I ranked apple pies from 5 fast-food chains. My favorite was also the cheapest.
October 5, 20240
A serving of four bite-sized apple pies cost $2.91, excluding tax and fees, at my local KFC in Manhattan, New York. The pies, which also come in a 10-count serving, were the most expensive of all the pies I tried.
Given that this item was a recent addition to KFC’s menu — it was added in April — I was excited to try it.
Each pastry was about 2 inches long and had slits on one side.
Three bites into the tiny pocket pie, I still hadn’t gotten the gooey apple taste I love. Instead, I felt like I was eating fried flour.
The four mini pies, which are 340 calories in total, would be great for groups to share, though.
The pie roll cost $2, excluding tax and fees, at a Panda Express I visited in Chicago.
At first glance, it looked like a cross between a pie and a Chinese egg roll.
I was impressed with the freshness of this roll and liked that it is always served hot. Before I even took a bite, I could tell the pastry had a nice crunchy exterior.
However, the overpowering cinnamon and sugar coating made this pie roll too sweet for my taste.
The cinnamon-coated dessert cost $1.89, without taxes and fees, at the Popeyes I visited in Chicago.
The pie was not as hot as I would’ve liked, but it had a nice crispy exterior.
I think spices like cinnamon are less for taste and more for their fragrance — if you add just the right amount, it can be a game changer, but overdo it, as in the case of this Popeyes pie, and it can really throw the whole recipe off-balance.
But I enjoyed its slightly zesty apple filling.
It cost $1.99 at the Arby’s I visited in Chicago, excluding tax and fees.
At first glance, I thought the frosting drizzle on top seemed unnecessary.
The inside had the perfect layer of apple filling, which was molten but still a bit thick. It was encased in crisp pastry.
Despite having only one layer of apple filling, this 430-calorie pie did not taste doughy and was well-balanced.
However, it did not have that overall pie feeling. I felt as though I was eating a stuffed croissant.
At $1.89 — excluding tax and fees— this apple pie from a Chicago McDonald’s was priced similarly to the one at Popeyes.
The pie came in a signature yellow box and was served warm.
Although the shape of the pie was pretty standard, I was happy to see McDonald’s added patterns to the pastry.
It had the perfect tartness, a nice crunch, and big, chunky apple pieces spread evenly throughout.
This pie had the right ratio of apples to dough, and I enjoyed the warm and soft interior and its crispy biscuit-like exterior.
I shared all the pies with friends, but this was one of just two pies from which I took a third bite — the other was from Arby’s.
Overall, each pie I tried had a unique flavor profile, and they had varied textures, ranging from crispy and toasted to soft and molten.
But the McDonald’s apple pie stood out for its simplicity: a warm, crispy pie with gentle hints of cinnamon and whole chunks of apple, setting the perfect tone for the cozy days ahead.