Starbucks is bringing a Halloween drink to select U.S. coffeehouses on October 22. The Black Cat Frappuccino blended beverage leans hard into the costume theme, but its flavor is chocolate cake, not pumpkin, apple, or another classic fall profile.

What Starbucks confirmed about the Halloween drink

According to Starbucks, the Black Cat Frappuccino blended beverage and the Venti Black Night Cookie will both arrive at select U.S. coffeehouses beginning October 22. The company announced the launch on September 14, 2026, and described both items as limited-time Halloween treats. That timing matters for shoppers planning a late-October Starbucks run, because the drink is not part of the chain’s earlier fall menu.

Starbucks says the Black Cat Frappuccino is a chocolate cake-flavored Crème Frappuccino drink topped with whipped cream and chocolate shaped like cat ears. That detail is the real twist. Seasonal coffeehouse drinks often signal pumpkin, spice, caramel, or apple before the first sip, but this one goes in a more dessert-like direction.

The visual is clearly built for Halloween. Starbucks’ own announcement centers the black cat look, and outside coverage from Delish echoed the same design details and launch date. For customers, the practical takeaway is simple: this is a themed crème drink first, with a costume-ready topping that makes it read as a novelty order for parties, school pickup treats, or a quick holiday photo.

The flavor is the surprise, and there is a cookie too

The headline feature may be the cat ears, but the more unexpected part is the flavor choice. Starbucks did not position the drink as pumpkin-forward or coffee-forward. Instead, the company called it a chocolate cake-flavored Crème Frappuccino, which puts it closer to a cold dessert than a traditional fall latte.

That matters because Halloween limited-time offers usually rely on familiar seasonal signals. In this case, Starbucks is betting on texture and visual appeal, with whipped cream and molded chocolate, while giving the drink a bakery-style profile. For families and home cooks who track seasonal menu trends, it is another sign that Halloween food launches are leaning more theatrical and dessert-inspired, not just spice-driven.

Starbucks is also pairing the launch with the Venti Black Night Cookie. The company describes it as a large, shareable black cocoa cookie with caramel fudge pieces and chunks of caramelized white chocolate. If you are stopping in for the Halloween release, that is the only food item Starbucks confirmed alongside the drink in its September 14 announcement.

Where it will be sold and what else is part of the drop

Availability is narrower than a broad national promise. Starbucks said the Black Cat Frappuccino and cookie are coming to select U.S. coffeehouses, so customers should expect participation to vary by store. The company did not give a posted end date in its announcement, only that the treats are limited-time offerings beginning October 22.

There is also a separate Halloween merchandise rollout tied to the launch window. Starbucks said select coffeehouses would begin carrying seasonal merch on September 15, while supplies last. That collection includes a pumpkin-shaped black cat mug priced at $19.95, a 14-ounce cauldron mug priced at $16.95, a glow-in-the-dark black cat stainless steel cold cup priced at $29.95, and a Black Cat Bearista Plush Bag Charm priced at $14.95.

For Starbucks customers, the main thing to know is that the drink is not available yet as of Friday, October 16, 2026. The official launch date Starbucks gave is Wednesday, October 22, 2026, and the release is limited to select U.S. coffeehouses. If the appeal is the look as much as the taste, earlier visits for the merch drop may make sense, since Starbucks says those items are available only while supplies last.

Tim Hortons U.S. has a new Halloween lineup, and the standout is a monster-themed donut with a playful center. The chain’s 2026 seasonal menu launched on September 30 at participating U.S. restaurants, according to the company announcement distributed by PR Newswire.

The Frankenstein Donut puts the filling front and center

The most distinctive item in the release is the Frankenstein Donut. Tim Hortons describes it as a fluffy yeast donut topped with chocolate and vanilla flavored icings and filled with vanilla flavored fluff. That filling is what separates it from a simple decorated holiday donut, turning it into a dessert-style limited-time item instead of just a themed glaze.

The company said the donut is hand-decorated to create the Frankenstein face, which gives the item some visual personality at the bakery case. Bake Magazine’s coverage matches those details, also describing it as a yeast donut with vanilla-flavored fluff and chocolate and vanilla-flavored icings. That alignment matters, because it confirms the product details beyond the original promotional copy.

For shoppers deciding what is actually new here, the filling is the biggest hook. Seasonal donuts often lean on colored icing alone, but this one adds a soft vanilla center that makes it closer to a cream-filled treat. If you like bakery items that feel a little more substantial with coffee, this is the one to notice first on the Halloween menu.

The rest of the Halloween menu leans on Oreo and TWIX

The Frankenstein Donut is not alone. Tim Hortons U.S. also introduced a Mummy Donut, described in the company release as a chocolate cake donut ring topped with vanilla flavored icing in a mummy design. That gives the lineup both a yeast option and a cake donut option, which is useful for customers with strong donut preferences.

The menu also includes the Spookies n’ Screams Croissant. According to Sporked’s source text and the Tim Hortons release cited by trade coverage, the croissant is sliced and filled with Oreo crumbs, chocolate dip, and sweet whipped topping, then topped with powdered sugar, more chocolate dip, and additional Oreo crumbs. It reads more like a dessert pastry than a breakfast croissant, and it is one of the richer items in the collection.

On the beverage side, Tim Hortons added the TWIX N’ Treat Iced Capp and the TWIX N’ Treat Hot Chocolate. The iced drink combines the chain’s Iced Capp base and cream with caramel and chocolate flavors and TWIX pieces, then gets whipped topping, chocolate drizzle, and more candy pieces on top. The hot chocolate version uses the same candy theme, with whipped topping, chocolate drizzle, and crunchy TWIX pieces.

Where it is available and what home cooks should know

Tim Hortons said the Halloween menu started September 30 and is available at participating restaurants across the United States. The company announcement frames the launch as beginning that day, not as a preview or future drop, so U.S. customers looking for the Frankenstein Donut should check current participating locations rather than wait for a later release.

One detail worth keeping straight is geography. Sporked reported the items would arrive at locations across the United States beginning September 30, and the official Tim Hortons U.S. announcement says the menu is available at participating U.S. restaurants. That means the safest wording is participating U.S. locations, not every restaurant.

For home bakers, the menu also points to a flavor combination that is easy to borrow this season: chocolate icing, vanilla filling, and playful decoration. But as a chain menu story, the real draw is simple. Tim Hortons has turned a Halloween donut into a filled treat, and the vanilla fluff center is the part that makes it more than a spooky face in the display case.

A leaked Dunkin Halloween menu got fans talking about Starbucks, and now the broad outline of that leak has been confirmed by Dunkin itself. The chain launched the first part of its Halloween drink menu on September 30, 2026, then added a second wave on October 14, 2026, with donuts, a glow-in-the-dark MUNCHKINS bucket, and another purple refresher.

What Dunkin officially launched after the leak

The early online buzz came from a leaked menu described by The Takeout, which said Dunkin was planning a two-phase Halloween rollout built around specialty drinks and later donut items. Dunkin’s own newsroom posts now confirm that timing was largely correct, with a drink launch on September 30 followed by more Halloween items on October 14.

In the first phase, Dunkin introduced Green Apple Dunkin’ Zero and Purple Marshmallow Cold Foam nationwide for a limited time at participating restaurants. The company said those two items form the base of the early Halloween lineup, which includes Green Apple Dunkin’ Zero, Midnight Apple Dunkin’ Zero, Candy Kiss Dunkin’ Zero, and Orchard Twist Dunkin’ Zero.

Dunkin also confirmed several purple-topped and coffee-focused drinks that matched the leak’s general direction, including Sour Apple Energy, Dark Spell Daydream Refresher, Terror-misu Cloud Latte, Franki Matcha, Creepy Crawler Coffee Chiller, Midnight Potion Refresher, Werewolf Punch Refresher, and Nutty Nightmare Iced Coffee. The company described Purple Marshmallow Cold Foam as a Halloween spin on its marshmallow cold foam and said the launch marked the first time a Dunkin’ Zero beverage could be topped with cold foam.

Why fans focused on apple instead of pumpkin

The Takeout reported that fan chatter around the leak centered especially on apple drinks, with some online commenters framing the lineup as a stronger seasonal move than what they had seen from Starbucks. That reaction matters because it helps explain why this menu caught attention before it was official, even though pumpkin usually dominates fall coffee coverage.

Dunkin’s confirmed menu gives that reaction some context. Rather than leaning only on pumpkin, the chain built much of the first wave around tart green apple, berry clementine, blueberry, tiramisu, toasted almond, and vanilla. That mix gives the menu a more Halloween-coded color and flavor palette than a standard early fall release.

The official items also show that the rivalry talk was not really about one pumpkin drink beating another. It was about novelty. Purple cold foam, green apple energy drinks, a tiramisu latte with hot chocolate powder, and a matcha drink finished in Halloween colors gave fans plenty to compare against rival coffee chains, even before Dunkin confirmed the menu.

What arrived in the second wave and what shoppers should know

Dunkin’s second Halloween release began October 14, 2026. According to the company, that drop brought back the Spider Donut nationwide for a limited time, introduced the Berry Battie Daydream Refresher, and added a purple glow-in-the-dark Halloween MUNCHKINS Bucket filled with a random 50-count assortment of MUNCHKINS Donut Hole Treats, including new sprinkle-covered Halloween MUNCHKINS.

The Spider Donut is a purple-frosted donut topped with a Chocolate Glazed MUNCHKINS Donut Hole Treat at the center, with chocolate icing legs and vanilla-flavored icing eyes. Dunkin also said its frosted donuts switched to a seasonal sprinkle blend of purple, chocolate, and white, and that Chocolate Glazed MUNCHKINS got the same Halloween mix.

For shoppers deciding whether to make a special trip, the key detail is that Dunkin says these items are available nationwide at participating locations for a limited time, while supplies last. The company also attached a few extras to the rollout, including a free limited-edition Bat Cup Sleeve on October 16 with purchase of a Berry Battie Daydream Refresher, while supplies last, plus Spider Donut collectibles and merch sold separately.

Mashed potatoes are simple, but they punish small mistakes. A cold splash of milk or a few extra turns of the masher can be the difference between velvety and gluey.

The overlooked move is not exotic or chefy. It is simply warming the butter and dairy before adding them, then folding them in with a light hand.

Why temperature matters more than most cooks realize

Hot potatoes absorb fat and liquid more willingly than cooling ones, which is why so many tested recipes call for warm milk, cream, or both. Epicurious and Food52 each recommend heating the dairy before mixing, not for drama, but because warm liquid blends in more easily and helps the potatoes stay hot from the first scoop to the table.

That matters because mashed potatoes change quickly as they lose heat. Warm dairy does not magically alter the chemistry in an instant, but it does keep the mash at a workable temperature, so you need less force to combine everything smoothly. Less force means less chance of pushing the texture toward sticky.

There is also a sequencing benefit. Epicurious has long advised adding butter before the milk or cream in more refined potato purée methods, a technique cooks value because the butterfat can coat the potato particles before more liquid goes in. In practice, that helps create a smoother, richer texture, especially when the potatoes are still steaming.

The result is not just creamier potatoes, but more control. Instead of chasing lumps with aggressive stirring after a cold pour, you get a mash that loosens gradually and evenly, which is exactly what “silky” is supposed to feel like.

The potato and tool choices that support a silky mash

Even the best temperature control cannot rescue the wrong potato or the wrong tool. Bon Appétit notes that russets are high in starch and turn especially light and fluffy, while Yukon Golds bring a naturally richer, creamier character. Both can make excellent mashed potatoes, but they reward slightly different goals.

If you want cloudlike mash, russets are a classic pick. If you prefer a denser, more buttery spoonful, Yukon Golds are an easy favorite. Bon Appétit has also pointed out that Yukon Golds absorb less water than many other varieties, which helps explain why they often deliver a creamy mash with less risk of turning waterlogged.

Tools matter just as much. Epicurious recommends a potato ricer or food mill because both break down the potatoes quickly and evenly without excessive agitation. That is crucial, since overworking mashed potatoes releases starch in a way that makes them gluey rather than smooth.

A hand masher can still work well if you stop early. What does not help is a blender or food processor. Serious mashed potato guidance across food publications is remarkably consistent on this point: the more violently you process the potatoes, the greater the chance you trade silkiness for paste.

How to put the technique into practice at home

Start by cooking the potatoes until fully tender, then draining them thoroughly. Several expert recipes also call for returning the drained potatoes to the warm pot for a minute or two, which helps excess moisture evaporate. Dry potatoes are better able to take on butter and dairy without turning soupy.

While the potatoes finish, warm the milk, cream, or half-and-half gently in a small saucepan. It does not need to boil. Food52 specifically suggests heating milk to just below a simmer, and Epicurious recipes repeatedly use warmed dairy or milk-butter mixtures before mixing them into the potatoes.

Next, add the butter first if you can, then the warm dairy in stages. That gradual addition lets you stop at the exact texture you want, whether that is fluffy, spoonable, or almost restaurant-style purée. The key is to stir just until combined, not until every last molecule looks whipped into submission.

If there is one rule to remember, it is this: silky mashed potatoes are built through restraint. Warm the dairy, add it thoughtfully, and stop mixing the moment the mash turns smooth. That one small move works best not because it is flashy, but because it keeps every other part of the process on your side.

Some holiday candies never really disappeared; they just stopped being everywhere. In small towns, though, they still show up in pharmacy aisles, church bazaars, and tins on grandma’s buffet like time never moved on.

The candies that defined a quieter kind of Christmas

Ribbon candy may be the purest example of holiday nostalgia: all shine, curves, and fragility, usually displayed more than eaten. Its roots go back to European confection traditions, and even now it remains tied almost exclusively to Christmas, the sort of candy people remember from a formal dish in the living room rather than a checkout rack. Hammond’s still sells an old-fashioned Christmas mix with mini ribbon candy, art candy, and peppermint straws, a sign that the category survives largely on memory and ritual.

Then there is cut rock candy and satin-finish hard candy, the sturdy, jewel-toned mix that once filled paper sacks in old general stores. Claeys, a company with a history stretching back to 1919, still trades on that old-fashioned style, which helps explain why these candies remain strongest in places where the holiday candy bowl is still a household institution. They are not flashy, but they hold flavor well and fit the slow, all-day grazing of winter gatherings.

Peppermint Christmas nougats belong on this list too. Brach’s still makes them seasonally, with the familiar peppermint-centered squares joined by wintergreen and cinnamon variations in some assortments. In many small towns, those candies were a December marker as reliable as the tree lot, often bought at local five-and-dime stores or neighborhood grocers rather than from specialty candy shops.

The regional sweets that never fully left

Divinity is less a mass-market candy than a regional holiday language. The airy confection, made from whipped egg whites and hot syrup, has long been associated with Southern kitchens, where humidity and technique are part of the lore as much as sugar and pecans. That is exactly why it survives in small towns: it depends on handed-down knowledge, church cookbooks, and someone in the family who still knows when the weather is right.

Chicken Bones are even more specific. Ganong, established in 1873 and still based in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, says its candy maker Frank Sparhawk invented Chicken Bones in 1885: a spicy cinnamon shell with bittersweet chocolate inside. It is one of the clearest examples of a holiday candy kept alive by regional devotion, the kind of sweet outsiders find odd and locals defend fiercely every December.

Chocolate-covered cherries also belong to the old-school holiday set, especially the boxed cordials that seemed to appear only in winter. Tootsie notes that Cella’s joined the company portfolio decades ago and still sells both milk and dark chocolate versions. In small towns, these candies endure because they feel gift-like without being expensive, a practical luxury that fits holiday traditions built around modest abundance.

Why these 10 candies still matter in small-town America

Add orange slices, peppermint sticks, old-fashioned Christmas hard candy mixes, and butter rum drops, and the full picture comes into focus. These are not necessarily the trendiest sweets, but they are durable symbols of a holiday style built on repetition and familiarity. According to the National Confectioners Association, winter holidays are the top-selling seasonal confectionery moment, and mint remains one of the defining flavors of the season, which helps explain why so many remembered candies lean peppermint or spice.

What small towns preserve especially well is context. A candy cane is just a candy cane in a big-box store, but in a small town it may still come from the local pharmacy, be tucked into a church pageant bag, or sit beside homemade fudge at the volunteer fire hall sale. Even mass-produced candy feels personal when it is tied to a place and a ritual.

That is why these 10 old-school holiday candies still resonate. They are edible memory markers: part décor, part gift, part family argument over texture, freshness, and who gets the last piece. In an era of novelty flavors and limited drops, their staying power says something important. Holiday candy does not have to be new to feel special; sometimes it just has to taste like the town you grew up in.

Tini Younger built a big online audience by making cooking feel doable, and now she is bringing that same approach to a cookbook. Her first major book, Today We Are Cooking: Recipes That Teach You to Think Like a Chef, is scheduled for release on November 3, 2026, according to Elle and The Washington Post.

What the book is and when it arrives

Younger is best known to many home cooks as Chef Tini, the creator behind viral cooking videos that focus on practical technique and clear instruction. According to The Washington Post, the cookbook is titled Today We Are Cooking…, while Elle gives the full title as Today We Are Cooking: Recipes That Teach You to Think Like a Chef. Both reports describe it as her first major cookbook.

Elle reported in June 2026 that the book would be published on November 3. That timing matters for readers who follow food media closely, because this is not an older title being newly promoted. It is a forthcoming release tied to the next phase of Younger’s career as she moves from short-form video into long-form teaching.

The book’s pitch lines up with the teaching identity that made her popular online. The Washington Post reported that Younger said the book is focused on fundamentals and is meant for people who may not feel fully comfortable in the kitchen yet. Elle similarly described the project as a more formal extension of the lessons she has already been sharing in videos for years.

How her kitchen philosophy translates from video to page

What sets Younger apart is that she does not just show finished dishes. Her appeal is rooted in explaining process, technique, and decision-making in a way that feels accessible. Elle reported that she sees teaching others to cook as a way of paying it forward, and the subtitle itself, “Recipes That Teach You to Think Like a Chef,” points to that goal directly.

That framing matters for home cooks because a cookbook built around thinking, not just following, can be more useful over time. According to The Washington Post, Younger said the book is for readers who need help with the basics, which suggests it is designed to build confidence rather than simply collect viral recipes. That is a different promise from many creator cookbooks, which often lean more heavily on personality or aesthetics.

Elle also reported that Younger described the cookbook as “me in a book,” but more organized and on the page. That description helps explain the project’s likely appeal. Fans who enjoy the energy of her videos may find a more structured version of the same instruction, while newer cooks may get a reference they can return to without scrubbing through clips.

Why this matters for home cooks and cookbook shelves

Creator cookbooks are now a familiar part of publishing, but Younger’s book arrives at a moment when editors and readers are paying closer attention to whether an online following translates into usable recipes and solid kitchen guidance. The Washington Post noted that the creator cookbook market is active, with publishers looking for personalities who can turn audience trust into practical books people will actually cook from.

For shoppers, the main question is simple: will this help in a real kitchen on a weeknight. Based on the available reporting, Younger’s debut is being positioned as a fundamentals-forward cookbook that aims to teach technique and build comfort. That may make it especially attractive to beginners, younger cooks, and anyone who learns best from a friendly voice instead of rigid culinary language.

There are still details that have not been widely reported, including a full table of contents or broad preview of the recipe list. But the core facts are clear: Younger, already a familiar face on social media, is moving into print with a first major cookbook centered on confidence, fundamentals, and learning how to cook with a chef’s mindset.

The International Wine & Spirit Competition has named its 2026 gin trophy winners, and the results are more surprising than the usual parade of familiar European names. According to IWSC and Food & Wine’s October 11, 2026 report, all three gin trophies went to distilleries in Asia.

Which gins won the top IWSC trophies

The 2026 IWSC trophy results named Ohoro Standard Gin from Niseko Distillery in Japan as the Classic Gin Trophy winner. IWSC’s published trophy list also shows that the bottle received a score of 99 out of 100, making it one of the standouts in this year’s spirits judging.

The Contemporary Gin Trophy went to Lao Gin from The Lao Distilling Company in Laos. IWSC’s results list that bottle as the category winner, and Food & Wine reported it earned 98 out of 100 in the competition.

The Flavoured Gin Trophy went to Dried Smoked Longan Gin from Nong Distillery Co. in Taiwan. According to IWSC’s trophy page and Food & Wine’s report, it also scored 98 out of 100. Taken together, the three results mean Asia swept the IWSC’s top gin trophies for 2026.

For shoppers and home bartenders, that matters because these awards often push lesser-known bottles into wider conversation. Even if these exact gins are not easy to find in every U.S. market, the results point to a growing interest in regional botanicals and styles that go beyond the classic London dry template.

Why these results may seem unexpected

Part of the surprise is that some readers may have seen a different list of “world’s best” gins tied to another competition. The confusion comes from mixing up the IWSC with the World Gin Awards, which are separate programs with different judging structures and different winners.

In this case, the IWSC article and trophy page are specific: the 2026 gin trophy winners were Ohoro Standard Gin, Lao Gin, and Dried Smoked Longan Gin. The German, Croatian, French, and Swiss bottles that appear on some other winners lists belong to the World Gin Awards, not the IWSC results covered here.

IWSC also framed the outcome as a sign of strong gin-making across Asia. In its announcement of the 2026 spirits trophy winners, the competition said all three gin trophies were awarded to spirits from Japan, Laos, and Taiwan.

That distinction matters if you track awards to decide what to buy, gift, or look for at a bar. A medal or trophy can mean very different things depending on the competition, category, and judging year, so the name of the awards program is just as important as the bottle itself.

What home bartenders can take from the 2026 winners

These results suggest that gin continues to broaden well beyond the flavors many U.S. drinkers first associate with juniper-heavy dry styles. IWSC’s own coverage of its 2026 spirits results said the gin field is evolving while staying rooted in technical quality, with local botanicals helping define newer expressions.

That is especially clear in a name like Dried Smoked Longan Gin, which signals a flavor profile built around a specific fruit rather than a generic “flavored gin” label. Lao Gin and Ohoro Standard Gin also stand out because their identities are closely tied to place, which has become a bigger part of how premium spirits are marketed and judged.

For home use, these awards can be a cue to branch out in simple drinks where the gin stays front and center. A Martini, Gin and Tonic, or highball-style serve can make it easier to notice what separates a classic style from a contemporary or flavored one.

If you are scanning shelves after these results, the safest move is to look for the exact bottle name and producer, not just the country or trophy category. The official IWSC 2026 winners are specific products from Niseko Distillery, The Lao Distilling Company, and Nong Distillery Co., and those are the names that match this year’s trophy list.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are leading America’s Halloween candy race again, at least according to Instacart’s newest seasonal data. The company’s 2026 Halloween Sweet Tooth Report, published September 30, used Instacart orders from October 2025 and found Reese’s was the top candy by ounces sold.

What Instacart’s report says about the top Halloween pick

Instacart said Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups took the No. 1 spot by ounces of candy sold. According to the company, the brand was also the top seller in 40 states and Washington, D.C., giving it a lead that was much wider than most seasonal candy rankings tend to show.

The rest of Instacart’s top five stayed close to classic chocolate aisle staples. Peanut M&M’s ranked second, followed by Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, M&M’s, and Snickers. Martha Stewart, which reported on the release the same day, also noted that non-chocolate candy does not appear until No. 7, where Sour Patch Kids enters the list.

That split matters for families shopping for trick or treat bowls because it suggests chocolate still dominates broad buying patterns, even as sour and fruity candy hold strong pockets of support. If you usually buy based on what disappears first from a bowl, Instacart’s numbers suggest peanut butter and chocolate remain the safest bet for the widest crowd.

The state by state map looks less predictable

Instacart’s national winner was clear, but the state map was not completely uniform. The company said Reese’s led most of the country, while Peanut M&M’s formed a strong cluster through parts of the Plains and Mountain West and out to Hawaii.

Rhode Island stood out as the only state where Sour Patch Kids beat both Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Peanut M&M’s for the top spot, according to Instacart. Martha Stewart’s breakdown of the state map also pointed to smaller clusters for candies such as Skittles, Tootsie Pops, Swedish Fish, HI-CHEW, HARIBO Goldbears, Twizzlers, M&M’s, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, Kit Kat, and Candy Corn.

Instacart’s report also highlighted some unusually strong regional preferences. Montana bought HI-CHEW at 616 percent above the national share, Louisiana over-indexed on Tootsie Pops by 141 percent, and Rhode Island bought Sour Patch Kids 109 percent more often than the rest of the country. Colorado and Wyoming, meanwhile, were singled out for candy corn.

Where shoppers buy the most candy, and what it means at home

Instacart said the West showed the strongest candy buying overall when measured against the national average. Utah bought candy 67 percent more often than the national average, followed by Idaho at 50 percent and Alaska at 47 percent. Washington and Montana also ranked high in the company’s October candy share data.

At the city level, Instacart said Anchorage, Alaska, Eugene, Oregon, Tacoma, Washington, Vancouver, Washington, and Spokane, Washington, were the top candy buying cities relative to the national average. Martha Stewart similarly reported that the biggest candy buying cities were concentrated in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, while cities in New Jersey and New York landed well below the national rate.

For shoppers, the takeaway is simple. If your usual Halloween bowl is built around whatever feels traditional, this year’s broadest mainstream pick still looks like Reese’s. But the regional splits in Instacart’s data are a reminder that local favorites can be very different, so a mixed bowl with chocolate, sour candy, and at least one fruit-forward option may still be the smartest play for Halloween night.

Starbucks has now said plainly that it is not buying Chipotle. The statement ends several days of takeover talk that took off after a Financial Times report said the coffee chain had explored a possible deal.

Starbucks gave a direct answer this time

Restaurant industry publication NRN reported on October 12 that a Starbucks spokesperson said, “I can confirm for you we are not buying Chipotle.” That was a sharper response than the company’s earlier position, when it declined to discuss what it called rumors and speculation.

In that earlier statement, Starbucks said it was focused on executing its “Back to Starbucks” strategy. The company also said it had strong momentum and confidence in its long term growth potential, and that it expected to share fourth quarter results and fiscal 2027 guidance later in October.

The rumor appears to have grown after the Financial Times reported on October 8 that Starbucks had discussed a potential acquisition of Chipotle with advisers in recent months, according to people familiar with the matter. Other outlets, including NBC News and CBS News, also reported Starbucks’ subsequent denial on October 12.

That direct denial matters because the first response did little to quiet the story. With former Chipotle chief Brian Niccol now leading Starbucks, the idea of a reunion through a major acquisition gave the rumor extra traction, even though Starbucks itself has now said it is not happening.

Why the rumor got so much attention

Part of the reason the report spread so quickly is the scale involved. NRN said Chipotle would likely be valued at around $50 billion in any acquisition, a figure that would make it far larger than the 2014 Burger King purchase of Tim Hortons, which the report cited as the next largest restaurant deal.

Coverage from CBS News said Chipotle’s market worth was about $47 billion, showing just how large any such move would have been. Analysts cited in coverage around the report questioned both the price and the strategic logic for Starbucks, especially as the company is still centered on its own turnaround efforts.

NRN reported that Wall Street analysts were widely skeptical, and that investment bankers and others also raised doubts. Some even suggested the proposed deal may have been more talk than action. Reuters-followed coverage carried by Euronext likewise said investors were skeptical and that the strategic rationale for Starbucks buying Chipotle was unclear.

The leadership connection still made the rumor easy to believe at first glance. Niccol helped lead Chipotle’s turnaround after arriving there in 2018, before moving to Starbucks about two years ago, according to NRN. Even so, Starbucks’ latest comment makes clear that whatever market chatter existed, the company does not plan to buy the burrito chain.

What this means for Starbucks and Chipotle now

For shoppers, there is no menu change, loyalty tie-in, or brand merger to plan around because Starbucks says no deal is happening. The company’s public message is that its attention remains on its existing strategy rather than on a blockbuster acquisition.

That likely comes as a relief to investors who questioned whether taking on a deal of that size made sense. Reuters-based coverage published by Euronext said Starbucks remained focused on its two year turnaround under Niccol, while NRN said concerns centered on the debt such a purchase could require and the uncertainty of any real payoff.

Chipotle, meanwhile, remains separate, and Starbucks has not indicated any broader partnership tied to the rumor. The practical takeaway is simple: despite the attention the report generated, Starbucks has publicly closed the door on buying Chipotle as of October 12.

Starbucks is expected to share its Q4 results and FY27 guidance later this month, according to its statement. For now, that is the next official milestone the company itself has pointed to, and it is where attention is likely to shift next.

Jersey Mike’s has introduced a new limited-time value offer built around its smaller sandwich size. Starting October 12, the chain began offering a Mini Bundle that includes any mini cold sub and a bag of chips for $7.99, according to Nation’s Restaurant News, which cited the company’s press materials.

What the $7.99 Mini Bundle Includes

The deal covers any cold sub ordered in the chain’s mini size, plus a bag of chips. Nation’s Restaurant News reported that the promotion began on Monday, October 12, and described it as a limited-time offer. The same report said Jersey Mike’s positions the mini as a smaller version available across its sandwich lineup.

That matters because Jersey Mike’s is not shrinking a single specialty sandwich for the promotion. Instead, the bundle is tied to the mini format itself, giving customers flexibility as long as they choose a cold sub. According to the report, the company also says each mini has at least 18 grams of protein.

The price point is notable for Jersey Mike’s because the chain has generally avoided broad discounting. Nation’s Restaurant News said the company has typically leaned on value-focused limited-time offers instead of frequent price promotions. Earlier in 2026, the chain ran promotions on a Hot Italian sub and, before that, a chicken salad sub, both priced at $8.95 for a regular-sized sandwich, according to the same report.

For customers comparing menu math, the bundle may be strongest in higher-priced markets. Nation’s Restaurant News gave Los Angeles as one example, where a mini Super Sub was listed at $7.95 and chips cost another $2.55, meaning the bundle effectively folds the chips into a near base-sandwich price.

Why Jersey Mike’s Is Leaning on a Smaller Meal

The Mini Bundle arrives as restaurant lunch prices remain a pressure point for diners. According to the press materials cited by Nation’s Restaurant News, the promotion is meant to recognize that lunch costs have climbed and customers are feeling that squeeze.

Jersey Mike’s CEO Charlie Morrison told Nation’s Restaurant News that the brand saw encouraging response from earlier limited-time offers. That, he said, gave the company confidence that there is room to reach new customers. The chain has been trying to connect more often with Gen Z and younger diners, according to the report.

That strategy helps explain why the bundle centers on a smaller portion instead of a discount on larger sandwiches. A lower entry price can make the brand easier to try at lunch, especially for solo diners who do not want a full regular or giant sub. The bundle also gives the company a value message without changing the positioning of its bigger sandwiches.

Even so, Morrison signaled that Jersey Mike’s is not planning a flood of promotions. Nation’s Restaurant News reported that he said last month the chain would limit its promotional cadence to two or three limited-time offers per year.

What Shoppers Should Know Before Ordering

The key limitation is that the offer applies to mini cold subs, not the full menu. Customers looking for hot sandwiches or larger sizes should expect regular menu pricing unless a specific promotion says otherwise. The report did not give an end date, only that the Mini Bundle is available for a limited time.

Pricing can also look different when shoppers compare it with their local store’s regular menu. Nation’s Restaurant News said the value likely varies by location, and its Los Angeles example showed how the bundle can be a bigger deal in markets where chips and base sandwich prices already run high.

For home cooks and budget-minded families, the promotion is also a useful marker for where fast-casual lunch pricing stands right now. A smaller sandwich meal under $8 is increasingly being framed as the value tier, not the default tier, at premium sandwich chains.

Anyone interested in the deal should check their nearby Jersey Mike’s menu and ordering channels to confirm local participation and current pricing display. Based on the reporting, the offer is best understood as a limited-time, entry-price meal aimed at customers who want a lighter lunch and a simpler total at checkout.