Hold on: McDonald’s has a Pumpkin Spice Latte and it’s the best

As a post-grad working an internship that doesn’t pay, my annual addiction to Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes is posing a very real problem: close to $5 a day for coffee. Seriously, not OK.

Not only are the new McDonald’s Pumpkin Spice Lattes (or PSLs for us addicts) cheaper, they’re also healthier in every nutrition column. Finally, someone has perfected a wallet-friendly, comparatively healthy, and undeniably delicious PSL, and that someone is McDonald’s. And it’s about freaking time!

Let’s break it down.

It’s Cheaper

Not unlike virtually everything else on the menu, McDonald’s has a more cost-effective PSL this season! Instead of the standard $4.21 you’d pay for a tall at Starbucks, McDonald’s brings you a medium for only $3.20. When it comes to money, it’s a no-brainer: McDonald’s wins every time.

It’s Healthier

As someone who’s particularly conscious of sugar intake, I was curious to see the difference between Starbucks and McDonald’s PSLs. Keeping in mind that a Starbucks tall gives you a bit less (about 40g less) than a McDonald’s medium, I compared the nutrition information. The results, as you might have guessed, are surprising:

Not only does a medium McDonald’s PSL offer you more drink for less money, it also offers you more drink for less calories, sodium, carbs, and sugar.

It Tastes Better

The kicker: the McDonald’s PSL doesn’t just taste similar to the Starbucks’ original, it tastes better. If you can forgo some of the patented Starbucks creature comforts (no, at McDonald’s you can’t choose the temperature of your drink, nor can you choose how much foam you want), McDonald’s has perfected the PSL. As the best choice for cost-effectiveness, health, and taste, McCafé officially rules the roost.

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