McRib sandwich and McDonald's sign

Facts You Never Knew About McDonald's McRib

NEWS

By ALEX SPRINGER

McDonald's outlet

The Debut

René Arend debuted the McRib in 1981, testing it first in Kansas City before releasing it nationally in
1982. After less-than-stellar reviews,
it was discontinued in 1985.
McRib sandwich next to a bag of fries
A few years later, McDonald's marketed the McRib as a "barbecue in a bun." It sold for a mere $1.69, but still wasn't popular enough to remain on the menu as a permanent item.
A person in army uniform holding food trays

The U.S. Army's Role

The iconic shape of McRib's patty is the result of a technology developed by the U.S. Army in the 1960s while looking for ways to save money on food production.
McRib sandwich and its carton box on the table
Meat scientist Roger Mandigo found
a way to process low-cost meat trimmings with sodium and fat. The final product could then be formed into shapes and frozen for distribution.
A bottle of McRib sauce

McRib Sauce For Charity

During McRib's 2024 return to McDonald's menus, the restaurant sold half-gallon bottles of McRib sauce, branded as "A Whole Lotta McRib Sauce," for $19.99.
McRib sandwich on paper tray
These jugs of tangy holiday cheer sold out within minutes, with all proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald House. It's uncertain whether McDonald's
will run this promotion again.
Xanthe Pajarillo singing the McRib song

McRib's Blues Song

Xanthe Pajarillo penned "The McRib Song (McRib Blues)" and
performed it on her YouTube channel, lamenting the unavailability of McRibs on her local franchise.
McRib sandwich and its carton on the table
Pajarillo explained that McRib was
an integral part of her family's Thanksgiving celebration, without which the holiday spirit in her home feels "kind of messed up and broken."
A scene from 1994 film "The Flintstones"

10 Years On The Menu

In the mid-90s, McDonald's announced making the McRib a permanent menu item through a marketing campaign that tied in with the 1994 film "The Flintstones."
McRib sandwich and its carton box
It remained on the menu for 10 years until its 2005 "farewell tour." The tour brought it back to select locations and even tried a failed petition to keep the sandwich on the menu.