This Popular McDonald's Holiday Treat Is Back — But Fans Have One Major Complaint They Can't Let Go

When it comes to major seasonal releases, many of us think of McDonald's legendary fan-favorite McRib (I've gotten one already), but there's also a sweet one that usually comes out too. It's the McDonald's Holiday Pie, which is a hand pie shell filled with vanilla pudding and topped with cheerful sprinkles. If you've never had one, it sort of tastes like a sugar cookie or a cake batter-flavored treat, and yes, they are always that pale-looking. I know plenty of people who are obsessed with this thing (my wife included), but before you get too excited, I'm unfortunately here to break the news that not everyone will be able to get their hands on one.

Instagram food influencer @markie_devo put up a post, saying, "I got mine at McDonald's in Brooklyn, NY. Check your McD's app for participating locations." The key here is "participating locations," because this release is likely to be scarce, at least according to angry commenters. One questioned why McDonald's sells the dessert in only some regions. "They're a multi billion dollar business, they can transport to all 50 states easily," the user lamented. Another bummed commenter wrote, "I lived on these back in NY in the early 2000's. Now I live in AZ and they NEVER have them. Depressing" (via Instagram).

As mentioned above, the Holiday Pie can be a rare sighting, so you're really going to have to dig around for it. The easiest way to see where it might be is through your McDonald's mobile app, where it will be listed under the "Sweets & Treats" section. This will save you a trip in case your nearby store doesn't carry them.

I can confirm that I found them at my local McDonald's in Chicago, and food outlet Allrecipes noted, "So far, it's been spotted in places including but not limited to New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, Orlando, Boston, and Columbus, Ohio." During my research, I even found a McDonald's Pie Locator tool, but the map is either out of date, too early, or simply inaccurate, because the location I went to isn't marked properly.

If your store doesn't carry the Holiday Pie, the McDonald's Pumpkin and Crème Pie typically sticks around through the fall. I can also confirm I've seen this treat on menus in person, so hopefully you don't come out of the drive-thru entirely empty-handed. And if you don't get lucky with the seasonal offerings, you can always order one of the best popular McDonald's desserts that are served year-round.