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McRib is seen at a McDonald's restaurant
David Paul Morris/Stringer/Getty Images

Few fandoms show up in fast-food as intense as the fandom behind the McRib, the cheekily seasonal McDonald’s sandwich sensation. It’s back now, and as always for a limited time, but it’s not where you might expect.

What’s in a McRib?

McRib Ingredients
McDonald’s

The idea behind the McRib is incredibly strange, because the fiction of this sandwich is that you’re eating a baby back rib on a sub roll. Except it’s boneless, somehow. The McRib consists of a rack-of-ribs-shaped pork patty, onions, pickles, and BBQ sauce on a long, specialty bun.

Where Is the McRib Currently?

nrqemi/istockphoto

Chasing the McRib is like chasing Carmen Sandiego, but right now we’ve found our culprit in the U.K. Why do the Brits deserve it more than we do?

Apparently they haven’t seen it since 2016. Fair enough.

When Will the McRib Arrive in the U.S.?

Salt Lake City, USA - February 26, 2013: Mcdonalds Drive thru service is amount one of the popular service in fast food chain restuarants, many stores open 24 hours. A yellow jeep pick up order at the drive thru window.
KingWu/istockphoto

McDonald’s hasn’t said squat about when the McRib is gonna hit stores in the States. Earlier this summer, the president of McDonald’s USA was seen on “Today”, saying it would be back this year. 

Reports have begun to trickle in from across the country, suggesting that the time is nigh. McDonald’s restaurants in Topeka, Kansas say they’re gearing up to sell the McRib beginning Nov. 25 and locations in Springfield, Illinois indicate it may be on menus by mid-November.

As per usual, the McRib will likely only be available for a limited time. So grab it while you can. (Apparently, Germany and Luxembourg have managed to keep the McRib on the menu permenantly.)

When Was the Last Time the McRib Was Around?

Two McDonald's McRib sandwiches with a soda and fries.
McRib McDonald’s by Jerry Huddleston ((CC BY))

The McRib is constantly waving goodbye as though it’s leaving for the last time, but we all know it’s a big liar. In November 2022, it announced a “Farewell Tour” which we all knew then was completely bogus. Now it’s confirmed.

What Other Menu Items Should McDonald’s Bring Back?

Via reddit.com

The McRib isn’t the only cult classic menu item that fans want back. Does anyone remember the McHotDog or Salad Shakers? How about the McLobster or McDonald’s Pizza? If you’re feeling bold, you might even try making some discontinued fast-food items at home.

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Meet the Writer

Wilder Shaw is a staff writer at Cheapism who has written for publications like The Washington Post