McDonald’s holiday pies were once a beloved seasonal treat, but in recent years they have been noticeably absent from the fast food chain’s menu. As the holiday season approaches in 2023, customers are wondering if the festive pies will make a comeback this year.
A Brief History of McDonald’s Holiday Pies
For many years, McDonald’s made a tradition of releasing special pie flavors for the holidays. Typically available in late October through December, these pies provided customers with a taste of the seasons in dessert form.
Some of the most popular McDonald’s holiday pies over the years have included:
– Pumpkin pie – Released for Halloween and Thanksgiving, these pies featured a spiced pumpkin custard filling.
– Eggnog pie – A creamy, eggnog-flavored custard pie offered during the Christmas season.
– Holiday apple pie – McDonald’s put a seasonal spin on their classic baked apple pie for the winter holidays.
– Cherry pie – Available for Valentine’s Day, these cherry-filled pies were topped with lattice crusts.
– Shamrock shake pie – Mint-flavored custard pies served during March for St. Patrick’s Day.
Customers looked forward to the rotating slate of McDonald’s holiday pies every year. The pies became a iconic part of the seasonal McDonald’s experience throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
The Disappearance of McDonald’s Holiday Pies
In the early 2010s, McDonald’s quietly stopped releasing special pie flavors for the holidays. There was no formal announcement about discontinuing the holiday pies – they simply failed to appear on menus one season.
The absence of the holiday pies went largely unexplained. McDonald’s offered no official statement about why the seasonal pies were pulled from menus. Some potential reasons that have been speculated include:
– Issues with bakers producing enough quantity to supply all McDonald’s locations
– Difficulty sourcing seasonal ingredients like pumpkin and eggnog at scale
– Lower consumer demand for pies compared to other McCafé bakery items
– Simplifying operations by streamlining permanent dessert menu options
Regardless of the reasons, customers were disappointed when the holiday pie tradition abruptly ended. On social media and forums, people lamented the loss of being able to get festive pie flavors with their McDonald’s meals.
Will Holiday Pies Return in 2023?
As of October 2023, McDonald’s has not yet announced any plans to bring holiday pies back to the menu. Currently, the dessert menu includes traditional baked apple pies, chocolate chip cookies, and McCafé donuts and muffins.
There are a few possible factors that may determine if seasonal pies return to McDonald’s this holiday season:
Supply chain challenges
Like many businesses, McDonald’s has dealt with global supply chain issues in recent years. Shortages of ingredients, packaging materials, and labor challenges have disrupted operations. Producing limited-time seasonal menu items may be difficult given supply uncertainties. Pies require additional ingredients like custard and specialized pie dough that may be hard to source reliably.
Menu simplicity
McDonald’s has indicated they want to streamline menus coming out of the pandemic. Seasonal pies add complexity for employees to prepare different desserts and manage ingredient inventory. Keeping the pie menu simple with the permanent baked apple pie may be preferable for operations.
Consumer demand
It’s unclear if customers actually miss the holiday pies and would purchase them in large numbers if they returned. McDonald’s may be hesitant to dedicate production resources to pies unless they see convincing data that demand is still strong. Surveys and social media conversations could help gauge current customer interest in the pies.
Marketing opportunities
On the other hand, holiday pies could provide a marketing and sales lift during the important Q4 season for McDonald’s. Promoting the return of seasonal pies could draw some lapsed customers or generate positive public relations. Holiday food products align well with McDonald’s family-focused brand image.
Competitive environment
Other fast food chains like Dunkin’ and Starbucks prominently feature holiday flavors. Bringing back holiday pies could help McDonald’s better compete as part of the seasonal menu wars.
The Bottom Line
McDonald’s has not made any definitive indication if beloved holiday pies will return for the 2023 winter season. While customers nostalgic for the pies would welcome their comeback, McDonald’s may prefer keeping menu options simple. Fans of the festive pies can only hope the fast food giant decides to bring them back this holiday season.
References
| Source | Link |
|---|---|
| McDonald’s Nutrition Calculator | https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/about-our-food/nutrition-calculator.html |
| History of McDonald’s Holiday Pies | https://www.mashed.com/694345/the-untold-truth-of-mcdonalds-holiday-pies/ |
| McDonald’s 2020 Holiday Menu | https://www.mashed.com/234820/mcdonalds-holiday-menu-for-2020/ |
| Supply Chain Issues in the Food Industry | https://www.foodlogistics.com/warehousing/article/21229497/supply-chain-issues-in-food-industry-likely-to-persist-through-2022 |