McDonald's tried to make a joke about Zellers but all Canadians want is McPizza

Tensions have been running high online lately between local fast food consumers and whoever is running the McDonald's Canada Twitter account, thanks largely in part to the disappointing launch of Spicy McNuggets.

It's not that the piquant McNugs are bad; a lot of people really seem to like them.

Rather, it's that they're not McPizza, as rumours circulating widely ahead of the August 31 launch date suggested they might be — rumours that the Canadian branch of the global restaurant chain did not deny, and in fact almost seemed to play up.

Me, getting my hopes up for McPizza. pic.twitter.com/O6zBVNrUkv

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) August 27, 2021

McSocial Media Managers learned fast that it isn't wise to play with the hearts of nostalgic millennials, especially when it comes to a touchy subject like one zesty-sauced '90s McMenu item.

depends on who u ask 😅

— McDonald’s🇨🇦 (@McDonaldsCanada) September 26, 2021

For the uninitiated, McPizza is exactly what it sounds like: Pizza from McDonald's. It was first introduced to the world in the late 1980s and by 1991 had spread to more than 500 franchise locations.

Despite its immense popularity, McPizza had been discontinued everywhere but in Orlando, Florida by the year 2000. Orlando remains the only McDonald's location where pizza is currently available.

Legend holds that most McDonald's locations nixed the menu item because it took too long to cook: A full 11 minutes — far longer than anything else you can order at the drive-thru. 

Well you kinda pissed people off when you brought in these spicy McNuggets when all people are asking for is bring back the mcpizza.That's all it's not asking much bring back the pizza

— Geoff (@UnitedNfld2175) September 27, 2021

On Friday evening, McD's got Canadians all riled up again by randomly commenting on the new Zellers pop-up inside HBC.

"Zellers?? It's just that easy to make a comeback then??" tweeted McDonald's Canada for some reason on September 24, prompting more than 100 replies, many to the effect of "Shut up and bring back McPizza."

And you couldn’t even give us the comeback we really wanted: McPizza. Hell, I would’ve even taken the Big Xtra or Arch Deluxe. Shame on you. pic.twitter.com/j4JFenCoWj

— JR (dont/care) (@jbroslice) September 24, 2021

"Yes, the McPizza could make an easy comeback too =]?" replied one follower.

"You should start feeling threatened if they sell pizza," remarked another. "You guys missed the boat on that one."

christine I promise I added it to the long list of things

— McDonald’s🇨🇦 (@McDonaldsCanada) September 25, 2021

These types of pro-McPizza messages can be found all over Twitter, not only in response to the Zellers tweet, and not only in Canada.

I'm certain mortgage-less, childless millennials would spend plenty of their disposable income to taste that zesty pizza sauce again. Just saying, McDonald's. It is that easy.