Beloved McDonald's menu item makes a surprise return

McDonald's has a menu packed with iconic, fan-favorite fast-food dishes. In fact, the company has an astounding 17 $1 billion brands.

That's unparalleled in the fast-food industry and you can argue that rivals Wendy's and Burger King can only claim a single $1 billion brand each. Clearly, Burger King's Whopper has reached that level and it's possible that Wendy's Baconator has reached that sales level.

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McDonald's, however, has massive hits across its entire menu and that's something the company has leaned on it recent years.

"The heart of McDonald’s global appeal lies in our core menu, including our World-Famous Fries and franchisee-led innovations, like the Big Mac and our Egg McMuffin. These beloved menu items make up a whopping $75 billion in annual food sales across the globe," the company shared in a 2023 investor update.

In recent years, the chain has actually focused on its core menu at the expense of adding new items. It has used its celebrity meals and it's "As Seen On" promotion where it highlights McDonald's orders from celebrities and ones that appeared in movies or TV shows respectively. 

The chain has, however, occasionally brought back past fan favorite menu items. That has included putting its Breakfast Bagels back on its permanent menu and rotating some other past favorites back for limited runs including some seasonal pie flavors. 

McDonald's brings back a popular desert

McDonald's has a deeper focus on desert than its chief rivals Wendy's and Restaurant Brands International's (QSR) - Get Free Report Burger King. The fast-food giant has its famed McFlurries, albeit with the machine that makes them having a poor track record, and it offers its iconic Apple Pie.

Some customers, of course, lament that those pies are baked, not fried like they used to be, but the desert remains incredibly popular. Over the holiday season some McDonald's locations brought back its popular Holiday Pie, a take on the popular item filled with a sweet custard, rather than the apple mixture found in its classic pies. 

"McDonald’s Strawberry & Crème Pie has already started popping up at select restaurants nationwide. The sweet strawberry and vanilla-flavored crème pie replaced the Holiday Pie and will be available for a limited time," AllRecipes.com reported.

Not every location will sell the limited-time-offer Strawberry & Crème Pie.

McDonald's focuses on core menu, value

McDonald's CFO Ian Borden spoke about two core pillars of the company's strategy — value and its core menu — during the fast-food giant's third-quarter earnings call.

"The D123 Everyday Value Menu in the U.S. takes a similar approach to affordable bundles with nationally promoted products at locally relevant price points. The platform features products such as the McDouble or four-piece McNuggets. With a bundle offered at each day part, customers can visit McDonald's for an affordable meal no matter the time of day," he shared.

Borden made it clear that customers like the mix of the familiar and attractive pricing.

"And while prices have evolved over time, the featured products have remained the same, providing customers with their familiar favorites from our core menu. This consistency in our value offerings means customers know exactly what to expect every time they visit us, driving our strong position as the affordability leader in the market," he added.

The CFO also believes that the chain has been driving sales by investing in its digital platforms.

"By continuing to elevate the McDonald's digital experience, our customers feel more connected to the brand, driving those incremental visits that we believe would otherwise go uncaptured. And it gives us more ways to reunite with customers who haven't visited us in a while," he said.