Fast Food Pies, Ranked Worst To Best

When you're eating on the run, the convenience, portability, and yumminess of an individually sized pie is difficult to beat. Many of these handheld desserts taste really good and, unlike a full-size pie, the price tag won't dent your bank account. From apple to chocolate, there's a flavor available that you will certainly love. If you want a savory pie, that too can be found.

Pies aren't new to the fast food landscape. McDonald's began experimenting with fried pies in the early 1960s and the dessert landed on the permanent menu in 1968.

Unfortunately, not all fast food pies are worth buying. Some of the available pies used to be good but have fallen off in recent years. Some pies were never good to begin with. Other pies, though, are worth their weight in gold. To help you locate the best of the best, we've ranked fast food pies — beginning with the worst pie and finishing with the greatest of the bunch.

Right after you purchase a Baked Apple Pie from your local McDonald's, this fast food pie smells so good that you'll be convinced that you've made a wise selection. Tragically, the truth of the matter is that everything will quickly go downhill.

While the Baked Apple Pie undeniably smells really good, once you pop it into your mouth, the disappointment will soon be overwhelming. The McDonald's pie is soft and disgustingly mushy, and you'll be shocked by just how flavorless you'll find the crust and the apple filling. While it smells like cinnamon, you can barely taste it. Furthermore, the apples are oddly gelatinous, as if this pie is not really made with apples. (Some people swear that these pies are made with pears, but that's actually a myth.)

What makes this whole situation even more depressing is the fact that the apple pies at McDonald's used to be breathtakingly fantastic. What changed? Their pies used to be deep-fried, but these days, as the name suggests, their apple pies are baked. The result is a dessert that smells promising but will thoroughly disappoint your taste buds.

Do you remember the glorious cherry pie you used to be able to get at McDonald's? Sadly, those pies were discontinued in 2013. If you're looking for a suitable replacement in the world of fast food pies, you may turn to Arby's and order a Cherry Turnover. That decision would prove to be a mistake.

While the Cherry Turnover from Arby's is made from real cherries, just like the cherry pie from McDonald's used to be, that's where the similarities end. Arby's dessert is a letdown of epic proportions. First of all, they only use a microscopic amount of cherry filling in the turnover. No bite you take will consist of a suitable amount of fruity goodness. Secondly, this pastry is annoyingly flaky. Each bite you take will result in flakes getting stuck on the roof of your mouth and crumbs tumbling onto your clothing.

If you want a treat from Arby's, go with their Vanilla Shake. It doesn't sound like an exciting pick but it's easily the best thing on their dessert menu.

In theory, the Chicken Pot Pie you can get at Church's is an amazing idea. It looks like a Baked Apple Pie from McDonald's but it's filled with chicken, gravy, carrots, and everything else that you'd find in a traditional chicken pot pie, like the famous ones made by Marie Callender's.

However, in practice, Church's Chicken Pot Pie doesn't live up to the fast food pie you're imagining. Even if you eat it right away, it's overly soggy. Typically, the crust is one of the best parts of a chicken pot pie, but that's just not the case with this Church's menu item. The crust falls apart quickly and the texture is far from satisfying. The bits of chicken are tasty but they are few and far between.

If you're curious, go ahead and order a Chicken Pot Pie from Church's. It's a cool idea and it doesn't taste that bad. That said, after you try one of these pies, you won't ever be tempted to order another one.

Popeyes recently added a new dessert option that they call their Raspberry Cheesecake Pie. If you're a big fan of cheesecake, you're probably thinking about rushing over to the nearest Popeyes and ordering one of these bad boys. But if you order this fast food pie-cheesecake hybrid because you love cheesecake, you won't be thrilled with what you get.

When you bite into the Raspberry Cheesecake Pie, you'll taste a little bit of graham cracker and a fair amount of raspberry filling. The graham cracker legitimately tastes like a traditional graham cracker crust, but the raspberry filling tastes more like sugary raspberry jam than fresh raspberries. However, the most unfortunate aspect of the entire experience is that nothing in this pie actually tastes like cheesecake. There's a white cream inside of the pie but it doesn't taste like cheesecake at all.

Truth be told, this Popeyes dessert tastes decent. But if you're buying it in order to get a cheesecake fix, you will be sad. If Popeyes wanted to be honest with their customers, they'd change the name of this offering to Raspberry Jam and White Cream Pie. Not quite as catchy but much closer to the truth.

Even if you think you can't get enough chocolate in your life, the Double Chocolate Turnover that's available at A&W is an overwhelming fast food pie. Inside of a chocolate crust you'll find a flood of chocolate filling. The filling is like chocolate pudding but even richer. Add it all together and don't be surprised if the overpowering chocolatey nature of this treat causes you to call it quits halfway through the pie.

If you're a chocolate connoisseur, at least arm yourself with a glass or two of milk. Take your time and drink milk after each bite, and you may very well enjoy A&W's Double Chocolate Turnover without your taste buds being overrun by the rich chocolate.

The good news about this dessert is it will fill you up. Even if you're starving, just order one of these pies. If you're able to finish it, you'll be completely satiated until your next meal.

Much like the McRib, the Holiday Pie from McDonald's isn't available all year long. It's somewhat understandable that the McRib has a cult following because it's a unique sandwich that tastes good and doesn't truly have an equal in the universe of fast food. The Holiday Pie is beginning to acquire a cult following of its own — but its popularity makes less sense. This fast food pie from McDonald's is unique, but it just doesn't taste good enough to count down the days until it's back on the menu.

If you've never had the Holiday Pie, it has a glazed crust that's covered with rainbow sprinkles. Inside of it lives a generous amount of vanilla custard. This dessert creation looks pretty and if you like vanilla custard, it makes for an okay snack. But considering the crust is nothing special and the vanilla custard tastes like pudding you can find on the shelf of a grocery store, the Holiday Pie isn't something you should go out of your way to get your hands on.

If you want an apple pie from a fast food window that's blessed with great-tasting apples, get the Apple Turnover from Krystal. The crust, while enjoyably flaky, isn't memorable. The apple filling, though, is really, really good. Krystal adds a blend of spices to their apples and the result is oh so yummy. Additionally, each piece of apple has a subtle yet recognizable crunch, which adds a pleasurable texture that is completely lacking in McDonald's version, for example.

If you've never heard of Krystal, it's basically the South's version of White Castle. They have more than 250 locations in nine states including Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. While this fast food chain has dealt with financial challenges in recent years, they make sliders that are comparable to what you'd find at White Castle. Factor in this tasty Apple Turnover and you can make a case that Krystal is a superior choice if you're forced to pick one or the other.

You may be stunned to learn that Long John Silver's has a pie on their menu that is actually quite good. This fast food restaurant brings to mind seafood, not sweet treats. However, the next time you visit Long John Silver's, don't leave without ordering the Chocolate Cream Pie.

This beauty is an actual slice of pie. Unlike the Double Chocolate Turnover from A&W, this dessert by Long John Silver's doesn't require a glass of milk on the side. While it's chocolatey, the chocolate cream is light, fluffy, and enjoyable until the last bite. Add in a chocolate crust and the chocolate syrup drizzled and it's safe to say that a lover of chocolate won't feel short-changed if they order this dessert. The pie also comes topped with whipped cream.

The only issue with this fast food pie is that it disappears too fast. If you're really starving, it'd be smart to order a pair of slices.

KFC's Pot Pie has been around a lot longer than the aforementioned version sold by Church's and it shows. While Church's handheld pie is an interesting idea, this Pot Pie from KFC is what you should order if you want something serious that's worthy of your hard-earned money. If you like microwavable chicken pot pies, you'll absolutely adore this menu item.

You won't be surprised that the chicken in the Pot Pie tastes really good because KFC is primarily known for their delicious chicken. You'll also be a big fan of the carrots, peas, and the gravy. But what really steals the show is the golden crust. It has the perfect texture and it tastes like heaven. You won't stop eating this bad boy until every last crumb of the crust is residing in your belly. By the time you're done, you'll agree that this is one of the best entrees KFC has to offer.

If you used to visit McDonald's to scarf down their deep-fried apple pies by the bushel, go to Hardee's to relive the good ol' days. You'll be ecstatic to learn that Hardee's Apple Turnover is deep-fried to perfection. While it might not be quite as good as McDonald's discontinued dessert, it's a worthwhile knockoff.

One thing that you should keep in mind is that the Apple Turnover from Hardee's is best when it's hot. If you let this fast food pie cool off, it actually gets kind of gross. The apple filling turns into a jelly-like substance and the crust gets too hard. Reheating it in your microwave will help, but it won't completely restore the Apple Turnover to its original state.

Since Hardee's and Carl's Jr. are owned and operated by the same parent company, you can typically find the same items at both fast food joints. However, for reasons unknown, the Apple Turnover is easier to find at Hardee's than it is at Carl's Jr.

If you want the best pie McDonald's has to offer, opt for the Strawberry & Crème Pie. Everything about this fast food pie is wonderful. On the outside, you'll find a crust that is coated with a liberal amount of sugar. The crust has a much better texture than the crust on their Baked Apple Pie, and the addition of the sugar makes it that much more enjoyable.

Beneath the crust is a strip of strawberries and a strip of a vanilla cream. The strawberry filling tastes surprisingly fresh, while the vanilla cream is bursting with flavor. While you can eat the strips separately and essentially split this dessert into two separate pies, it's best to mix the strawberries and the vanilla cream together. The combination will cause your taste buds to jump for joy.

While McDonald's has auditioned many types of pies over the years, these days their most popular pies are the Baked Apple Pie and the Strawberry & Crème Pie. While the apple pie should be avoided, this one is a winner.

If you want the best chocolate pie you can find at a fast food restaurant, go to Burger King and order their Hershey's Sundae Pie. This bad boy is similar to the Chocolate Cream Pie from Long John Silver's, but it's unquestionably better. It's also more filling and packs a more flavorful punch.

The first sign that this is going to be a great fast food pie is in the name. When it comes to chocolate, Hershey's definitely knows a thing or two. This pie uses Hershey's chocolate chips in its recipe and the result is stupendous. From the chocolate crust to the chocolate filling, and from the chocolate syrup to whipped cream, the Hershey's Sundae Pie is a delight. The next time you grab a Whopper, be sure to add this pie to your order.

In addition to this chocolate pie, Burger King also had a very popular apple pie on their dessert menu. Unfortunately, the burger chain recently discontinued the Dutch Apple Pie. If they wouldn't have pulled the plug, that pie would also be near the top of this list.

The ultimate apple pie is available at Popeyes. It's so good you might find yourself going to Popeyes just to stuff your face with another fast food pie. The Cinnamon Apple Pie doesn't look special but once you put it in your mouth, you'll soon realize that you've made an outstanding decision.

The crust is perfectly crispy. While other handheld apple pies can get squishy, that's never a problem with the Cinnamon Apple Pie from Popeyes. Even if you allow it to cool off, the texture of the crust remains flawless.

From there, things only get better. The apples in this pie taste fresh. To kick things up a notch, Popeyes uses quite a bit of cinnamon and sugar in both the crust and the apple filling. The balance of the cinnamon and sugar is dependably perfect so all you're left to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy this immaculate apple pie. It's so good that if you close your eyes, you might be able to convince yourself that you're eating your grandmother's homemade apple pie.

When it comes to fast food pies, there's one pie that clearly deserves the top spot. The Peach Mango Pie from Jollibee isn't just the best fast food pie, it's one of the very best fast food desserts in all the land. In fact, if there's ever a hall of fame for fast food desserts, the first two inductees should be Wendy's Frosty and Jollibee's Peach Mango Pie.

If you've never tried this pie, you need to change that — even if it requires you to travel many miles. The slices of fruit combine to create a flavor explosion with each bite. The awesomeness of this pie doesn't stop at the peaches and mangoes, as the delectable crust is equally as good as the scrumptious fruit filling. This deep-fried dessert by Jollibee will blow your expectations out of the water, even if you're prepared for excellence. Give it a whirl and you too will agree that this is the best fast food pie in existence.