McDonald's McRib went from being the next McNugget to an elusive cult favorite — here's how it happened

Mary MeisenzahlOct 30, 2022, 17:54 IST

The McRib.Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images

McDonald's is bringing back the McRib nationally for a farewell tour.
The McRib has had at least three other farewell tours, and its been on and off menus since 1981.

The McRib only exists because of the success of another iconic McDonald's menu item: McNuggets.

Spicy McNuggets.McDonald's

After McNuggets were introduced in 1979, franchisees couldn't get enough of them and demanded another hot product to sell.

Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

Executive chef Rene Arend was inspired to create the McRib after a trip to South Carolina where he ate barbecue.

Facebook/Hecky's Barbecue

The design for the McRib used new technology for "restructured meat product" created by Richard Mandigo at the University of Nebraska.

Photo by NICHOLAS YEO/AFP via Getty Images

Though it contains little rib meat, Arend designed the shape to "look like a slab of ribs."

McDonald's

The McRib officially debuted in test markets in 1981, expanding further in 1982.

McDonald's

McDonald's used an extensive advertising campaign to explain it to customers.

Customers showed up to try the McRib, but not many returned for repeat visits, and it disappeared from menus in 1985.

McDonald's

It came back seasonally at some locations, with limited runs throughout the 1990s.

The Simpsons gave the McRib a permanent place in pop culture in a 2003 episode parodying the sandwich, called the "Ribwich."

Fox

That same year McDonald's introduced a mini version of the sandwich, the McRib Jr.

McDonald's

McDonald's took the McRib on three farewell tours in 2005, 2006, and 2007 before adding it to national menus from 2010 to 2012.

A McRib sign is seen at a McDonald's restaurant on November 3, 2010 in San Francisco, California. The sandwich arrived on the menu for the first time since 1994 and is offered at all McDonald's nationwide for a limited time until December 5, 2010. The McRib was first introduced in 1981.David Paul Morris/Getty Images)

The McRib found success as a limited-time offer, and McDonald's sold $30 million sandwiches and seven million pounds of pork in 2007.

Robson90/Shutterstock

In 2008, McRib fan Aaron Klein started the McRib Location website that used crowdsourced tips to help people find the sandwich.

Aaron Klein

Another McRib superfan started campaigning for the return of the McRib online in 2018 on the website McRibGate.

McRibGate

In 2020, McDonald's brought the McRib back nationally for the first time in eight years.

The McRib.Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images

In 2022, McDonald's announced the McRib would go on yet another farewell tour, returning to menus for a limited time starting on October 31.

A McRib is seen at a McDonald's restaurant on November 3, 2010 in San Francisco, California.David Paul Morris/Getty Images

McDonald's is playing coy about if the sandwich will return, though. "Like the GOATs of Michael Jordan, Tom Brady & others, you're never sure if they're fully retired or not," CEO Chris Kempczinski said in an October earnings call.

Michael JordanAP Images

McDonald's is playing coy about if the sandwich will return, though. "Like the GOATs of Michael Jordan, Tom Brady & others, you're never sure if they're fully retired or not," CEO Chris Kempczinski said in an October earnings call.

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McDonald's McRib went from being the next McNugget to an elusive cult favorite &mdash; here's how it happened

The McRib only exists because of the success of another iconic McDonald's menu item: McNuggets.

After McNuggets were introduced in 1979, franchisees couldn't get enough of them and demanded another hot product to sell.

Executive chef Rene Arend was inspired to create the McRib after a trip to South Carolina where he ate barbecue.

The design for the McRib used new technology for "restructured meat product" created by Richard Mandigo at the University of Nebraska.

Though it contains little rib meat, Arend designed the shape to "look like a slab of ribs."

The McRib officially debuted in test markets in 1981, expanding further in 1982.

McDonald's used an extensive advertising campaign to explain it to customers.

Customers showed up to try the McRib, but not many returned for repeat visits, and it disappeared from menus in 1985.

It came back seasonally at some locations, with limited runs throughout the 1990s.

The Simpsons gave the McRib a permanent place in pop culture in a 2003 episode parodying the sandwich, called the "Ribwich."

That same year McDonald's introduced a mini version of the sandwich, the McRib Jr.

McDonald's took the McRib on three farewell tours in 2005, 2006, and 2007 before adding it to national menus from 2010 to 2012.

The McRib found success as a limited-time offer, and McDonald's sold $30 million sandwiches and seven million pounds of pork in 2007.

In 2008, McRib fan Aaron Klein started the McRib Location website that used crowdsourced tips to help people find the sandwich.

Another McRib superfan started campaigning for the return of the McRib online in 2018 on the website McRibGate.

In 2020, McDonald's brought the McRib back nationally for the first time in eight years.

In 2022, McDonald's announced the McRib would go on yet another farewell tour, returning to menus for a limited time starting on October 31.

McDonald's is playing coy about if the sandwich will return, though. "Like the GOATs of Michael Jordan, Tom Brady & others, you're never sure if they're fully retired or not," CEO Chris Kempczinski said in an October earnings call.

McDonald's McRib went from being the next McNugget to an elusive cult favorite — here's how it happened