Good news for McRib fans: there are indications that U.S. locations might soon feature the beloved sandwich on their menus again.
McDonald’s has announced the return of the McRib sandwich to its UK locations. However, U.S. restaurants may soon follow suit.
This favored menu item typically appears in U.S. locations during the fall. The McRib was last seen in select U.S. outlets last autumn, and prior to that, in 2022, which was termed as its “farewell tour” by McDonald’s.
According to reports from The Independent, the McRib made its limited-time comeback in the U.K. earlier this week. It hadn’t been sold there since 2016, although it remains a regular offering in Germany and Luxembourg.
“The McRib is not just a sandwich; it’s iconic. We have listened to our fans through petitions and social media, and we are excited to bring back this famous menu item after nearly ten years,” said Thomas O’Neill, McDonald’s U.K. menu chief, in a press announcement. The sandwich is also being offered for a limited time in Ireland.
“Given its popularity, we felt it was necessary to make this happen,” he added. “It was time to fulfill the cravings of McRib fans across the nation.”
When can we expect the McRib back in the U.S.?
While there is no specific date yet, indications point to the McRib’s return being imminent.
In June, Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, confirmed on The Today Show that the sandwich “is coming later this year. It will be back.” Recently, some locations have begun discussing the return of the McRib.
According to news from the Topeka Capital-Journal, McDonald’s in Topeka, Kansas, is expected to start serving the McRib during the week of November 25. The sandwich is anticipated to be available until January 2025, as reported by the Capital-Journal, part of the YSL News Network.
The McRib is also expected to return to Springfield, Illinois, in mid-November, as shared by local managers with the Springfield State Journal-Register, which is also part of the YSL News Network.
Additionally, the greater Ozarks area will get the McRib back on Wednesday, November 27, according to a McDonald’s spokesperson who spoke to the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader, another outlet within the YSL News Network.
McDonald’s has yet to provide a definitive plan for the McRib’s availability throughout the U.S. for 2024.
What exactly is the McRib?
The McRib consists of a pork patty shaped like a rack of ribs, made from pork, water, salt, dextrose, and even rosemary extract! It’s served on a bun and topped with barbecue sauce, pickles, and onions, totaling about 520 calories.
Invented by McDonald’s executive chef Rene Arend, who also created Chicken McNuggets in 1979, the McRib originated from the development of restructured meat for the military by University of Nebraska professor Roger Mandigo. The sandwich first appeared in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1981 before becoming available nationwide the following year.
The McRib, which was consistently offered at McDonald’s from 1989 to 2005, is frequently cited as the most sought-after discontinued fast food item. Research from Spin Genie, an online gaming site, found that the McRib was searched for significantly more than other discontinued items such as Chipotle’s Carne Asada, Domino’s Brooklyn Style Pizza, and Taco Bell’s Enchirito over the course of a year ending June 2024.
After being absent from the menu since 2012, the McRib has made a comeback each year since 2019.
Are you eager for a McRib? You can keep track of its return with an unofficial online tool called the McRib Locator.
McDonald’s Chicken Big Mac is available now
If the McRib isn’t available yet, don’t miss out on another limited-time offering at McDonald’s: the new Chicken Big Mac. It features two tempura-battered chicken patties served on a Big Mac bun, complete with Big Mac sauce, cheese, lettuce, and pickles – but no onions.
During your visit to McDonald’s, you can also choose to round up your purchase, supporting the 50th anniversary of the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which aids families with sick and injured children. In some local McDonald’s restaurants, special promotions are taking place, like the one in Missouri where a penny from each sale will be donated to local RMHC houses.
With each pound of fries bought, there’s something special to celebrate.
To boost awareness about rounding up purchases at McDonald’s for the RMHC, NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace will sport a special logo on his fire suit and feature a distinctive design on his vehicle on October 27 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The decal on the driver’s side of his car will symbolize an RMHC family from his native Alabama.
