Bay misses out on pie's return

Georgie Pie is set to make a comeback in Auckland and Waikato but a Tauranga pie fan is "disgusted" the first one will not be sold in in the Bay of Plenty.

McDonald's yesterday announced the famous steak mince and cheese pie would be sold alongside burgers in 11 stores in Auckland and Waikato from next month.

Tauranga pie fan Terry Leaming, aka Hori BOP, said the first pie should be sold in the Whakatane McDonald's in honour of Grant Duffield's "Bring Back Georgie Pie" campaign.

Mr Duffield, of Whakatane, spent months visiting different towns and cities, collecting nearly 20,000 signatures on a petition to bring back the Kiwi icon.

Mr Leaming said he would be starting his own campaign to get the first Georgie Pie served in the Bay of Plenty.

"I'm rapt that it's a Bay of Plenty man that brought the pie back. They owe him to launch it in his town."

Fond memories of feeding his family on $1 pies and having children's birthday parties at the restaurant mean Mr Leaming will make the trip to Hamilton to sink his teeth into a pie if need be. But the $4.50 price tag did not go down well.

"That's a gourmet pie out in Bethlehem. To support the cause I'll try them out but ... it better be a gold-edged pie.

Mr Duffield said he believed he had a part in the return of Georgie Pie. " I would have like to see it nationwide, there are so many people out there who would like to see it back." But he would be in line when the pies go on sale. "I will be one of the people who will be queuing up to get one of the first pies. I can't wait."

Tauranga McDonald's franchisee John Warder said the return of the pie was "pretty exciting", although it was unfortunate his Greerton, Mount Maunganui, Bayfair and 11th Ave stores were not part of the trial. Mr Warder said he enjoyed the trial pie he got to taste recently. "It was very good. I was very impressed." Mr Warder said he would be happy to sell the pies in his stores.

The trial will see the pie sold from early June at McDonald's Queen St and Greenlane, then rolled out to Albany, Kelston, St Luke's Mall, Ti Rakau Drive and Mangere in Auckland, and Waikato's Frankton, 5 Cross Roads, The Base and Te Awamutu restaurants.