McDonald’s Holiday Pie was a beloved seasonal dessert item that many customers looked forward to every holiday season. However, over the past few years, there have been questions about whether McDonald’s has discontinued the Holiday Pie.
What was the McDonald’s Holiday Pie?
The McDonald’s Holiday Pie was a handheld dessert pie that was offered by McDonald’s each holiday season, usually from early November through December. The pie had a flaky, buttery crust and was filled with a sweet custard or vanilla pudding filling. It was often topped with rainbow sprinkles or powdered sugar.
The Holiday Pie was a popular seasonal treat and was something that many customers would specifically visit McDonald’s to order during the holidays. It became a nostalgic holiday tradition for many families and groups of friends over the years.
When did McDonald’s introduce the Holiday Pie?
McDonald’s first introduced the Holiday Pie in the mid-1990s. It quickly became a beloved seasonal menu item that customers looked forward to every holiday season. The pie was brought back year after year, becoming a tradition for McDonald’s winter holiday menu.
When did customers start noticing the Holiday Pie was missing?
In approximately 2016, McDonald’s customers started noticing that the Holiday Pie was disappearing from McDonald’s holiday menu. There were widespread reports on social media of people unable to find the Holiday Pie at their local McDonald’s locations.
Throughout November and December 2016, many disappointed customers took to Twitter and Facebook to complain about the missing pies. A hashtag #BringBackTheHolidayPie even started trending as fans begged McDonald’s to bring their favorite holiday dessert back.
Did McDonald’s officially discontinue the Holiday Pie?
McDonald’s never made an official announcement about discontinuing the Holiday Pie. The pies just quietly disappeared from their holiday menu in 2016 without any statement or explanation from the company.
When reached for comment over the years, McDonald’s has given vague responses about focusing on other menu items or simply said the Holiday Pie was being offered on a limited-time basis for that season.
Have customers given up hope of the Holiday Pie returning?
For the first couple years after the Holiday Pie’s disappearance, loyal fans still held out hope it would make a comeback. Many tweeted at McDonald’s season after season pleading for the return of the Holiday Pie. But so far their efforts haven’t resulted in the pie reappearing.
At this point, after not having the Holiday Pie since 2016, most customers assume the pie is gone for good. McDonald’s hasn’t made any indication they plan to bring it back in future holiday seasons.
Why did McDonald’s discontinue such a popular item?
McDonald’s has never given an official reason for removing the Holiday Pie from their menu. There is speculation that it may have been discontinued for one of these possible reasons:
- To simplify holiday menu options and focus on other items
- Difficulty sourcing ingredients for the pies
- Concerns over food waste from unsold pies
- Pressure from health-conscious critics of the dessert’s high calorie count
However, without an statement from McDonald’s, the true reason remains unknown. The discontinuation still disappoints fans years later.
Have customers found any Holiday Pie alternatives?
While McDonald’s has given no indication of bringing back the Holiday Pie, some customers have found new options to satisfy their craving:
- Making homemade versions of the pie with online recipes
- Ordering holiday pie options from other fast food chains like Burger King or Jack in the Box
- Purchasing frozen holiday pies at grocery stores to bake at home
- Trying McDonald’s current seasonal pie options, like the Raspberry Crème Pie
However, most agree none of these options fully compare to the original McDonald’s Holiday Pie.
Could fan efforts ever revive the Holiday Pie?
While McDonald’s hasn’t budged on returning the Holiday Pie so far, there is still hope that sustained customer demand could eventually bring the pie back in future seasons. Other discontinued McDonald’s menu items like McRibs have made popular comebacks due to customer campaigns.
Advocates for the Holiday Pie recommend that fans continue taking to social media to politely request the return of the pie. If interest stays strong, McDonald’s may eventually cave to customer pressure and decide to bring back this nostalgic holiday favorite.
Conclusion
The beloved McDonald’s Holiday Pie unfortunately disappeared from menus back in 2016 without any official explanation. Loyal fans have tried for years to lobby for its return, but so far McDonald’s has not brought back the seasonal pie. While the true reason for its discontinuation remains a mystery, many customers still hold out hope that with enough demand, they may once again be able to enjoy biting into the crunchy sugared crust of a McDonald’s Holiday Pie during the most wonderful time of the year.