As Halloween festivities come to an end and Thanksgiving nears, students like Annie Callahan, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, are reminded that the holiday season is right around the corner. One of these reminders that she especially looks forward to is Starbucks’ release of their much-anticipated holiday flavors.
Starbucks launched their holiday menu on Nov. 2 this year. Most of the favorite seasonal flavors of the past made a comeback. Menus now feature the Peppermint Mocha, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Caramel Brulee Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, Gingerbread Latte and Eggnog Latte. These are all available hot, iced and as frappuccino blended beverages. One drink not making a return on the 2018 menu is the Holiday Spice Flat White.
For Callahan, the winter flavors always live up to their surrounding hype.
“I always get so excited every year when Starbucks adds their Christmas flavors back to the menu. Personally, I think they taste the best out of the whole menu, which is why I look forward to when they get added,” Callahan said. “My favorite flavor(s are) definitely the Caramel Brulee Latte and the Toasted White Chocolate Mocha.”
Callahan said she feels prepared to wait in the long lines as crowds of people roll in for the seasonal menu. On Friday, she went to a busy Starbucks to take advantage of the store’s one-day promotion where customers that bought a grande holiday beverage received a free reusable red cup. From now until Jan. 7, customers that bring in their reusable cup receive 50 cents off holiday drinks after 2 p.m. For customers that missed the promotion, reusable red cups can still be purchased in stores for $2.50.
Starbucks barista Mitchell Oddo, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said he understands why Starbucks gets extra busy right when the holiday flavors are released. Oddo said he enjoys tasting and conjuring up the drinks that evoke Christmas spirit.
“I honestly understand why there is such a big crowd when it comes to the Christmas flavors being added to the menu, ” Oddo said. “Not only is the fact that Christmas is a huge holiday adding to the popularity of the drinks, but they just genuinely taste really good and I feel like they would be popular year round as well.”
As a barista, Oddo knows all the special ingredients that go into the flavored drinks and understands why people wait on lines that stretch across the whole interior of the cafe. According to Oddo, the Chestnut Praline Latte, the Caramel Brulee Latte and the Toasted White Chocolate Mocha in particular are in high demand this time of year.
For Gabriella Rodriguez, a junior in the College of Communications, the Chestnut Praline Latte is what keeps her coming to Starbucks continuously during the holiday season. The drink for her encompasses all the feelings of the changing season and gets her in the spirited mood with every sip.
“I love the Chestnut Praline Latte. I get it hot every time and it always manages to lift my mood,” Rodriguez said. “The holidays are always a fun time of the year and I specifically love Christmas, so this drink always has me running to Starbucks as soon as it’s added to the menu.”
Rodriguez’s only concern with the spirited drinks is the large amount of money she spends on them each week. The addicting flavors leave her and many other customers regularly coming back for more.
