(LOOTPRESS) – “McDonald’s pizza” is a phrase which, in the experience of this writer, is prone to eliciting a variety of responses contingent on the situation. Startled excitement, nostalgic anecdotes, and general indifference could all await the conversationalist who takes it upon themselves to introduce such high brow subject matter to the conversation.
But the most likely reaction to any mention of “McDonald’s pizza” will be a combination of suspicious glances and dismissive incredulity.
Indeed, many refuse to believe that this delectable entrée ever even existed, let alone that it was the go-to order of one nine-year-old Cameron B. Gunnoe at the Oceana McDonald’s for several years during the 1990s.
The closest approximation I’ve since happened upon would likely be the similarly sized frozen pizzas served at Subway after being tossed into some sort of rapid-bake oven, but it’s still a far cry from the cheesy goodness that stood in the way of my even bothering to try a McDonald’s hamburger for the first decade of my existence as a consumer.
Officially dubbed the “McPizza,” McDonald’s take on one of Italy’s greatest exports originated in the mid-1980s as a full, family-sized pie. The dish was eventually reigned in to constitute just a personal pan-sized pizza, and by the early 1990s there were hundreds of locations across the United States at which hungry customers could get their hands on a McPizza.
However, the dish would all but be eliminated by the close of the decade, purportedly due to the required preparation time failing to fit in with the brand’s emphasis on quick service.
It is said, however – at least as of 2022 – that a single McDonald’s location is still serving the McPizza. This establishment can reportedly be found in Orlando, Florida.
Understand, this is no instance of the Mandela Effect at play. The dozens of piping hot, personal-sized pies which made their way to a waiting table following fun-filled afternoons at Gilliland Park Pool remain as distinct an image in the mind of this writer as do the ash trays that decorated fifty percent of the eatery’s tables.
But just like a child’s laughter, Santa Claus, and WWE superstar John Cena, the McPizza is not a phenomenon that requires being seen with one’s own eyes to bring joy and prosperity to those in its wake. All that is required is that one believe in the magic of the McPizza.