How McDonald's McRib Became A Legendary Fan-Favorite

McDonald's is the most popular fast-food chain worldwide, known for its cheeseburgers, crisp french fries, and affordable meal deals. Its food and drink options have minimally changed over the years aside from seasonal and limited-time offerings to draw in customers. Whether it's St. Patrick's Day when the Shamrock Shake makes its return, or the nostalgic Boo Buckets coming back for Halloween; there's something about a limited-time deal that's great at the Golden Arches. 

McDonald's has been shaping the fast-food industry since the 1940s, but everything changed in the 1980s when the McRib was introduced. Above any other menu item, the McRib has had a rocky history — it has never earned a long-term residency at McDonald's. Although the pork sandwich has never really made the sales McDonald's hoped for, there's a weird cult following it's gained over the years. In fact, the McRib has become somewhat legendary, and people get excited when it returns to McDonald's every so often. Why? Well, different people have different opinions. Some say they genuinely like the taste, others like it because it's a menu item that reminds them of simpler times, and for some, they crave what they can't have.

No one ever really knows when the BBQ-slathered pork sammy will bless us with its presence. Since its inception in the 1980s, there have been many cases of it disappearing from the menu and reappearing like a confused ghost. McDonald's even announced the sandwich's "farewell tour" in 2022, and CEO Chris Kempczinski posted a video of himself enjoying a McRib to really drive the point home. That was two years ago, and since then, the McRib has returned in November 2023 and again in 2024. So what is it with the whiplash? It comes down to sales and the limited-time appeal.

Although the McRib hasn't exactly been the breadwinner for McDonald's, it makes just enough money to continue returning for a limited time. Another likely reason could be the price of pork. Food prices rise and fall, so when pork prices are down, typically at the beginning or end of the year, McDonald's takes its chance. Then, there's the appeal of only being able to get something for a limited amount of time. As mentioned, people want what they can't have, so when the McRib returns, they flock to ensure they get their fill.