- Categories:
- Food & Beverage
- Tags:
- BakingDessertFood
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every January 23
- Holiday emoji:
- 🥧
National Pie Day arrives every January 23, inviting everyone to indulge in their favorite sweet or savory pie. Whether you’re a fan of classic apple, rich chocolate, or a hearty pot pie, this day is your excuse to bake, share, and enjoy. Gather friends and family, try a new recipe, or support a local bakery.
Want to sponsor National Pie Day? Learn how
Expected National Pie Day Deals
While we await official 2027 promotions to drop, history shows that National Pie Day often brings delicious deals from bakeries and restaurants. Look for special offers from chains like Marie Callender’s, known for its wide selection of frozen and fresh pies, and Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, which frequently runs pie discounts. Local bakeries and grocery stores like Whole Foods Market and Kroger are also likely to feature sales on their freshly baked and frozen pie selections. Even coffee shops such as Starbucks might offer pie-inspired treats. Smaller, artisanal pie shops often create unique, limited-edition flavors for the occasion. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as January 23 approaches.
Platform Guide for National Pie Day
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #NationalPieDay. Share mouth-watering photos of your homemade pies, favorite bakery finds, or pie-making tutorials.
TikTok
Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #NationalPieDay. Film quick recipe videos, pie-tasting challenges, or creative pie art for a viral hit.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #NationalPieDay. Share your family’s favorite pie recipes, host a virtual pie bake-off, or poll friends on their top pie picks.
National Pie Day Hero
Marie Callender
History of National Pie Day
One of the oldest prepared foods, pie shows up in written recipes dating back as far as the ancient Romans. The first known pie recipe was for a rye-crusted goat cheese and honey pie. The Romans made pies with a variety of meats, seafood, and fruit, and developed a dense pie called placenta, similar to cheesecake. At sumptuous Roman feasts, pie played a role in several courses.
Until recently, pie crust was mostly used as a vehicle for filling. Unlike many of today’s luscious, buttery crusts, early pie crusts often didn’t get eaten at all. The crust acted as a container to keep the meat moist and prevent it from burning.
Pies first appeared in England in the 12th century, still mostly filled with meat. The dubious origin of some pie fillings gave rise to jokes and horror stories, including the penny dreadful that would become “Sweeney Todd.”
When the Puritans and other English settlers fled for the New World, they took pie with them. But although no American Thanksgiving table is complete without sweet pumpkin and pecan pies, sweet pies didn’t make an appearance at the so-called “First Thanksgiving” and pumpkin pie didn’t become popular until the 1800s. Today, sweet pies overwhelmingly outsell savory pies, and pumpkin pie is an enduring fixture of the Thanksgiving meal.
Not to be confused with National Pi Day, National Pie Day has nothing to do with math and everything to do with that sweet American treat. Created in the 1970s by Charlie Papazian (who conveniently placed the day on his birthday), National Pie Day encourages us all to take a break with America’s favorite dessert.
National Pie Day timeline
Evidence of flat, round flour cakes containing honey has been found in the tomb of Pharaoh Ramesses II.
Pumpkin pie makes its first appearance in a cookbook.
A franchisee in Knoxville, Tennessee introduces the chain’s beloved fried apple pie.
Don McLean’s epic homage to the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and, more broadly, to the 1960s, stays at #1 on U.S. pop charts for 4 weeks.
How Businesses Can Celebrate National Pie Day
Local businesses, especially bakeries and restaurants, can fully embrace National Pie Day. Offer special pie-by-the-slice deals, introduce limited-edition pie flavors, or host a ‘buy one, get one free’ on whole pies. Coffee shops could pair mini pies with their beverages, while grocery stores can create eye-catching displays of pie ingredients and pre-made crusts. Consider a social media contest for the most creative pie photo, encouraging customer engagement.
National Pie Day - Survey Results
National Pie Day Traditions
Celebrating National Pie Day is as easy as eating one of these slices of heaven, or going all-out and hosting pie-eating contests or bake-off! Pie is an all-American indulgence and every year people enthusiastically bake pies, try new flavors, exchange recipes, and give them to loved ones and colleagues. The American Pie Council (APC) encourages sharing your pie of the day on social media with the hashtag #NationalPieDay
The food marketing professionals get to work which means cafes and restaurants have promotions or special menu additions to celebrate pie and by the end of the day, the tradition is to have as much pie as you can.
National Pie Day By The NumbersÂ
6000 BC – the earliest date pie is traced back to.
186 million – pies are sold in stores each year in America alone.Â
10,540kg – was the weight of the largest pie ever baked.
1623 – was the year the pumpkin pie was introduced on Thanksgiving.
47% – of Americans think pie is comforting.
$9500 – is the price of the world’s most expensive pie
1 in 5 – Americans have eaten a whole pie by themselves.
9% – Americans prefer eating the crust first.
1644 – was the year pie was banned by Oliver Cromwell – for being a pagan form of pleasure.
18% – of men say their wives bake the best pie.
National Pie Day FAQs
When is National Pie Day?
In 2027, National Pie Day is observed on Saturday, January 23. This weekend placement makes it an ideal day for baking projects with family or enjoying a leisurely slice with friends.
How many types of pie are there?
The world of pie is incredibly diverse, with new variations constantly emerging. Beyond the popular categories, many cultures have their own unique pastry traditions that could be considered pie, showcasing an endless array of fillings and crust styles.
How much pie do Americans eat?
Pie remains a beloved dessert in the United States, with surveys indicating that nearly 20 million Americans eat pie at least once a month. The average American is said to eat about six slices of pie per year, highlighting its enduring popularity.
What is the difference between pie and tart?
While both are baked pastry dishes with fillings, pies are generally deeper and can be sweet or savory, often served from a communal dish. Tarts are usually shallower, often individual-sized, and more decorative, emphasizing the filling’s presentation.
National Pie Day Activities
Eat some pie!
Naturally, the best way to celebrate National Pie Day is to eat a slice of your favorite — or try a new and adventurous flavor!
Learn to bake pie
Baking a pie can be as easy as, well, pie. Look up a recipe online, in a cookbook, or ask a family member to share a favorite recipe.
Enter a pie bake-off
Many organizations hold pie baking contests. If you’re feeling proud of your baking skills, try showing them off at your local bake-off.
5 Interesting Facts About Pie
American Pie remains mostly unexplained
Though we know that “the day the music died” refers to the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and others, Don McLean has remained famously mum about the meaning of the song’s other enigmatic lyrics.
Getting pied dates back to silent film
Laurel & Hardy’s 1927 film The Battle of the Century featured a pie fight that used around 4,000 pies.
Pie might taste best at the Bradys’
In a 2008 survey, 40% of respondents agreed that Carol Brady, of all TV moms, would bake the best pie.
Sweeney Todd redefined meat pies
Johnny Depp gave a memorable performance in Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd as the “demon barber of Fleet Street” who murders his clients so his neighbor can bake them into pies.
Walter White’s iconic pizza scene spawned copycats
After the success of the show Breaking Bad, a few fans recreated a memorable scene by throwing pizza onto the roof of the house where it was filmed. Unfortunately, the current owners didn’t appreciate the reenactment and installed a fence to keep overzealous groupies at bay.
Why We Love National Pie Day
It lets us spoil ourselves
No one’s saying you should eat pie for breakfast too often, but on this special day we can forget the guilt. If you’re feeling extra indulgent, add a scoop of ice cream to make your pie à la mode.
It’s got something for everyone
With practically infinite ingredient possibilities and baking styles, there’s sure to be a pie out there for everyone.
It reminds us of summer
Even though we celebrate it in January, National Pie Day reminds us of the sweet, lazy days of summer.
National Pie Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | January 23 | Saturday |
| 2028 | January 23 | Sunday |
| 2029 | January 23 | Tuesday |
| 2030 | January 23 | Wednesday |
| 2031 | January 23 | Thursday |
Social Media Tips for National Pie Day
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