McDonald’s is bringing back its Fried Apple Pie
The fast-food chain will sell the dessert for a limited time starting next Tuesday in honor of America’s 250th birthday.
June 16, 2026
Customers yearning for McDonald’s original version of its apple pie are in luck: The fast-food giant is bringing the item back starting next week.
McDonald’s plans to start selling its Fried Apple Pie nationwide for a limited time starting next Tuesday, bringing back an item that hasn’t been on the menu since 1992. The company is bringing back the item in honor of America’s 250th birthday.
The all-day item features American-grown apples, wrapped in a flaky fried crust. The item first appeared on McDonald’s menu in the 1960s when Litton Cochran, an owner-operator in East Tennessee, created a fried apple hand pie. It became a local fan favorite and won a spot on the national menu.
“There are certain things that just take you back, and the Fried Apple Pie is one of them,” Eric Cochran, a McDonald’s owner-operator and grandson of Litton, said in a statement. “It’s something that people love and remember from growing up.”
“When Ray Kroc was trying to come up with a dessert for McDonald’s, my granddad, Litton Cochran, suggested a Fried Apple Pie as a classic that people would love,” he added. “My grandmom, Jo Cochran, spent months perfecting the recipe.”
McDonald’s replaced its fried pie in 1992 with a baked version that was viewed as healthier amid concerns at the time about fat content.
McDonald’s plans to pay tribute to the item by creating a 35-foot, Fried Apple Pie. The company will debut at a location at 920 N Broadway St., Joliet, Illinois, on Tuesday, June 23, from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. local time.
The event will feature live music, Coca-Cola and complimentary Arch cards. McDonald’s Largest Fried Apple Pie will remain there through July 4.
For McDonald’s, the product again taps into consumer nostalgia. The Chicago-based chain has long used nostalgia to take advantage of Americans’ memories of the brand, with adult Happy Meals and Grinch socks.
And many brands have used long-gone products to bring back customers. According to Technomic, 37% of consumers said they want restaurants to offer more nostalgic items or flavors. That’s particularly true for younger adults: 41% of consumers age 18 to 34 want their restaurants to offer nostalgic items.
About the Author
Jonathan Maze
Editor in Chief, Restaurant Business
Restaurant Business Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Maze is a longtime industry journalist who writes about restaurant finance, mergers and acquisitions and the economy, with a particular focus on quick-service restaurants. He writes daily about the factors influencing the operating environment, including labor and food costs and various industry trends such as technology and delivery.
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