Most people in the US have had their third or fourth pumpkin-flavored treat by the time September comes around. In August, the latte came back. Dunkin’ had their fall menu out before it even felt like summer was over. The fall Frosty from Wendy’s came out so early that it almost coincided with back-to-school sales. There was Halloween candy on store shelves—the kind with the little pumpkins on the wrappers—before some kids had even come to school.
When you put that together, Culver‘s pumpkin menu coming out on September 8 might seem like it’s behind schedule at first. But this does bring up an interesting point: Culver’s has never really seemed interested in racing anyone. People who are loyal to the Wisconsin-based chain seem to like the slow, deliberate pace that the business does not have.
The Salted Caramel Pumpkin Concrete Mixer, which is coming back, is the kind of dessert that makes you wait. It all starts with Culver’s own vanilla custard, which is the dense, egg-rich base that makes their soft serve different from other brands’ airy soft serve. The real pumpkin spice is mixed in, and then the salted caramel is added. The caramel not only makes the cup sweeter, but it also gives it a low, slightly bitter edge that keeps it from getting too sweet. Someone on Instagram said it tasted like melted pumpkin pie, which is probably the most accurate non-technical description you’ll find. It’s full without being too heavy. It’s sweet without being sour.
It’s important to understand the Concrete Mixer format. You’ll have to work hard to drink this milkshake through a straw because it’s not a normal milkshake. It’s thick enough to eat with a spoon, and the mix-ins are mixed in instead of layered. This way, the pumpkin and caramel are in every bite, so you don’t have to look for them. Customers at Culver’s can also add their own extras, like brownie pieces or cheesecake chunks. This can make the base recipe more unique if that’s what you want.
The Pumpkin Spice Shake is also back. It has the same real pumpkin puree mixed in with vanilla custard, but there is no caramel layer. Some people like it because it’s easier than the other one. Every fall, the same comment shows up on the same Reddit thread: that regulars really look forward to the shake as a sign of the season, like how some people can tell the time of year by the first cold morning or the return of a certain song on the radio.
There is a new one this year called the Pumpkin S’mores Concrete Mixer that is harder to guess. It’s not often that you see pumpkin and s’mores together. One is soft and earthy, and the other is roasted and sweet in a campfire way. It’s possible that they work well together. There’s also a chance that the combination is too busy. Once the menu comes up, that’s something to watch.
All of this is related to a bigger question that the food industry has been thinking about for years: how long can pumpkin season keep getting longer before it stops being meaningful? October used to be the window. After that, it was September. Even though it’s August, some brands are already testing. Culver’s is making a quiet case that seasonality still has value by sticking to its early September date. They say that the wait is part of what makes something feel like a treat.
It’s not clear if that philosophy still works since competitors keep moving faster. That being said, the answer probably doesn’t seem that hard to people who look forward to the Salted Caramel Pumpkin Concrete Mixer every year. It comes back. They show up. For some people, that’s all the ritual they need.
