It’s no doubt Starbucks’ well-known pumpkin spiced drinks have been more popular than Dunkin’ overall and have been favored by many for years, but given the recent disappointment I experienced from Starbucks’ fall 2022 syrups, Dunkin’ has gained my vote when it comes to the pumpkin superiority debate.

Released almost two weeks earlier than Starbucks, Dunkin’ came out with their annual pumpkin spiced syrup on Tuesday, August 30. Almost every Dunkin’ employee, including myself, has been making drinks with some variation of pumpkin spice since its release. This year has been more pumpkin-crazed at Dunkin’ than in past years, which I’ll be thanking Starbucks later for.

To start off, I’m not the only one let down by Starbucks this year, people have been voicing their disappointment of the absolutely bland flavor of this year’s pumpkin-spiced flavoring. All over social media, many suspect they have changed their iconic formula, which was deemed to be true because according to a Starbucks barista, the syrup now has “real pumpkin ingredient”, explaining its lack of flavor.

The bland Starbucks pumpkin flavoring might as well be considered a sweetener similar to liquid sugar and nothing more. Unlike Starbucks, Dunkin’s pumpkin syrup is flavorful with accents of nutmeg and cinnamon. Quality-wise, I would say even though Starbucks’ syrup is more sugary and not very pumpkin, it definitely tastes less artificial than Dunkin’s with the intense but not too overpowering pumpkin spice I have been enjoying.

Not only is it more flavorful, Dunkin’ also offers affordable seasonal drinks. An order of a 12 oz. tall chai latte with oat milk and pumpkin syrup at Starbucks comes to a whopping total of $6.18, while at Dunkin’, an order of a 16 oz. small of the same order comes to $4.45. So why not save your money and disappointment?

If you’re one of the many let down by Starbucks’s pumpkin syrup, I suggest giving Dunkin’s pumpkin spiced flavoring a try, particularly a chai tea latte with pumpkin flavoring or Dunkin’s extremely popular iced pumpkin spiced signature latte.