By Rose Creasman Welcome, Brittany Cheng and Joe Zimmermann, CNS
COLLEGE PARK — Known by its creators as 鈥渢he drink that almost wasn鈥檛,鈥� the now-ubiquitous Pumpkin Spice Latte — or #psl, as it鈥檚 known on Twitter and among devoted fans — was dreamed up in Starbucks R&D labs in 2003.
Since then, copycat and DIY versions of the fall favorite have cropped up everywhere, from artsy coffee houses to 7-Eleven鈥檚 instant 鈥渟pecialty beverage鈥�-dispensing machine.
But what鈥檚 the best brew for your buck? Panera Bread鈥檚 offering is the richest, topped with whipped cream and salted caramel syrup and weighing in at 450 calories, while the Starbucks original costs the most at nearly $5 for a medium-sized drink.
You鈥檒l get the most spice per ounce at 7-Eleven, where a 16-ounce specialty beverage costs only $1.55, but purists beware: You鈥檒l be pushing a button to dispense your pre-mixed PSL.
