News

Dunkin' does it again: The Great Pumpkin has arrived

August 12, 2019

Yes, it's early August. Yes, kids are still in the pool. but the great QSR annual pumpkin race has begun with today's announcement from that fittingly orange-ish brand, Dunkin,' announcing that its pumpkin menu is set to start harvesting customer sales on Aug. 21, according to a news release. 

To raise the overall pumpkin-related awareness level, eight U.S. stores will rebrand from Dunkin' to Pumpkin' on Aug. 14 and give out free pumpkin-flavored Munchkins lip balm and pumpkin-flavored coffee, to melt all the balm off again. The brand would not relay the names of the cities for the opening parties, but said their first initials do spell out the word ... wait for it ... P-U-M-P-K-I-N. 

Among the fall parade of pumpkin are the chain's new Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Signature Latte and Apple Cider Donut, as well as old friends from former years like pumpkin-flavored coffees and Munchkins, those doughnut holes that many customers find hard to pass up. 

The brand said consumers' passion for pumpkin is growing like ... well pumpkins. Annual sales of pumpkin-flavored products up 15.5% last year alone, setting an all-time high for the past five years, according to Nielsen. 

Dunkin's new Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Signature Latte can be order hot or iced and features pumpkin and cinnamon flavors, topped with whipped cream, a caramel drizzle and cinnamon sugar. The brand's pumpkin-flavored coffees also come in hot or iced coffee, cold brew, espresso drinks, frozen coffee and frozen chocolate.

And aside from the new Apple Cider Donut and Munchkins, the brand has returned its glazed pumpkin cake doughnut, Munchkins or muffin, with white icing and sweet streusel crumbs. Lastly, K-Cup Pods will also be available for a limited time. 

Photo: iStock