If there is one phrase that is going to get the fast food public excited more than anything
then it’s this; 'The McRib is back!'
Once this phrase is uttered, or more likely shouted, the masses will rush to their nearest
McDonald's to try and get their hands on the allusive McRib.
This tasty pork sandwich, covered with that unforgettable tangy barbecue sauce, has been
a cult favorite for decades.
With every appearance the McRib graces us with, our mouths water with anticipation and
excitement, not to mention hope as we pray it sticks around for longer this time.
But wait, just before you frantically check the internet for the next available release,
check out our 10 Untold Truths About the McDonald's McRib.
German's Can Have The McRib Anytime
The McDonald's McRib has become famous for it's rare inclusion on the McDonald's menu.
The fact that you can only get the McRib at certain times, has only gone on to strengthen
the pork sandwich's cult status.
However, although most of the world is a slave to the McDonald's timetable, and therefore
waiting with baited breath for that barbecue sauce to waft in the air once again, there
is one country in the world that has the McRib on it's menu all year round.
That country is Germany.
It's fair to say that the German people have a fondness for meat; after all, it is famous
for being the land of sausages and hamburgers of course.
So it's not surprising that the McRib is popular with the locals and has found a home among
the German population.
Now all we need to do is check the prices for flights to Germany immediately.
McRib Would Like To Thank Chicken
Many of us know that McDonald's started out as a simple Hamburger stand way back in the
1940's.
Focusing solely on Hamburgers and Fries, McDonald’s very quickly became a huge success story and
the standard for fast and cheap hamburgers.
As the fast food giants took off, they started to develop new foods to expand their empire.
The next big success story was the launch of McDonald's Chicken McNuggets in the late
1970's.
The McNuggets proved so popular with customers that McDonald's actually struggled to keep
up with demand.
With no clear system in place to keep up with demand, McDonald's started to come up with
alternative products to help.
After many brainstorming sessions, and taking some inspiration from Southern BBQ, the McRib
was born.
It's initial purpose was to be rolled out to all the restaurants that had an extremely
short supply of chicken McNuggets, a way of giving the customers a tasty alternative.
Soon however, it wouldn't be long till the McRib got it's own fanbase.
The Great Disappearing McRib
If there is one sure fire way to make something desirable with the public, then it's to make
it unpredictable and difficult to get.
If you can't have it all the time, then you want it more.
This is something McDonald's and it's McRib have done since the beginning and it's worked
to perfection.
Only making the McRib available on certain and rare occasions, it makes us want it even
more.
Although on the surface this strategy looks like a stroke of advertising genius, the truth
is it actually came about by accident.
Back in the early 1980's when McDonald's were releasing the very first McRib, the public
weren't all that keen on it.
In fact the sales were disappointing enough to McDonald's that by the mid 1980's they
took it off all menus for good.
Of course, once the public could no longer order it, they wanted it more.
In the early 1990's McDonald's rolled out the McRib again with one big push and this
time the public ate it up - literally.
From this day on a legend was born and McDonald's continues to use the 'limited time only' trick
to this day.
More Myths Than Lock Ness
Over the years there have been many things said about the McRib.
A quick google search will show fact after fact about the pork sandwich.
However, just as with anything in the public eye, a lot of these 'facts' turn out to be
not so factual.
The McRib has attracted more of these myths than almost any other foods in the world,
it's the price you pay for success.
Out of all of these myths about the McRib, the weirdest, and funniest, to us are yoga
mats and Kangaroo meat.
The internet is good for fuelling conspiracy theories and myths like wild fire and one
of the earliest 'facts' about the McRib was that it contains the same ingredients as yoga
mats, and the bleach that cleans them.
Now, we're not saying that the McRib doesn't have a certain rubbery texture to it, but
that's a bit of a stretch to yoga mats.
So of course, this fact is not true and has been stated in several interviews by CEO's,
as well as the official McDonald's website, which by law has to disclose all ingredients.
And just for our own peace of mind, no Kangaroos where harmed in the making of this, or any
McRib sandwich.
Skippy The Bush Kangaroo can sleep safe and sound tonight.
The Masters Of Advertising
McDonald's have always been experts at advertising and getting the public into their restaurants.
Whether it's free toys for kids, colorful play areas and ball pits, tie ins with blockbuster
movies and sporting events and of course, the original mascot himself - Ronald McDonald.
It's fair to say that when it comes to promoting its restaurants and its products, McDonald's
have lead the way for decades.
So it's no surprise that when McDonald's wanted to relaunch it's McRib after its first and
second disastrous outing and disappeared from it's menus in the mid 1980's, it chose to
do it with style.
With the release of The Flintstones live action movie in the early 1990's, McDonald's jumped
at the chance to push their rib shaped sandwich at the pre-historic family.
We all remember in the original cartoon when The Flintstones had a rack of ribs put on
their car; what if it was a McRib?
McDonald’s saw their chance and took it.
The campaign was a big success and the McRib was back on the menu and for the first time
in it's history, the McRib was a star.
Another advertising master stroke was a petition that went up on the McDonald's website to
save the McRib and keep it around for ever.
Even better, the petition was sponsored by the Boneless Pig Farmers of America.
The eager masses signed the petition hoping against hope to make the McRib a permanent
fixture on the menu, but alas it wasn't to be.
The McRib never did become a full time menu item but with advertising gold like this,
and the fact that a McRib launch is always followed by the words 'For a limited time
only’, it makes us love it even more.
Yabadabadoo!
It's All In The Look
The very first thing we all learn about the McRib is that it isn't actually rib.
The second thing we learn is that there are no bones in the McRib either.
The second fact we're actually glad of.
We don't think there is many people out there that want to bite down on a tasty sandwich
only to end up with a mouthful of bones!
So why, we hear you ask, is the McRib patty shaped like a rack of ribs if their not ribs?
Well, as with all products that come to market, the McRib was tested with several focus groups
and the rib shape came out as a firm favorite.
The sandwich itself was inspired by barbecue pork sandwiches when chef Rene Arend visited
Charleston, South Carolina.
Although the McRib isn't a rib, Arend liked the look of it and is credited with the shape
of the McRib.
Because of what it's made from; it's the tripe, heart and stomach of the pig (We hope you've
eaten already.)
And the way it's made; mixing the meat with salts and water to extract the proteins.
The resulting meat can be shaped and moulding into anything.
McDonald's did try several shapes with their focus groups, including the traditionally
flat burger patty shape, but the rib one the day and we are thankful that it did.
WOW - That is quick
Today we live in a world where anything is attainable from the comfort of our own homes.
With just a click of a button we can have what ever is our heart's desire brought right
to us, and one of the biggest door to door industries is food.
With millions of people ordering food for delivery, and an ever increasing need for
these food companies to stand out from the rest, today's society has taught us one important
thing; speed is king.
We all strive for things to be fast, if not immediate and our food is no different.
So just how long does it take to have a McRib ready to cook?
The answer is a speedy 45 minutes.
In an interview with Rob Cannell, a director with McDonald's, Cannell goes in to detail
about how the McRib is made.
According to him the meat is chopped, seasoned and shaped in to the famous McRib shape, then
using their heavy machinery, including cryogenic freezers, the McRibs are flash frozen and
ready to go.
From fresh pork to frozen McRib in 45 minutes, now that is quick.
All That Glitters Is Gold
The McDonald's McRib has truly reached cult status over the years.
With it's army of devoted followers, the McRib is more inline with a rock star or celebrity
than it is with a simple sandwich.
Because of this there have been many events and celebrations involving the now iconic
sandwich.
Each time McDonald's want to entice us back through their Golden Arches, out comes the
promotion.
The McRib has had several; The Quest for the Golden McRib was a contest that had 'hidden'
Golden McRibs in McDonald's across the country for us to find.
They also had a backstory competition in which customers were ask to invent a mythical background
for the McRib and not too mention several 'Farewell' tours.
Three that we are aware of.
Through all these gimmicks and competitions, it's actually the pork itself that might make
the most money for McDonald's.
The McRib is slightly unique when it comes to meat as it’s made entirely of pork.
Because pork is seasonal, and therefore the price can rise and fall dramatically, McDonald's
can keep an eye on the price of pork and release the McRib when ever pork is low and cash in
on our obsession with the McRib.
It's a win win situation for everyone.
So, Sue Me!
Over the years, McDonald’s have been no stranger to the court room.
Many people have tried to take down the fast food giants; whether it's lawsuits for causing
obesity, diabetes or other health problems, employment standards and equality or battles
with other fast food chains.
Not to mention that McDonald's has been in the court room from their very early days
with their name; McDonald's, or is it MacDonald's?
So it may not come as too much of a surprise to learn that several animal rights groups
have targeted Ronald and company.
The biggest and most famous of these cases against McDonald's involved the McRib.
The Humane Society of the United States filed a big lawsuit against the pork supplier for
McDonald's, claiming that the conditions were horrendous.
The allegations were simple; Smithfield Foods, the pork supplier for McDonald’s, and in
fact one of the largest pork suppliers in the world, lied about their treatment of their
animals.
This isn't a nice side to the fast food industry, or the McRib, but unfortunately these things
did happen and sadder still, they still happen somewhere.
The McRib Is Still Tasty
After everything that has been said about the McDonald's McRib, whether it's good, bad
or ugly, the public still loves it.
It's very hard for us to think of a fast food meal that has taken over the public as much
as the McRib has.
What started out as a need for McDonald's to solve it's supply problem, very quickly
took on a life, and persona, of it's own . Whether it was good marketing or dumb luck, or a mixture
of the two, the McRib has become a phenomenon like no other.
today the McRib fans are still very loyal to the simple pork sandwich.
Bringing itself into the 21st century, the McRib now has it's own app and online presence
where the devoted masses can keep an eye on where and when the McRib is going to be next.
This may involve some travel but nothing will stop those die hard fans from tasting that
special barbecued slathered pork sandwich.
It's fair to say that McDonald's struck gold with this item and it will be a long time
before we see anything else capture the imagination quite like the McRib.
So, go online, check your app and rush down to a McDonald's near you to enjoy this tasty,
classic treat.
For a limited time only of course.
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