McDonald's CEO says the McRib is the 'GOAT of sandwiches' for driving huge sales

• McDonald's praised the McRib for driving sales during an earnings call.
• The McRib returns to menus on October 31 for a limited time.

McDonald's is bringing the McRib back once again, and it's great for the chain's bottom line.

CEO Chris Kempczinski called the sandwich, which returns to menus periodically, "the GOAT of sandwiches on our menu" in an October 27 earnings call. The term "GOAT" is often used in sports, referring to the "greatest of all time."

The chain didn't share specific McRib sales numbers from previous runs.

The McRib has appeared on menus on and off since the 1980s, and has become one of the chain's "best known seasonal promotions," Mark Kalinowski, an analyst and CEO of Kalinwoski Equity Associates, told Insider. Its return typically provides a healthy bump to sales.

Kempczinski credited the McRib with growing US sales in late 2021 in the face of supply chain delays and difficulty staffing stores.

As an LTO (limited-time offer), the McRib has a built-in fanbase excited about its return each time, with minimal marketing required. The sandwich is polarizing, but voracious fans have built online tools to find locations that have the McRib when it's back on menus.

McDonald's uses the same strategy other fast food chains employ with LTOs or returning menu items, like nacho fries at Taco Bell or pumpkin spice at Starbucks. Temporarily removing items from menus can increase demand when they return. Taco Bell, for one, said demand for the Mexican Pizza was seven times higher after its return.

The McRib returns to menus on October 31 for a "limited period." On November 4, a line of "nostalgic" McRib merchandise will also be available online, McDonald's says. The McRib's return and merch line are part of a larger nostalgia push across the company, including the recent adult Happy Meal promotion that brought back vintage mascots.

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