National Apple Pie Day
Today is National Apple Pie Day.
There is the version everyone talks about. Homemade crust, family recipe, something cooling on a windowsill that probably hasn’t existed in real life for decades.
Then there is this.
McDonald’s Apple Pie.
First introduced in 1968, originally deep fried, engineered for consistency, speed, and scale. At its peak, McDonald’s was selling millions of these every day across thousands of locations worldwide. Not a regional dessert. Not seasonal. Always there, always the same.
In the early 1990s, they made the switch from fried to baked. A decision driven by changing tastes and public pressure around health. It didn’t end the product. It just changed it. The pie stayed, because the demand never left.
This is not the pie people romanticize. It’s the one people actually buy.
Hot, handheld, straight from a sleeve, eaten in a car, in a parking lot, or somewhere between one stop and the next. No plate, no fork, no ceremony.
If there’s a case for what defines American food culture, this belongs in the conversation.
Not because it’s refined, but because it works. It always worked.
More on my website at https://www.secondfocus.com
McDonald’s Apple Pie on National Apple Pie Day
Today is National Apple Pie Day, a fitting time to feature one of the most enduring fast food desserts in America—McDonald’s Apple Pie.
First introduced in 1968, McDonald’s Apple Pie was the chain’s first-ever dessert item. Originally deep-fried, it quickly became a fan favorite for its crackling crust and piping-hot filling. In the early 1990s, most U.S. locations switched to a baked version, part of a broader push toward “healthier” options. Despite the change, the pie’s iconic rectangular shape, sugary glaze, and soft apple filling kept it popular across decades.
This photograph, part of my *From Bag to Background* series, captures the pies just as they came—unwrapped and stacked on a deep black background. Some are broken open, revealing the caramelized apple interior, while others remain whole, showcasing the crisp, golden lattice crust. No styling. No props. Just fast food as it really is.
McDonald’s still sells millions of apple pies each year, a testament to their lasting appeal. And while flavors have rotated in and out—cherry, pumpkin, and even taro in some countries—the classic apple pie remains a constant.
See more photos from the series on my website: http://SecondFocus.com
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