Bananas, Chaider, Hedgehogs?! Starbucks Chases 3 Major Trends with Its 2026 Fall Menu

If the initial press release is any indication, you won't see as much apple on the menu this year. Rather, the brand is launching Chaider, which features "cider-inspired flavors, including cinnamon and sweet spice" and can be ordered hot or cold, so hopefully that will satisfy those cravings for the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato and Iced Apple Crisp Shaken Espresso, which do not seem to be making a return to cafés this year. (You may also find a glimmer of joy in the latest seasonal cake pop, a hedgehog that looks remarkably like internet darling Jimothy the Raccoon.)

Those announcements alone may seem like a lot, but they're far from the only additions to the Starbucks fall menu. As we creep closer to the 25th, it's worth noting these three major trends in its lineup; I'm predicting we'll see them across major chains and independent cafés and restaurants as the season progresses.

Pecan saw a huge surge in popularity last fall, and Starbucks is banking that we'll crave that nutty flavor again this year. As of August 25th, you'll be able to order the Pecan Crunch Latte (hot or iced) and Pecan Cortado (a mix of espresso, steamed oatmilk and pecan syrup). It's a fitting iteration on the cozy fall vibe, pairing well with caramel and cinnamon flavors without the polarizing spice of the PSL.

Banana has been everywhere this summer, from banana milk in supermarkets to banana scents and lip balms (see: Chapstick, Glow Recipe and Hilary Duff's Bath and Body Works collab, just to name a few). Naturally, the cozier fall cousin is less banana smoothie, more banana bread. (Baking season cometh, after all.)

Starbucks has already offered a Banana Bread Matcha, so it's fitting that the chain is officially launching an Iced Banana Bread Latte and Iced Banana Bread Chai. Both combine cinnamon, brown sugar and banana flavors to mimic the homespun dessert.

Starbucks offers a whole slew of high-protein drinks, both in stores and in ready-to-drink bottles at grocery stores, and its lone savory snack on the fall menu offers yet another way to protein-maxx: the Chicken Bacon Protein Pocket. Whole wheat lavash flatbread is stuffed with bacon, chicken and a garlic herb cheese spread, packing in 20 hearty grams of protein.

Which fall additions are you most excited to try? Sound off in the comments.