Avid pie lover Grant Duffield is one step closer to his dream of bringing back Georgie Pie as the iconic pie goes on sale at McDonald's in Tauranga today.

From 10.30am the steak, mince and cheese pie will be available from the 11th Avenue outlet. It will retail for $4.50 a pie.

McDonald's 11th Avenue franchisee John Warder and pie lover Grant Duffield at the launch of the Georgie Pie pie.

Taylah Kapene from Mount Maunganui enjoys a Georgie Pie.

The city's 11th Avenue branch is the first of three Western Bay of Plenty outlets to sell the pie, with Mount Maunganui and Papamoa to begin selling the pie in coming weeks.

The launch in Tauranga has pleased the 29-year-old from Whakatane, who has been single-handedly collecting signatures throughout the North Island to bring back the golden pie restaurant.

Grant is visiting 11th Avenue McDonald's today to celebrate the return of the pie.

'It's definitely great to see it make a comeback close to where I grew up.”

Grant remembers celebrating 'numerous” birthdays at his favourite restaurant when it was situated at Taupo's lake front – where he grew up.

He has been following pie launches across the country and last week purchased 20 pies at once from Te Awamutu McDonalds.

'Like everyone else I want to see the pie stay here. I want to bring the brand back.”

McDonald's Tauranga franchisee John Warder says the launch of the pie is 'almost like bringing back New Zealand's heritage”.

'It's bringing back an old Kiwi favourite. McDonalds were trying to honour that iconic brand.”

Papamoa and Mount Maunganui McDonald's outlets will be selling the pie by mid-November.

It follows the successful trial of the re-launched pie in selected restaurants earlier this year. McDonald's now says the steak, mince n cheese pie will be sold in 107 McDonald's restaurants by the end of the year and the majority of restaurants by mid-2014.

Sharon Page from Greerton enjoys a steak, mince and cheese.