The McRib is a minced pork sandwich with barbecue sauce sold by the fast food restaurant chain McDonald's, introduced in 1981.[1][2] It consists of a restructured boneless pork patty shaped like a miniature rack of ribs, barbecue sauce, onions, and pickles, served as a sandwich on a 5+1/2 in roll.
After low sales, it was removed from the menu in 1985. It was reintroduced in 1989, staying on the menu until 2005 in many countries. Since 2006,[3] it has generally been made available for a short time each year in most markets where it is sold, typically during the fall season, although it is a permanent menu item at McDonald's restaurants in Germany[4][5] and Luxembourg.
Product description
The McRib consists of a restructured[6] boneless pork patty shaped like a miniature rack of ribs, barbecue sauce, onions, and pickles, served as a sandwich on a 5+1/2 in roll. Meat restructuring was developed by the US Army to deliver low-cost meat to troops in the field.[7] The process was refined by a Natick Army Labs meat scientist, Dr. Roger Mandigo, leading to the McRib patty.[6][8] It is primarily composed of ground pork shoulder.[9]
"Government doesn't patent their intellectual property, so anyone can use it. They (the Natick Center) presented material at technical meetings...The military allowed us to use the processes they'd developed. − Roger Mandigo, Natick Center contractor and meat scientist
History
1981–2004: Introduction and removal
The McRib was first introduced in 1981 as a limited-time offering, initially tested in the Kansas City area.[10] It was developed by McDonald's first executive chef René Arend, a native of Luxembourg who invented Chicken McNuggets in 1979. "The McNuggets were so well received that every franchise wanted them," said Arend in a 2009 interview. "There wasn't a system to supply enough chicken. We had to come up with something to give the other franchises as a new product. So the McRib came about because of the shortage of chickens." It was his inspiration to shape the McRib patty "like a slab of ribs," despite the fact that a round patty would have been cheaper to manufacture and serve on standard hamburger buns.[9]
The McRib Jr. was introduced briefly in 2003 as a mini version of the McRib, placed inside of a hamburger bun.[11]
Lawsuits
In November 2011, the Humane Society of the United States filed a complaint with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission against the producer of McRib meat, Smithfield Foods, alleging cruel and unusual treatment of the animals used in the McRib patty production.[42] The complaint cites the use of gestation crates and poor and unsanitary living conditions, as well as a lack of proper animal welfare. In 2012, McDonald's announced plans to end the use of gestation crates for breeding pigs in its American supply chain by 2017.[43] By the end of 2024, McDonalds stated the achievement of phasing out the use of gestation stalls for "confirmed pregnant sows" in their "U.S. pork supply."[44]
In early January 2026, The Food Institute reported that a recent class-action lawsuit filed against McDonald’s has sparked a broader debate about transparency in how the fast-food giant markets its iconic McRib sandwich. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit argue that McDonald’s naming and presentation of the McRib can mislead consumers into expecting premium rib meat when the product is actually made from restructured pork shoulder and other cuts, potentially deceiving customers and prompting questions about marketing practices and transparency in the quick-service restaurant sector. The Food Institute notes that while the legal impact may be minimal, the case highlights ongoing consumer concerns about how limited-time products are advertised and understood by the public.
Limited availability
Speculation on the limited availability of the McRib includes theories concerning the fluctuating price and unreliable supply chains of bulk pork, manipulation of availability windows to turn the product into a better loss leader for the company, and the generation of renewed enthusiasm and higher sales as a result of scarcity.[46]
An informal study from 2011 entitled "A Conspiracy of Hogs: The McRib as Arbitrage" illustrates a correlation between the price of pork and the timing of McDonald's offering the sandwich; all five of the US McRib offerings between 2005 and 2011 occurred during low points in the price of bulk pork.[47]
According to McDonald's, the sandwich's limited availability is due to their desire to provide a varied menu throughout the year.[48]
See also
- List of sandwiches
- List of McDonald's products
External links
- McRib menu item at McDonald's
- McRib menu item at McDonald's Germany, with in-depth product description
- McRib Locator by Alan Klein
References
- Whet Moser. The Invention of the McRib and Why It Disappears from McDonald's Chicago Magazine, October 25, 2011, retrieved November 30, 2024^
- Adrienne Crazo. The Quick 10: 10 McRib Facts November 1, 2011^
- Kelly Tyko. McDonald's McRib is back for a limited time. How to find it