Though this year may be quite different than the rest, the fall season has finally come, officially beginning on Sep. 22. Along with retail stores bringing out their autumn-themed items, restaurants begin to shift into their long awaited fall menus. Whether it be bakery items or coffees, many are eager to try the esteemed fall treats. Both Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts have introduced their 2020 fall menus, but how do they stack up?

Starbucks:

With its sought after Pumpkin Spiced Latte, Starbucks tends to have extremely high expectations when Autumn rolls around. A Pumpkin Spiced Latte is a known favorite, but how are the other items on their menu?

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin

Our Rating: A+

Price: $3.25

Though simple, a pumpkin muffin with a cream cheese center and a pepita crust makes for a perfect snack, satisfying anyone’s sweet tooth. Taking a bite of this muffin is absolutely delightful, immediately melting in one’s mouth. The texture is a perfect medium: dense, yet fluffy and fresh. The pumpkin flavor really shines with a blend of perfectly balanced spices. Moreover, the flavors are authentic and do not taste artificially flavored, like some other seasonal foods may. Though the muffin is spectacular by itself, having it with the tangy cream cheese filling in the center really makes for a wonderful, flavorful dessert.

Salted Caramel Mocha

Our Rating: B-

Price: $4.75 (Tall)

For those who do not appreciate extremely sweet flavors, this will probably not be the drink for them. However, this might even be too sweet for those who do have major sweet teeth The first sip is almost shocking once one tastes the overpowering chocolate. Although it is called the “Salted Caramel Mocha”, there was only a faint hint of mocha and instead just an extremely rich hot chocolate flavor with salty undertones. It really was more of a salty hot chocolate than anything else. However, the flavor itself was good. The chocolate is a really dark, intense chocolate, which is why it does end up tasting so rich. The aftertastes are very pleasant and the drink itself is creamy. Beware, this drink is not for the faint of stomachs.

Dunkin’ Donuts:

Although not as known for their pumpkin spiced latte, Dunkin’ Donuts does have one of their own, along with many other treats to ring in the fall season.

Apple Cider Donut

Our Rating: A+

Price: $1.09

Available in both munchkin and full form, the Apple Cider Donut is a sure contender for the best fall snacks. Everything about this donut is delicious, making it hard to exhibit self control while eating. The apple flavoring is delectable, cinnamon complimenting it perfectly, truly making for a mouthwatering dessert. The cinnamon sugar dusted all over is an amazing touch, not only bringing the flavors home, but adding to the already wonderful textures of the donut. It’s cakelike, making it fairly firm, with a crunchy outside, yet fluffy inside. The sugar dusted on the outside adds a graininess to the donut, but a rather pleasant one.

Pumpkin Spice Iced Latte

Our Rating: A

Price: $3.79 (Small)

Delicious! This drink has a perfect pumpkin spice flavor, not too overpowering and does not taste artificial. The undertones of the different spices, like nutmeg and cinnamon, really add to the drink, giving it a well-balanced taste. In addition, the drink is light, sweet, smooth and overall very pleasant to drink. Part of why it does taste so balanced is because of the vanilla flavor it also has, which is pretty pronounced. However, it can be a little too sweet for some. The first few sips will taste very sugary, but after a while, it becomes less noticeable. Overall, this latte is a great option for those who want to get into the fall spirit while drinking a delicious coffee.

After trying each of these items from both Starbucks’ and Dunkin’s menus, it is pretty safe to say any of these fall foods are a great choice. The flavors in the pumpkin muffin are undefeated, with the apple cider donut and pumpkin spiced latte right behind. Although the mocha might be too rich for some, the taste itself was pretty delicious, tasting more like a salted hot chocolate than anything else. Despite what the season might be like, at least one can fall back on these delicious treats to provide a much needed feeling of comfort.