Companies have been releasing their America 250-branded items over the last few months. (America 250 was organized by a bipartisan committee that was established by law in 2016 and is separate from Trump’s Freedom 250 mess.) I’ve seen special editions of products such as Stanleys, Oreos, and Cheerios commemorating the occasion. McDonald’s recently announced their own special America 250 promotion. They’re bringing back their fried apple pies for the first time in 34 years. The fried apple pie was introduced in 1968. It was a staple for 24 years, but replaced by the “healthier” baked apple pie in 1992. The OG fried apple pie is now only found in the US in Hawaii and at the original McDonald’s in Downey, CA. While this is exciting news for anyone who grew up in the 70s or 80s, there is one downside. McDonald’s is only bringing back fried apple pies for 12 days, between June 23 and July 4. Here’s more information from NBC Chicago:
McDonald’s is frying up some apple pies to honor America’s 250th birthday.
The company said Tuesday it’s bringing back fried apple pies for the first time in more than three decades. They’ll be available at most U.S. restaurants for a limited time starting June 23.
McDonald’s is one of several fast food companies offering semiquincentennial treats. Burger King recently debuted its Firecracker Cookie Pie, which has a sugar cookie crust and red, white and blue star-shaped sprinkles. Sonic is offering a red, white and blue slush float for $2.50. Hardee’s has an iced Star-Spangled Biscuit with red and blue sprinkles.
Here’s a look at McDonald’s fried apple pies by the numbers:
— 1968: The year McDonald’s introduced both its fried apple pie and the Big Mac hamburger. Litton Cochran, a McDonald’s franchisee in Tennessee, developed the rectangle-shaped pie, which was served in a cardboard sleeve. 1968 was a momentous year that included the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis and Robert F. Kennedy in Los Angeles, protests against the Vietnam War, and the signing of a federal law prohibiting housing discrimination.
— 1992: The year McDonald’s replaced the fried apple pie with a baked version in most of the U.S., responding to growing consumer awareness of fat and cholesterol consumption. The U.S. Department of Agriculture first published its food guide pyramid the same year. Fried apple pie remains on McDonald’s menus in some other countries, including Mexico, Australia and China.
— 230: Number of calories in McDonald’s baked apple pie. That’s 10 more calories than the fried version, according to the company’s website. A cup of boiled lentils, a single almond Snickers bar and a grande coffee Frappuccino from Starbucks have the same calorie count, according to publicly available nutrition information.
— 130: Number of members of the Facebook group “Bring Back the Original McDonald’s Fried Apple Pie”
— 170 million: Number of American-grown apples that McDonald’s says it serves every year at its U.S. stores.
— 35: Height, in feet, of a giant fried apple pie that McDonald’s is installing on Route 66 in Joliet, Illinois, near McDonald’s Chicago headquarters. That’s about the height of a three-story house and some species of palm trees. The giant apple pie will stay in place until July 4, the company said.
I was only eight when the fried apple pies were discontinued, but I absolutely remember eating them. They were so darn hot that my mom had to cut one in half to cool it down. A 35-foot giant apple pie statue to commemorate a two week promotion is some wild marketing. It’s a bummer that the fried apple pie is only going to be around for two weeks, especially because other fast food joints’ A250 promotions are running longer. Two weeks is not enough time to introduce it to the youths! Gens Z and Alpha need to know the feeling of biting into a fast food pastry so hot that it burns the roof of your mouth. Americans are full of nostalgia lately. McDonald’s is missing out on the ultimate way to honor America. Capitalizing on trends is just as American as apple pie.
I remember burning my mouth on one of those. Wicked yum. I hope these are so well-received that they’re brought back indefinitely, along with the also wonderful fried cherry pies.
I was going to say, I vaguely recalled it was pulled from the market because they got too danged hot & some people burns their mouths & then sued.
CAUTION: Filling may be hotter than the service of the sun!
Julia Child LOVED McDonald’s fried apple pies and made her own peach version, which was the most incredible thing I ever tasted in my life
Omg! I still think of these occasionally…now if they’d only bring back the beef tallow French Fries!!
These are sinfully delicious.
Get that apple flavored lava in my mouth!!!
They’ll have to make them less ferociously volcanic, or the lawsuits will be enormous these days!
I eat at McDonald’s so infrequently now I didn’t even know that they were gone. I remember them from high school days and they were good – mouth scalding hot – but good.
I’m sorry, is anyone else reeling from the 1968 bullet point? “We debuted our fried apple pie! Also, MLK and RFK were assassinated.” WTF???
Nope. Sadly, my fragmented attention has, instead, focused on: Fried apple pie? Or cup of boiled lentils. Hmmm. That’s a hard one.
I thought that whole set of numbers was a pitiful piece of ‘news’ from NBC.
I’ve been avoiding the expensive McDonald’s order for awhile now, but I may have to make an exception for this.
I loved the fried apple pies dearly, and have always missed them. The replacements have never been even close to as good.
For me it was the fried cherry pie! They got rid of it before the apple one (and losing both was a tragedy). They still sell fried apple pies in European McDonalds restaurants and sometimes even the cherry ones come back for a spell. When the stars align and I am nearby for that, I get to the nearest McDonald’s with a quickness!
I’ve never heard of or tasted the fried apple pie. Not to be a downer, but how many calories does it have? I might be able to try one in the 12 day span which starts tomorrow. Ridiculous that I’m now excited about tomorrow because of these pies!
Per the article, 10 fewer than the baked version, so 220. I’m betting the fat & sodium contents are pretty high, though.
I loved the fried pies. The baked don’t taste as good, especially the crust. If sales are high enough, maybe they will stay for the summer if not back on the menu.
I live in Hawaii and didn’t even realize they left. 😆 We also used to have fried haupia (coconut) and taro pie.
Same! I’m going to have to stop at McDonald’s after I swim at the Y tomorrow & see what’s there in terms of pie. Any more, I only ever go for Diet Coke & fries.
I was 7 when they discontinued this nuclear deliciousness.
It’s been far too long.
I’m ready lol