A five-second video clip shared on TikTok is making waves on the internet, and it’s all thanks to a really huge apple pie. The scene? Dolly Parton’s famous theme park Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. displays a giant 25-pound apple pie, proudly displayed at the park’s Spotlight Bakery, with a jaw-dropping price tag: $229 for the entire pie and $19.99 for a single slice.
Stonewall Kelsey, 25, is the man behind the viral video, which he posted while visiting the park.Kelsey, who lives in Memphis, told the Post that he decided to share the video because he expected “some controversy among Dolly Parton fans “. He was right; the video quickly garnered millions of views and sparked a heated debate online about whether apple pie is worth that much.
Of course, there was an immediate backlash against the price. many viewers on TikTok were quick to express their disbelief and criticism. A large number of comments joked that an apple pie at that price would be better served with gold or diamonds, or even Dolly herself. One user exclaimed, “For $200 you can buy a shirt and a bag of candy at the park,” while another declared, “They could have put Dory on it, I’m not going to pay that much! 💯”.
However, for every comment decrying the cost, there were others who stood up in defense of the mighty dessert. These commenters argued that the size and weight of the pie needed to be factored in. As one user pointed out, “I mean …… To be fair, it’s 25 pounds. A normal pie is only about 4 pounds.” The debate is over value: if the $229 price tag is calculated at 25 pounds, that’s about $9.16 per pound.
But size isn’t the only reason for the price. Ellen Liston, Dollywood’s public relations manager, sheds more light on the making of this culinary behemoth. Liston explains that the pie is made with 35 to 40 medium-sized apples, adding that it actually weighs more than 25 pounds when the crust is added. The pie also requires a pound of butter, the price of which is rising due to inflation, adding to the total cost.
In addition to the ingredients, there is also labor involved. Liston points out that making a pie of this magnitude, given the effort required to peel and slice dozens of apples, prepare the dough, bake it to perfection in a cast-iron pan, and manage the sheer volume, the cost begins to seem less arbitrary and more reflective of the production process.
It’s interesting that if you buy a whole 25-pound pie, you get to keep the giant cast iron pan in which the pie is baked. This is a key point for many online vloggers, with one commenter noting, “But if you buy the pie, you get to keep the pan, and a fancy cast iron one at that.” Cast iron cookware does come with a hefty price tag, which puts the tangible value of the purchase beyond the dessert itself.
The pie wasn’t made on a whim; it has a history in the park, and Liston shares that the 25-pound apple pie was originally created specifically to commemorate the Dollywood Quarter Century Celebration a few years ago.
Even though Dollywood is in its 38th season, apple pie is still a favorite among visitors. It is one of the top three most popular breads, along with the famous cinnamon bun and cinnamon bun. According to Liston, on a typical busy day, the park bakes two to four pies, which are always snapped up by the end of the day, demonstrating that despite the price tag, demand remains strong.
One pie is enough to feed a family of four. This suggests that a $19.99 pie, while still expensive for one person, is a shared experience, and Stonewall Kelsey himself found the price to be steep at first, but grew to appreciate the value, telling Insider that when you consider the size of the pies, “$230 for 25 pounds of pie is a pretty good deal. a good deal.”
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As one source noted, videos highlighting surprising expenses resonate because they reflect the broader trend of inflation and increased cost of living, which is felt everywhere.
Despite the controversy, the pie has garnered rave reviews.In 2019, journalist Tess Koman, who writes for Delish magazine, tasted it and raved about it, humorously suggesting that she might consider swapping it for a wedding cake. Dollywood even ships the pies all over the world, and people do order them for special occasions like grooms cakes or family gatherings.
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A TikToker shocked viewers filming a $229 apple pie at Dolly Parton’s theme park. But he’s pushing back, saying it’s actually a ‘good deal.’
