Fall Flavors Beyond Pumpkin Spice
Industry Trends, Culinary
2025.08.01
It’s no secret that consumers’ love of pumpkin spice has spiked since it was first introduced as a latte over two decades ago. LTOs featuring this festive flavor have been appearing on menus earlier each year as many QSRs start offering it mid-August to get those giddy guests through the door and drive-thru lanes.
Yet, this once-undeniable champion of fall flavors may have reached its peak with patrons, as two-thirds of them are excited about new food and beverage trends. A recent study showed that many millennials, in particular, are moving away from the pumpkin spice hype, with more than half saying they think there are better seasonal flavors to try in both beverages and bites.
Today’s flavor preferences are more adventurous and more personal. While boomers might gravitate toward nostalgic comforts like apple, maple, and cinnamon this fall, younger generations are getting bolder with fun picks like s’mores, candy apple, and toasted marshmallow. It’s a delicious generational mash-up of flavors and formats, giving operators a chance to experiment and lean into inventive pairings like Butterscotch-Miso, Gingerbread-Pear, Mango-Habanero, and even Hot Honey-Caramel. Sweet with heat combos? Please and thank you!
If you’re a food manufacturer or foodservice operator, it’s time to get creative. There is no limit when it comes to seasonal innovation. Add cozy fall ingredients such as mushrooms, figs, and cranberries to soups or salads. Garnish beverages and sweets with flavorful fixings – think toasted pecans, sugared blackberries, or ginger snaps and caramel apple slices. And give appetizers a festive reboot by topping sweet potato bites with maple syrup and spicy goat cheese, creating a harvest-inspired charcuterie board, or giving hummus a playful twist by blending in flavorful butternut squash.
Fall is the perfect playground to get creative with LTOs and try new flavors, colors, textures, and formats. Whether you’re serving nostalgia or pushing the boundaries of flavor, refreshing your menu this time of year is a great way to keep guests interested—and coming back for more.
Need front- or back-of-house support to make seasonal shifts smoother?
Check out our IxD™ Series for automated solutions that boost speed and consistency, or explore our Essentials™ line for durable, easy-to-use dispensing and holding equipment that helps keep fall flavors flowing.
Sources:
https://foodinstitute.com/consumerinsights/3-fall-flavors-poised-to-surpass-pumpkin-spice-in-popularity/
https://talker.news/2024/08/12/is-pumpkin-spices-reign-over/
Datassential, 2025 Trends