The Real Reason McDonald's Pizzas Were So Short-Lived

Have you ever been in the middle of munching on a Big Mac or 10-piece chicken McNugget meal from McDonald's and wished you had a slice of pizza to go along with it? No need to take your brilliant idea to the suggestion box the next time you hit up the fast-food joint, as they've already made an attempt at serving up a hot and cheesy pie. Spoiler alert — it didn't exactly go well.

McDonald's pizza, which is often referred to by fans as the McPizza, was first introduced to menus in 1989 after years of development (via Mental Floss). The pie was the chain's attempt to draw in a dinner crowd, as many people preferred to pick up food from the Golden Arches for lunch during those years rather than their evening meals. According to Fandom, family-sized pizzas were the first offering from the chain and were hand-delivered to patrons dining in anytime after 4 p.m, and were soon joined by a personal-sized pie. However, by 2000, most McDonald's locations stopped serving them altogether — though a few stragglers in the U.S. were able to hold on to the menu option up until 2017 (via Today). So, what exactly was it that caused McDonald's pizzas to be so short-lived? As it turns out, there is more than one explanation for its demise.

McDonald's pizzas may not have had the staying power of the Big Mac, though many people found the meal enjoyable, with one Redditor even going as far to call it "ridiculously good." Unfortunately, the speed at which the meal was served wasn't perceived quite as well. According to Mental Floss, a statement issued by McDonald's Canada back in 2012 revealed that it took an average of 11 minutes to put together the made-to-order pies. This, of course, didn't exactly fall in line with the speedy service that was the chain's bread and butter, and especially became a damper for those ordering pizzas via the drive-thru lines.

Cost also was a factor in the short lifespan of the pizza from Mickey Dee's, which rang in at anywhere between $5.99 and $8.99 each depending on size. Sure, that may sound like one heck of a deal these days, but when the price tag for a Big Mac was set at only $2.02 (via Wide Open Eats), those numbers didn't exactly generate excitement from customers. It may be sad to say, but with two of the chain's main selling points — quick meals and low costs — against it, it seems as though the McDonald's pizza was almost set up to become one of the restaurant's biggest flops in its history.