The McRib is an elusive sandwich, you can’t have it whenever you’d like, you can only have it in the fall or “McRib season” when McDonald’s sells it on limited run. Though this may leave you wondering, why is the McRib as elusive as it’s come to be?

In a MAXIM Magazine from 2009, Rene Arend, inventor of the Chicken McNugget, was cited describing that due to the McNuggets popularity, many McDonald’s franchises wanted them, causing a McNugget shortage. In order to combat this he invented the McRib, a proposed solution to the Chicken McNugget shortage that would allow Mcdonald’s franchises, ones that didn’t get to sell nuggets at the time, an opportunity to sell an alternate food item.

This it seems is the cause for the McRib having limited releases as from the beginning it was merely meant to relieve McNugget production and wasn’t intentionally a main stay item. This brings up another question, why can’t the McRib be a mainstay?

In a CNN article, R.J. Hettavoy, a consumer strategist, stated, “It’s a way to create excitement for the menu.” This seems to be true, as stated earlier, McRib fans get so excited for the sandwich during “McRib season”, this is in the fall when McDonald’s usually tuns a limited release of the pork sandwich.

A result of the McRib’s popularity is the website mcriblocator.com, a website dedicated to helping it’s users find the McRib. It allows users to report McDonald’s locations selling the McRib and a an interactive map showing where McRib’s have been reported.

The McRib has had a long history but there is good news for the end of 2020. On October 30th, 2020, McDonald’s posted a statement confirming the return of the legendary McRib, a boneless pork sandwich with barbecue sauce, onion, and pickles.

“McRib is back 12.2… nationwide for the first time since 2012 if u can believe it.”

Yousef Hamad, 17, a student at Morton West Highschool had this to say about the McRib,

“You know what I don’t understand? the McRib is always called the McRib, but it doesn’t make sense. If you unshorten it it’s called the McDonald’s Rib but that doesn’t make sense either, there is no rib, it’s a sandwich, why isn’t it called the ribwich or something like that? The way it’s called right now just makes it sound like a rib and blatant false advertising in my opinion.”

While he expressed confusion at the McRib’s name, he did go on to say,

“Yeah, It’s against my religion to eat pork, but I’m willing to do anything for the McRib.”

Another student, Gianmarco Luciano, 17, a senior at Morton West Highschool expressed his delight at the return of the McRib,

“Ever since my lips touched a McGriddle, I thought it was the best thing I could order from McDonalds, but when I then tasted the McRib, I feel in love again. So I’m really excited for the McRib’s return at Mcdonalds.”

CNN reported on the nationwide return of the McRib, discussing it’s typical limited release. What makes this year’s McRib release unique however is despite its limited time availability it will be available nationwide.  USA Today discussed that the last time this happened was in 2012 with a limited run in October 2019.

“McDonald’s brings back the McRib once a year as a limited-time offering.” Jordan Valinsky, CNN Business,

The McRib’s popularity among teens is not limited to Morton West, Jason Carmona, 18, a senior at Riverside Brookfield Highschool had this to say about the McRib,

“The attention the McRib is getting at RBHS is unprecedented, and im a part of that group.”

While the McRib may have a long and somewhat confusing story, it’s exciting to see so much commotion and excitement around it’s return. At the end of the day, all that matters is the way McDonald’s makes it’s customer’s feel, and they do a good job at it through generating excitement for this mysterious sandwich. Don’t forget to order a McRib at your local McDonald’s this upcoming December, 2nd!