A long line of eager students trailed out the door for the return of Starbucks’ fall menu featuring the drinks of the upcoming fall season.  

On campus, coffee cravers can find two separate Starbucks locations, and since the drop of the fall menu last week, students have added a coffee run to their daily schedules. 

“I mean I work in theater so everybody knows the theater industry runs on coffee,” Joe Bartlett, a freshman design technology major, said. “I would always get the oat milk apple crisp macchiato while working on fall shows.”

The oat milk apple crisp macchiato is one of Starbucks’ returning fall drinks.

Erin Thompson, a junior psychology major and campus Starbucks student manager, said that this fall, along with the return of the pumpkin spice latte, Starbucks released new fall drinks.

A few of the popular drinks include the new apple crisp oat milk shaken espresso and the apple crisp frappuccino, Thompson said. 

The pumpkin cream chai tea latte is officially a new drink to the menu after it was not on the menu last season.

“It was so popular last season that so many people ordered it as a customizable drink that Starbucks decided to make it official,” Thompson said.

The pumpkin appeal did not interest all Starbucks’ customers like Kaiya Williams, a freshman communication studies major.

“I’m not a big coffee person, I come here for the strawberry açaí,” Williams said. “Coffee makes my stomach hurt.”

However, Williams understands why some customers may be more eager to order pumpkin in their drinks, she said.

“I heard the drinks are good, it probably gets people more in the mood for the seasons,” Williams said. 

Thompson added that limited availability of the drinks and the seasonal feel make customers eager to purchase them.

“It’s not like you have access to pumpkin spice all year around, so when they release in the fall it’s a big thing,” Thompson said.

With the arrival of the new drinks, students noticed the lines at Starbucks have been growing longer when they go.

Emily Rolf, a junior fashion major, noticed this when she went in between classes to get a hot chai with oat milk and pumpkin spice.

“It was just the other day and the line was way shorter than this,” said Rolf.

Simone Hester, a junior fashion design major and campus Starbucks employee, said a few components of the new drinks take longer to make, like the cold foam.

“It extends the time a little bit because we are going through so much sweet cream because it is an official drink,” Hester said.

She continued to explain how adding pumpkin syrup to the cold foam to make it pumpkin cold foam can be a challenge.

“If you pour more, and do the same pumps of pumpkin in the vanilla sweet cream you kind of mess up your ratio,” Hester said. “You might have to blend it again because you’re just trying to get everybody’s drink out at a certain time.”

The fall drinks are not entirely to blame for the increase in wait times.

Bella Marshall, a junior fashion merchandise major and campus Starbucks employee, said the beginning of the semester is a big reason for the increase in customers when the majority of their clientele are students. 

“There’s been a huge increase (in consumers) especially since it’s the beginning of the year and everybody has all their flash cash and all that stuff so we’re busy, I think around the clock,” Hester said.

For those intimidated by the long lines, Marshall explained how the drinks cannot be replicated at home.

“I personally, feel like unless you have the Starbucks syrups you’re probably not going to be able to replicate the exact flavors that are in the drink,” Marshall said.

Marshall pointed out that part of ordering a Starbucks fall drink is the atmosphere in which it’s made.

“I feel like part of the Starbucks’ experience is being able to go in and experience the store itself, ” Marshall said. “Going around and seeing a barista making your drink.”

The hard-to-replicate drinks and the atmosphere seemed to be good enough reasons for students to eagerly wait in longer lines. And with the increase in wait times, Thompson and other Starbucks employees are grateful for customers’ patience, she said.

“Thanks to all the customers for being patient. I’m aware it can get really busy,” Thompson said. “Everyone’s been really nice, really kind and everything to all of us and again being really patient, but I would say keep enjoying your pumpkin spice.”

Adriana Gasiewski is a staff reporter. Contact her at [email protected].