Tropical Smoothie Cafe's Fall Menu Additions Feature No Pumpkin Whatsoever

If it's autumn, then you know it is time for pumpkin spice and everything nice — that is, unless you are ordering up at Tropical Smoothie Cafe. That's right. The quick service restaurant that serves up smoothies and delicious sandwiches, wraps, salads, and so much more, is not jumping on board the pumpkin spice bandwagon. Per a press release, Tropical Smoothie is rebuffing pumpkin spice in favor of all things tropical. Echoing the words spoken by Polonius in William Shakespeare's play "Hamlet," the fast food chain is following the sage advice: "To thine own self be true." It's a bold move when you consider the pumpkin spice market, largely pioneered by Starbucks and its now favorite and much anticipated Pumpkin Spice Latte, is a $600 million money maker, according to Forbes.

But Tropical Smoothie notes fall is not just about — cover the kids' ears — pumpkin spice. In an announcement touting the new menu offerings, Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC. said, "Who says fall foods have to be heavy? At Tropical Smoothie Cafe, we're offering a vacation from pumpkin spice with fresh new items that you can feel good about enjoying." 

So, if the chain is eschewing pumpkin spice, what can fans expect?

Per Tropical Smoothie Cafe's announcement, now through November 2, the flavors of summer can be enjoyed well after Labor Day. In fact, diners can enjoy two new items: a Strawberry Chia Lemonade Smoothie and a Green Goddess Flatbread. Sounds yummy! The new 24-oz smoothie is described as a combination of "strawberries, lemon juice and chia seeds" blended to perfection, allowing customers to enjoy the yin and yang of sweet and tart. To keep with the healthy nature of their new smoothie, they are offering add-in options like Vitamin B12, Vitamin C immunity boosters, or probiotics. 

But perhaps the pièce de résistance is the Green Goddess Flatbread. Diners can customize this sandwich to their taste and have three protein options, which include grilled chicken, garlic-herb shrimp, or plant-based protein. Additionally the flatbread is piled high with "spinach, tomatoes, smashed avocado, shredded parmesan cheese and green goddess sauce on a crispy toasted flatbread." Still, as delicious as the new menu items sound, haters gonna hate, especially if you are a pumpkin spice aficionado. One Tropical Smoothie Cafe fan wrote on the chain's Facebook page, "The calendar does matter. We don't want more summer smoothies. We want fall smoothies which you dropped the ball on last year."