Attention McDonald’s fans: Your angry tweets, calls and messages have been answered. The McRib is officially back. But, of course, there is a big catch.
On Wednesday, The Independent reported that the McRib, which was first introduced in the early 1980s, was back on the menu at McDonald’s locations across the UK after being pulled from permanent circulation nearly a decade ago.
“It’s more than just a sandwich; It’s a phenomenon. We’ve heard our fans loud and clear – the fan petitions and pleas on social media – and after nearly a decade of anticipation, we’re thrilled to bring this iconic item back to the menu,” said Thomas O’Neill, head of menu at McDonald’s UK. “Knowing how much the McRib is loved, We had little choice – we had to make it happen. “It’s time to step up and satisfy the cravings of McRib lovers across the country.”
But they’ll only be available for a limited time, so if you find yourself across the pond, we suggest seizing every opportunity to snag one (or three).
The McDonald’s McRib will reportedly return to the US next November (but only in certain regions). Meanwhile, across the pond, McRib is already back and angry again.
Food & Wine/McDonald’s
However, there may not be a need to flog your passport for a long time. While McDonald’s has not commented to Food & Wine about returning to the US, Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, shared with the Today Show last June that the infamous sandwich will return to the US “later this year.”
According to a recent report published in the Missouri-based Springfield News-Leader, a McDonald’s spokesperson told the outlet that the McRib will return to McDonald’s locations in the “greater Ozarks area” on Wednesday, November 27. However, McDonald’s declined to confirm the claim when reached by Food & Wine.
Furthermore, the Topeka Capital Journal in Kansas — where the McRib was first released — wrote on October 16 that “the popular menu item is expected to be in Topeka McDonald’s restaurants and ready for sale the week of Monday, November 25,” marketing supervisor Patrick Manning told at Lawrence-based Dobski & Associates, the Capital Journal reported on Monday.
In case you’re somewhat unaware of this food phenomenon, the McRib includes a boneless pork steak (which is still shaped to make it look like it has bones, but that way, it’s still visually appealing and easy to eat), and pickles. Onions and McRib sauce sandwiched between a homemade bun.
If you really want to track a sandwich, you can always use the McRib Locator, which shows you every instance the sandwich has appeared on menus around the world. According to its latest update, you can find it in the UK, Guatemala, and Canada. (And if you happen to see one, be sure to share the information by reporting a McRib sighting to the website.)
As The Independent points out, you can always find it at German McDonald’s, where the sandwich has proven too popular to be left off the menu.