McDonald’s cherry pie was once a beloved menu item, known for its crispy, flaky crust and tart cherry filling. However, the fast food giant discontinued the cherry pie in the early 1990s, much to the dismay of loyal fans. So what happened to McDonald’s famous cherry pie? Let’s take a look at the history of this iconic dessert to understand why it disappeared from McDonald’s restaurants.
The Beginning of McDonald’s Cherry Pie
The story of McDonald’s cherry pie began in the late 1960s. At the time, McDonald’s was rapidly expanding and looking to add new menu items beyond burgers, fries, and shakes. In 1968, the company tested out freshly baked fruit pies in strawberry, peach, and cherry flavors. The handheld pies were an instant hit with customers and quickly became a staple dessert item on McDonald’s menus across the country.
The original McDonald’s cherry pie featured a flaky, buttery crust filled with tart Montmorency cherries. The pies were initially baked fresh in stores daily, which added to their popularity as a hot, juicy treat. By the 1970s, McDonald’s cherry pie had become one of the most beloved items for customers with a sweet tooth.
The Peak Popularity of McDonald’s Cherry Pie
In the 1980s, cherry pie reached the height of its popularity at McDonald’s. It was the second best-selling dessert on the menu after vanilla ice cream cones. McDonald’s sold over 50 million cherry pies annually during this decade alone. The demand was so high that the company switched to flash-freezing the pies and delivering them to stores as a ready-to-bake product. This allowed McDonald’s to offer cherry pie consistently in all locations to meet customer demand.
During this peak era, McDonald’s marketed cherry pie as the perfect dessert to complete a meal. Commercials and ads positioned it as the tasty treat customers craved after eating burgers and fries. McDonald’s also occasionally offered special pie-focused promotions, such as selling double-sized cherry pies or “buy one get one free” pie deals. For customers during the 80s and early 90s, stopping in for a hot, fresh cherry pie was a beloved tradition and dessert ritual.
The Decline and Disappearance of McDonald’s Cherry Pie
So why did this popular menu item ultimately disappear from McDonald’s? There were a few key factors that led to cherry pie’s decline in the late 80s and early 90s:
- Health trends – As concerns about fat, calories, and healthy eating grew, desserts like cherry pie fell out of favor.
- Labor costs – Baking pies in-house was time and labor intensive for stores, especially as drive-thrus got busier.
- Expanding menu – McDonald’s expanded menu options diluted the popularity of cherry pie compared to new items like McFlurrys.
- Supply issues – McDonald’s had difficulty consistently obtaining enough quality cherries and pie shells to meet demand.
By 1992, McDonald’s cherry pie had vanished from menus. For about a year after, some locations posted signs saying cherry pie was temporarily unavailable due to limited supplies. But the dessert never returned in the long run.
Customer Response to the Disappearance of McDonald’s Cherry Pie
Many McDonald’s customers were heartbroken and outraged when cherry pie was discontinued. The dessert had been a customer favorite for over 20 years and became ingrained in many people’s memories and traditions around McDonald’s. Some of the common customer reactions included:
- Nostalgia – Cherry pie was a fond childhood memory for many adults who visited McDonald’s as kids.
- Frustration – Customers who regularly ordered cherry pie felt let down that it was taken away.
- Petitions – Diehard fans started petitions and letter writing campaigns pleading for McDonald’s to bring cherry pie back.
- Searching – People called stores or checked menus hoping to find cherry pie at a rare location still selling it.
Despite outcry from loyal fans over the decades, McDonald’s has not brought cherry pie back to its permanent menu. The company has cited supply chain and operational difficulties with baking pies in its reasoning. While disappointed, most customers gradually adjusted to the loss of McDonald’s cherry pie over time.
The Brief Return of McDonald’s Cherry Pie
McDonald’s briefly brought back cherry pie in the mid-2010s for a limited run. In 2015 and 2016, McDonald’s sold cherry pies for a few months to evoke nostalgia and celebrate the company’s menu history. However, this comeback was very short lived.
The returned cherry pie was a pre-baked frozen pie that was simply reheated in stores. Many customers complained this version lacked the crispy crust and homemade taste of the original. After just a few months, McDonald’s stopped selling cherry pie again in 2016. The company indicated the limited edition pie was for a special promotional period and had no long term plans to reinstate it nationwide.
Why Haven’t We Seen a McDonald’s Cherry Pie Comeback?
Since the brief cherry pie revival in 2015-16, the dessert has remained unavailable at McDonald’s despite continued customer interest. So why hasn’t McDonald’s decided to bring back this menu staple permanently?
There’s a few key reasons cherry pie likely remains off the McDonald’s menu:
- Lack of customer demand – While some loyal fans remember it fondly, today’s customers may not have enough interest in pie to justify permanent menu space.
- Focus on growth – McDonald’s focuses menu innovation on burgers, chicken, coffee, and other fastest growing categories rather than declining ones like desserts.
- Labor and speed – McDonald’s prioritizes kitchen efficiency and fast service times, which baked pies could slow down.
- Health trends – McDonald’s recent dessert additions cater more to current health trends like frozen yogurt than high-calorie pie.
Additionally, when McDonald’s has evaluated possibly bring back cherry pie, internal testing has shown lackluster results. In consumer surveys and test markets, the revived cherry pie apparently doesn’t generate enough renewed excitement or customer purchase intent to drive menu addition. While the original pie holds nostalgic appeal, demand for McDonald’s pie overall has diminished over time compared to other indulgent dessert options.
How Does McDonald’s Dessert Menu Compare to When Cherry Pie Was Available?
McDonald’s dessert menu has changed dramatically since the days when cherry pie was its most popular treat. Here’s a comparison of McDonald’s dessert selections then versus now:
| Late 1980s/Early 1990s Desserts | Current McDonald’s Desserts |
|---|---|
| Cherry pie | Apple pie (baked) |
| Vanilla soft serve cone | Vanilla soft serve cone |
| Plain sundae | Plain sundae |
| Chocolate or strawberry shake | Chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla shake |
| McFlurry (various flavors) | McFlurry (many flavors) |
| Apple pie (fried) | Chocolate chip cookies |
| Cookie | Baked apple pie |
| None | Ice cream cone with topping |
| None | Caramel brownie sundae |
| None | M&M McFlurry |
| None | Oreo McFlurry |
While McDonald’s signature soft serve treats like cones and sundaes remain popular, the rest of the dessert menu has been overhauled. Gone are the days of fried apple pies and simple cookie options. McDonald’s now focuses on indulgent ice cream-based desserts, including loaded sundaes and a rotating array of McFlurry flavors. This evolution shows how consumer preferences have shifted away from classic baked desserts like cherry pie in favor of ice cream novelty at fast food restaurants.
Could We Ever See a McDonald’s Cherry Pie Comeback?
While unlikely in the short term, it’s not impossible that McDonald’s cherry pie could make a nostalgia-driven comeback someday. Here are some scenarios in which the fast food giant might consider reviving its classic dessert:
- Limited time offering – McDonald’s could bring back cherry pie for a few weeks or months to build hype and excitement around a retro menu item. This allows tapping into customer nostalgia without committing to permanent reinstatement.
- New leadership push – A future McDonald’s CEO enamored with the company’s food heritage could champion pie’s return to the menu. Leadership preferences have a major influence on McDonald’s menu development.
- Supply chain innovation – Advances in food manufacturing, freezing, or sourcing could potentially resolve past supply issues that hampered McDonald’s ability to consistently obtain quality cherries and pie dough at scale.
- Health-positioning – McDonald’s may someday use cherry pie as a way to add fruit options and temporarily create a more health-conscious public image.
Realistically the odds still remain unlikely that McDonald’s would bring back cherry pie nationwide. But nostalgia trends can be powerful, so never say never. For now, those craving a hot, fruity McDonald’s dessert will have to opt for an apple pie or baked cherry danish.
Where Else Can You Find Cherry Pie Similar to McDonald’s?
While you can’t currently find an original recipe McDonald’s cherry pie, there are a few places you may be able to get a similar tasting cherry pie:
- Some localized McDonald’s – Occasionally an individual franchise bakery may still bake small batches of cherry pie.
- Marie Callender’s – This restaurant chain serves cherry pie that some say resembles McDonald’s.
- Gas stations – Brands like Krispy Kreme offer hot cherry pies at convenience stores that may satisfy a craving.
- Grocery stores – The frozen food aisle offers various brands of cherry hand pies you can heat at home.
- Bakeries – Local donut shops or bakeries sometimes sell fresh cherry pies that capture the original flavor.
You can also find many copycat recipes online claiming to replicate the McDonald’s cherry pie filling and crust. While the secret original recipe remains a mystery, you may be able to get close baking the pie yourself at home. With a little trial and error, these copycat recipes can potentially satisfy your desire for this lost McDonald’s treat.
The Lasting Legacy of McDonald’s Cherry Pie
Though it disappeared from menus long ago, McDonald’s cherry pie still holds an iconic status and nostalgic place in the hearts of many customers. For over two decades, it was a favorite finishing touch to a classic McDonald’s meal. The dessert created special memories for customers who grew up enjoying this now hard-to-find treat.
Today, McDonald’s cherry pie lives on through customer recollections, food nostalgia content, and the hopes of loyal fans who still want to taste that perfectly flaky crust and tart cherry filling once more. While it is unlikely to return permanently, the iconic status of McDonald’s original cherry pie remains set in the fast food history books.
So next time you grab a burger and fries at McDonald’s, remember the sweet treat that once perfectly complemented your meal – the one and only McDonald’s cherry pie.