In the fall of 2022, McDonald’s announced the McRib sandwich would be going on a “farewell tour,” seemingly finishing a cult-favorite menu item forever.
Yet longtime fans of the vaunted fast-food brand know that these “goodbyes” are often more like “see you laters,” which meant it was barely a surprise when McDonald’s announced Oct. 4 that the McRib would make a return to some restaurants beginning in November, according to Today.com.
This marketing strategy may be tired but, in the end, fans of discontinued items are usually joyous when they reappear.
A hunk of pork meat shaped like a slab of ribs, dipped in a tangy barbecue sauce and sandwiched in a torpedo roll, the McRib was first created in 1981, according to Chicago Magazine. Since then, it has periodically been removed, then made a comeback. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, the McRib had similar “farewell tours,” according to Insider, but kept returning the following year. After 2012, the sandwich vanished for eight years. And now, McDonald’s is up to its old tricks once again.
The question that remains is: Where will the McRib be popping up? As of now, all we know is that it won’t be nationwide. SFGATE reached out to McDonald’s regarding which Bay Area locations might have the fan-favorite item, but did not hear back in time for publication.
