Discontinued Fast Food Favorite Makes A Comeback For America’s 250th

McDonald’s will celebrate America’s 250th birthday with some good old-fashioned nostalgia. The fast food behemoth recently announced it would bring back fried apple pies, but only for a limited time.

“Summer tends to move fast – but the moments worth remembering don’t. And with America’s 250th birthday around the corner, we’re bringing back a fan-favorite and bona fide national treasure made for slowing down and savoring the season: the Fried Apple Pie,” the press release said. 

“If you know, you know. If you don’t, June 23 is your chance to find out. The OG Fried Apple Pie is back at participating restaurants nationwide for a limited time. The all-day menu item features our signature filling made with 100% American-grown apples, wrapped in the same golden crunch and flaky fried crust fans remember – or soon won’t forget.”

Per ABC News, McDonald’s introduced both the fried apple pie and the Big Mac in 1968. The outlet noted that the familiar rectangular pie in a paper sleeve was dreamt up by Litton Cochran, who ran a McDonald’s franchise in Tennessee. 

The fast food restaurant replaced the fried version with a baked apple pie in 1992 as the public started to worry more about healthier diets and limit fried foods. While the fried version was phased out in the United States, it was still available in other countries such as the United Kingdom, Greece, Mexico, Australia, and China, as well as in Hawaii.

There have been petitions over the years to bring back menu favorites, including the popular McRib sandwich that often makes limited-time comebacks and always makes headlines when it does. The fried apple pie is no exception.

“There are certain things that just take you back – and the Fried Apple Pie is one of them. It’s something that people love and remember from growing up,” said Eric Cochran, a McDonald’s franchise owner/operator. “When Ray Kroc was trying to come up with a dessert for McDonald’s, my Grandad, Litton Cochran, suggested a Fried Apple Pie as a classic that people would love. My Grandmom, Jo Cochran, spent months perfecting the recipe. Bringing the Fried Apple Pie back for fans this summer to celebrate America’s 250th just feels right.”