The Only 2 States Where You Can Find McDonald's Fried Apple Pie
In 1968, McDonald's introduced something as American as the Fourth of July and baseball: apple pie. McDonald's apple pie quickly became one of the chain's most popular and recognizable menu items. For something that's been around since the tail-end of the 1960s, however, it's only natural that McDonald's apple pie has been tweaked a little bit here and there. One major change to the apple pie is that, unlike when it first came out, it's no longer fried. In 1992, McDonald's switched from frying its apple pies to baking them to quell health concerns.
Today, nearly every McDonald's in America serves baked apple pies that are somewhat "healthier" than the beloved fried version. But customers in California and Hawaii can still get the deep-fried version.
However, there's one McDonald's location in Downey, California that not only serves the original fried apple pie but also offers customers a trip back in time to McDonald's early roots as a late 1940s car-side hamburger joint. In addition, all McDonald's restaurants in Hawaii serve deep-fried apple pies.
This Downey McDonald's is meant to be retro
If you were to visit California, chances are high you'd see a bunch of average-looking McDonald's, just like the ones down the block from your home. But in Downey, you'll find the oldest operating McDonald's in the world. Resembling a McDonald's as it would've looked in the 1940s, this McDonald's serves everything considered to be classic or original staples of the restaurant.
It's because of this particular McDonald's and its "classic" theming that one could find the original deep-fried apple pies here. Because fried apple pies were a staple of the old-school McDonald's menu, it only makes sense to find that version of pie being sold at this restaurant. It's also because, as one of the oldest operating locations in the United States, this Downey McDonald's enjoys a bit more freedom with its menu, so it doesn't have to strictly follow the same conditions that other United States-based McDonald's may have to. One drawback, however, is that this McDonald's interior contains precious few seats, so you'll most likely have to eat in your car or on the curb.
The McDonald's in Downey, California may be the only place to get fried apple pies in the mainland United States. But there's one more place in the United States that sells them. You'll just need to pack your bags and fly to Hawaii.
McDonald's in Hawaii will hook you up with fried apple pie
If you've been wondering where you should vacation and are craving fried apple pies, you can check both boxes in Hawaii.
Victor Lim, a franchise owner based in Hawaii, explained to Honolulu Magazine why the Aloha State McDonald's restaurants continue selling fried apple pie when nearly every other McDonald's has stopped. The baked pie was described as being too "doughy," and according to Lim, "people did not like the baked as much as the fried pie." To meet customer demand, Hawaii McDonald's restaurants still deep-fries its pies, which has proven to be a rousing success. In fact, according to Lim, the reason McDonald's restaurants in Hawaii are allowed to sell fried apple pie is that they outsell their counterparts on the mainland. As long as people in Hawaii demand fried apple pie, they'll get fried apple pie.
Whether or not you drive to California or fly to Hawaii to get your hands on a fried apple pie, fans can at least be glad that McDonald's famed pie isn't going anywhere any time soon.