McDonald’s apple pie is as iconic to its customers as, well, apple pie is American. So some people weren’t happy that the fast-food giant tweaked the recipe of the dessert menu item—and they took to social media to let the company know.
The new McDonald’s apple pie is another change to its menu to keep pace with changing tastes of American diners. McDonald’s has been working toward making its Happy Meals healthier, adding more fresh beef to its burgers, and removing artificial preservatives from its McNuggets.
“Our new freshly baked apple pie recipe is in line with other positive changes we have made,” Tiffany Briggs, a McDonald’s spokesperson, said on a blog post. “Likewise, our new apple pie is made with fewer ingredients such as sugar, sliced 100-percent American grown apples and a bit of cinnamon to the filling for flavor to give each one that homemade taste our customers love.”
So what’s not to love about the new apple pie? Plenty, according to some dissatisfied customers.
https://twitter.com/Miss_BusyB/status/1041755541951991810
@McDonalds Just heard about the changed apple pies. Why try to make a pie healthy and change the recipe? A pie isn't supposed to be healthy… Welp guess @tacobell can have my money. They have good apple empanadas.
— West (@TheKingWest0) September 18, 2018
I don't know one person who likes the new @McDonalds apple pie. PLEASE bring the old ones back
— Matt (@mattgoody20) September 18, 2018
Some of the anger took on the tones of a popular uprising in the making.
@McDonalds I don’t even know what to say!!! Where’s the green box? Where’s the apple PIE?!! The Franken-Strudel you have offered 2 nite is yet another example of big business sticking it to the common man!! You know what I’m talking about @Mazzios!! #lowbudget pic.twitter.com/kON8sQMGOT
— Jason Lindley (@The_Mr_Lindley) September 12, 2018
McDonald's changed their apple pie crust & we should be rioting in the streets.
— shushy ❄️🌻 (@rachel2manypaws) September 9, 2018
Not all of the pie-related tweets were disapproving. Some indicated they preferred the new version.
UPDATE: McDonald's changed their apple pies and life is really good pic.twitter.com/a6SIVWVlh2
— Jace Goodwin (@thejacegoodwin) September 10, 2018
McDonald's new apple pie 👌
— SweetShrubSaint (@yourboyIce) September 16, 2018
Overall, the healthier menu changes have been a positive for McDonald’s. The company’s stock is up 67% in the past four years as it has shifted its menu to healthier options. It seems, though, that after eating more fresh beef in burgers and less preservatives in chicken bits, people still crave the sweet sugar rush that comes with a sinfully tasty bit of dessert.