumpkin spice latte (and its iced cousin) get most of the attention, there’s an array of other items on offer, including:
- Iced pumpkin cream shaken espresso
- Pumpkin cream cold brew
- Iced pumpkin cream matcha
- Iced pumpkin cream chai
- Pumpkin spice frappuccino
And if that’s not enough, you can also pick up a pumpkin cream cheese muffin to round out the fall flavor explosion.
How to maximize your Starbucks purchase
If you’re planning to indulge in some pumpkin delights today (or any time in the weeks to come), there are a number of ways to make the most of your purchase.
First, make sure you’ve signed up for the Starbucks Rewards program, which was overhauled earlier in the year. For entry-level Green members, you’ll earn 1 Star per dollar spent on purchases, along with bonus Stars when you reload your Starbucks account balance. You can then redeem your Stars starting at 25 Stars (for a drink modification worth up to a dollar).
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Second, be sure to use a card that offers bonus rewards on dining purchases — whether you’re reloading your balance or paying in-store. Starbucks does code as a restaurant purchase, so you can use a card like the American Express® Gold Card to earn 4 points per dollar spent (on up to $50,000 in purchases at restaurants worldwide each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).
Or, since we’re getting near the end of the month, this could also be a good time to swipe your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. The card offers up to $25 in statement credits for dining purchases worldwide each month (up to $300 each calendar year), and our tests have found that reloading your Starbucks account will trigger this benefit.
Finally, make sure you’ve linked your Delta SkyMiles and Marriott Bonvoy accounts to your Starbucks Rewards profile. As of Aug. 5, you can now earn 1 Delta SkyMile for every dollar spent — as long as you’ve taken at least one Delta Air Lines flight in the previous 12 months. You’ll also enjoy double Stars on a day when you take a Delta flight.
Marriott’s partnership with Starbucks unlocks double Stars on qualifying purchases during eligible stays at Marriott Bonvoy properties, and you can also earn bonus Marriott points during a Marriott Bonvoy week, which happens once per month (the next one is Sept. 21 to 27).
Bottom line
Pumpkin season is back at Starbucks, and while some may lament the early arrival — we still have nearly four weeks before the official start of fall — I (for one) am thrilled for its return.
Just be sure to use the above tips to make the most of your purchases this fall! And let us know in the comments below if you’ll be swinging by your local Starbucks in the coming days.
