When Does Starbucks Start Pumpkin Spice? Latte Facebook Chat Bot To Debut Ahead Of PSL Return

Summer is officially winding down, but Starbucks has the perfect remedy to cure end-of-summer blues and keep customers feeling warm this fall: A Pumpkin Spice Latte chat bot.

The iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte isn’t expected to return to Starbucks until a few days after Labor Day, but fans of the decadent drink can gear up for its arrival by chatting up the coffee maker’s latest online promo feature: The Real PSL chat bot on Facebook Messenger. The company turned the trendy drink option into an actual character to which drinkers can directly profess their love or express their anticipation.

According to Time, the chat bot is only “semi-functional,” asking questions like “What emoji do you think describes me best?” and responding to messengers' questions with answers like, “Look into your PSL… and you will find the answer,” or, “I love that question, almost as much as I love thinking about what my DJ name should be. What’s your vote?” If fans are in need of some solid advice, the new Starbucks chat feature is also apparently great at offering “Relaxation tips” like “1. Breathe. 2. Knit something. 3. Take a hot bath with an orange duck.”

The algorithmic personality is just as spicy as Pumpkin Spice Latte lovers would expect The Real PSL to be. However, the chat bot doesn’t seem to be as warm and sweet as drinkers would probably have pegged it to be — if drinkers ever thought they’d actually be able to converse with their beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte, that is. Facebook users can connect with The Real PSL though the Messenger app.

Peter Dukes, Starbucks Director of Espresso Americas, developed the Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003. In a humorous interview with Starbucks, The Real PSL spoke highly of Dukes, saying, “He’s never given up on me and I just owe him so much! You the man Peter!”

The Pumpkin Spice Latte returns to Starbucks Sept. 8.