The McRib is by far one of the most exclusive and beloved items to ever hit McDonald's menu.
It's got everything: the flavor, the shape, and most importantly, the sauce. You might
think you already know everything about this delicious concoction, but we're here to tell
you 10 Things About McDonald's McRib That You Need To Know Now!
It's Back... Again!
Attention everybody, no, this is not a drill; this is not a test; this is real. The moment
everyone has been waiting for has finally arrived: the McRib is back. One of the most
anticipated and loved limited-time menu items has been back on McD's menu since December
2nd and will remain there until further notice - or until they run out. So we suggest you
save your celebratory dance for later and head on over to your local McDonald's as fast
as humanly possible to make sure you get your hands on one. However, this anxiously awaited
sandwich is only available at 10,000 locations out of 14,000, so you might have to drive
just a little bit to get one, but still, it's back! People either despise the McRib, or
fall head over heels for it, there is no in-between. And if you're one of the latter, this is your
chance! This year marks the first time since 2012 that the McRib is available nationwide.
Because as you know, it kind of seesaws back and forth, but now, it's at 95% of the restaurants,
so let's just say your chances are even higher of coming across one of these almost mythical
sandwiches. What are you waiting for? Go on, get one! Quick before they disappear again!
A McRib For Free?
Yes, the McRib is back, but that's not even the best news of all. It's hard to imagine
something even more exciting than the McRib coming back, I know, but hold onto your seat
because this might just be the game changer. Not only can you now enjoy this tasty sandwich
anytime you want, but you could even get one for free! McDonald's has launched the “Shave
4 McRib Sweepstakes,” a campaign in association with No-Shave November. All you have to do
is post a picture of yourself - or your uncle, your sister-in-law, or even your cousin's
roommate's cleanly-shaven or baby-smooth face - even a facial mask will do - on your public
Twitter or public Instagram profile using #Shave4McRibSweepstakes and tag @mcdonalds.
By doing so, you could win one of the 10,000 codes for free McRib sandwiches through McDelivery,
and help raise money for cancer research at the same time. This promotion plays on
the fact that barbecue sauce and beards are not a good mix, which is kind of fair. Sauce
and beards don't mix.
It's almost 40 Years Old
Who said that when you turn 4o, you stop being fun? Well, if that's the case, then the McRib
is definitely the exception to the rule. Introduced into our lives in 1982, this tasty delicacy
has been in the fast-food hall of fame for almost 40 years! How time flies! It seems
just like yesterday. Thanks to its flavorful, southern charm, the McRib has been able to
keep us on our toes and made us wait patiently - or not - for its highly anticipated unknown
return. However, its popularity wasn't always high. Back when it first came out, people
didn't exactly go as crazy over this seemingly weird looking fake rib sandwich. It wasn't
very, let's say, appealing to people, so the McRib was removed from the menu only 5 years
later and the world almost lost the deliciousness that is the McRib forever. This kind of old,
yet kind of a new menu item is an icon in the McDonald's universe and will probably
- or hopefully - keep making random appearances 40 years from now.
Flintstones Rib
Can you imagine a world with no McRib? No more excitement when you hear it's finally
coming back, no tasty barbecue sauce, no special treat? It seems like a pretty dire world.
But thanks to a very popular movie from 1994, hope was restored in the world and the McRib
was brought back for good - sort of. The Flintstones played a very important role in the reintegration
of the McRib on McDonald's menu. After an on-and-off relationship with the menu, the
McRib eventually earned its special place in people's hearts when the live-action Flintstones
movie came out. McDonald's highlighted the similar appearance of the McRib with the rack
of ribs that tops the Flintmobile, which drove fans nuts! Everybody wanted to get a taste
of the Flintmobile's “slab o’ ribs”! The film’s star Rosie O’Donnell even appeared
in a promotional commercial and the Flintstones characters were printed on the packaging.
Literally doing everything to make sure people knew the connection between the two. And so,
just like that, the McRib was back stronger than ever and to this day, still creates that
inexplicable hype whenever it's return is announced. " Well, well, well, how the turn
tables..." (Please keep this in - The Office S05Ep3)
McRib Locator
Now, if you're a hardcore fan, you probably already know about this. But what you might
not know is how it even came to be in the first place. We're talking about the McRib
Locator. You know, that super useful website you use to track down your favorite pork sandwich
whenever you're craving one? It's basically a million-dollar idea. You spot one at a Mickey
D's location, then you put it in the system to let others know where the goods are. You
just click on a store location and if it has a checkmark, you're good to go. Brilliant
really, and highly practical. Well, you might be surprised to hear that the McRib Locator
did not come from McD's, but rather from a super mega fan of the sandwich. Alan Klein
simply wanted to help his fellow McRib enthusiasts find and savor what they craved the most,
and so, the universe surrounding the McRib was revolutionized forever. It became the
number one online destination to get "insider' information on the McRib and helps keep people
in the loop. Sure, these days with social media on the rise, it's easy to find quick
information and to know exactly where you can find a McRib without even looking for
one, it's all over Twitter! But isn't it way more fun to just use the real deal tracker?
Yes, McDonald's has a lot of devoted fans, but it's pretty amazing how particularly huge
the fanbase is for this one single menu item.
Pork Etcetera
While the McRib is advertised as being a "pork rib," that's not totally accurate. Ever heard
of false advertisement? Well, the McRib is a perfect example of something pretending
to be something that it's not. Before you get all testy, no, it's not kangaroo meat.
People need to stop with that urban legend. It started as a rumor and then somehow gained
traction. Either way, it's not true. There are no roos in your precious McRib. Now that
that's out of the way, the McRib still isn't technically a rib. It's basically pork shoulder
mixed with restructured meat products. Yum. The meat is chopped, seasoned and then formed
into the shape of a rib rack. The whole process takes about 45 minutes, and then they flash-freeze
it. Very misleading, indeed. But why a rack of ribs? Why not just shape it round and call
it a McPork or, maybe even, a BigOink? Apparently, the shape is very intentional and doesn't
have a real reason behind it. Its creator simply thought a rack of ribs looked "fun"
and original and thought it would attract more people to try it out. Probably also because
you might ask less questions if you think you're eating ribs instead of a "mystery"
meat. But that's not all that's in the McRib. There's a whopping 70 ingredients, of which
40 of them are just in the bun - one being a very disturbing flour-bleaching agent also
found in yoga mats. OK, maybe not exactly the kind of McRib you signed up for. But,
hey, still tastes amazing, right?
The Report of the Week ReviewBrah
Most of you might have heard of famous 23-year-old Youtuber John "ReviewBrah" Jurasek and his
channel "The Report Of The Week", on which he reviews fast food, frozen food, and energy
drinks. His opinion on new and fancy new products is always highly anticipated by his fans,
who most of the time rely on his words to determine if something is worth it or not.
You see where this is going right? Review Brah finally got around to trying out the
newest version of the McRib and posted one of his most anticipated videos to this day.
It wasn't his first time reviewing the McRib, but after being absent on the nationwide scale
for almost 10 years, this called for a special celebration. He started his review by stating
how the year 2020 has been pretty shaky and rough for a lot of people and that this new
McRib could be just the thing that turns everything around - and ya, we hope so too.
After getting his hands all saucy and commenting on the mess, he takes a bite - and another,
and another and finally, his verdict is in, telling us he "still likes it - that he's
a fan and would easily say this is a sandwich worth getting." He did say it was a little
drier than the other past McRibs, but the tanginess of the sauce makes up for it. He
ranked it a 7.5/10 and said it met his expectations. If he says it's good, then we believe him!
It’ll Probably Never Be Officially On The Menu
Yes, you love the McRib. It's a sandwich enjoyed and beloved by many all around the world.
So, why is it not always on the menu? Why be in this constant game of hide-and-seek
and play on our emotions? Well, for a lot of reasons. First of all, the McRib's sudden
reappearance always coincides with the price of pork. When the prices go down, McDonald's
seizes the opportunity and starts selling the McRib again. The second reason is that
the sales would not be as important if it were on the menu all year-round. By making
something available only for a short amount of time, it creates that hype and excitement
which pushes people to buy more and more - and quickly before it's gone again. And by selling
it in only a few locations at a time, the feeling of exclusivity takes over and puts
the McRib in even higher demand. Lastly, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and McDonald's
knows that all too well. By bringing it back about once a year and depriving us of it until
further notice, we end up missing it and longing for its return even more, which inevitably
drives up the sales. We're suckers for the McRib, we can't help ourselves. We're probably
never going to be lucky enough to see the McRib on the permanent menu, so we'll have
to go along with McD's shenanigans for as long as it takes.
Thank You, Chicken McNuggets
McDonald's is the second biggest purchaser of chicken in the world, so it's safe to say
they buy a lot of chicken. The majority of that chicken goes into the production of McNuggets,
which is easily one of the most beloved menu items from the chain. The McNuggets have been
going strong and steady since they were introduced in the late 1970s and people have been going
crazy over them ever since. So much so in fact, that all the hype around these little
nuggets caused a very real and very serious chicken shortage in 1979. The demand for chicken
was skyrocketing and McDonald's found themselves in a bit of a pickle. They couldn't supply
enough Chicken McNuggets for all the demand. They had to come up with a new product that
involved absolutely no chicken. So they scrambled to come up with a new idea, and the rest,
as they say, is history. Obviously, today, there is no chicken shortage anymore, They've
got chicken McNuggets coming out the wazoo! Maybe that explains why the McRib is no longer
a regular on the menu. It was born out of pure necessity and now that we don't need
it anymore, it's gone. But we do need it! It's still delicious! It deserves it's spot,
right up there next to the chicken nuggets it helped out in the past. And to that we
still say: Thank you chicken McNuggets for indirectly creating the McRib.
Canada Wants It Too
Okay, Canadian fans, don't freak out. You know how we said the McRib was available nationwide?
Well, we meant in the U.S., so... no, it's not coming to Canada... At least not for now!
Although it seems a little unfair that only Americans get to enjoy the delicious, tangy
McRib, McDonald's has confirmed that it would not hit the Canadian menu this time around,
claiming that they are still "always looking for new flavors and menu items," though. But
still, what about the McRib? Why can't it just cross the border and be enjoyed by our
friendly neighbors to the North? Don't they deserve a taste of happiness as well? And
the worst part is, they can't even pop over the border to try one because all non-essential
travel between the U.S. and Canada is still not allowed. This unfortunate and sad occurrence
has not stopped Canadians from taking over the Internet by Tweeting and creating petitions
expressing their anger and disappointment, and for good reason. We're sorry, Canada,
we really are. Perhaps your perseverance will pay off, and McDonald's will cave and grace
you with the McRib once again. So close, yet so far.
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