News

The McRib returns to McDonald's menus

October 23, 2011

The fan-favorite McRib is back beginning today for a limited time in all participating McDonald's restaurants.

The McRib, a boneless pork patty topped with slivered onions, dill pickle slices, tangy barbeque sauce and served on a toasted bun, has been the most elusive product on McDonald's menu for nearly 30 years.

Few restaurant items have achieved such a cult-like following as the McRib, which has at least five Facebook pages, a McRib locator website and a portfolio that includes a nod on "The Simpsons."

McDonald's originally introduced the McRib in 1982 as a limited-time offer, and then brought it back in 1994.

It has since popped up here and there on a regional level, including in McDonald's Greater Southwest Region, which gave the item a farewell tour in 2006 shortly before its limited time expired.

This is the second year in a row the McRib has been featured as a limited-time offer and just the fourth time ever.

The Quest for the Golden McRib

To help celebrate the return of the McRib, McDonald's has built a digital consumer engagement experience that tests people's passions for this elusive sandwich. Starting today, McRib fans can visit McDonald's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/mcdonalds) and play "The Quest for the Golden McRib," a game where the user encounters creative and fun challenges and mythical characters, such as a boxing grizzly bear or a disco dancing pirate, to locate 10 golden McRib sandwiches 'virtually' hidden in select McDonald's restaurants nationwide.

Read more about food and beverage launches.