Multi-billion dollar chain McDonald's has brought the beloved McRib back, but for a limited time, starting October 16. On Wednesday, The Independent revealed that the dish had returned to the menus in UK outlets after being pulled from the same back in 2005. For a while, fans became privy to several “mistakes” on the brand's end, including bugs on the app, and some cryptic ads.
However, all of it was decoded when McDonald's revealed these were intentionally done to hype up the big return. The McRib Returns campaign caught fans' eyes when about 1.83 million users' phones were pinged with a notification of the same. It read: “McRib_Test.notification_16.10.24 [TEST]." A wonky email followed suit, igniting curiosity among fans.
McDonald's teases fans, asserting "The McRib isn’t not back"
The McRib is a 520 cal sandwich, packed with boneless pork that's been marinated in a tangy BBQ sauce, that goes by the name, the McRib sauce. It comes loaded with slivered onions and tangy pickles, nestled between two toasted homestyle buns, and serves about 24 g of protein- for all those keeping count.
A single burger retails for £4.49, while a medium extra value meal for £6.19. As The Mirror reported, the outlet revealed that these burgers are "a limited-edition product and will be available whilst stocks last." A spokesperson said,
"In the UK, we consider it important to separate pork and beef on the grill, so separate cooking processes and dedicated utensils have been implemented across our restaurants to allow us to satisfy McRib fans and finally bring it back to the UK."
In London, McRib ads began popping up across the country. According to The Drum, Leo Burnett, McDonald's' ad agency, curated a track just for the occasion, christened McRib FM. On cue, it played at outlets every two hours, and even made its way to Spotify early this month.
By October 7, OOH placements were strewn across with the ominous message "The McRib isn’t not back," adding fuel to the fire. The outdoor ads came with the playful tagline:
"To be clear, it’s almost definitely probably not not not coming back.”
Per the outlet, the brand confirmed the return of the McRib in a short ad, with DMX’s Party Up (Up in Here) playing in the background. The confirmation read:
"The McRib is back.”
Alexandra Martin, McDonald's senior brand manager, chimed in on the same:
"We’ve been having a bit of fun with McRib fans – accidental notifications, glitchy ads and plenty of hints dropped along the way. But now the secret’s out! This is not a drill. The McRib is officially backity back back. We couldn’t be more excited to see everyone’s reactions. It’s time for fans to finally get stuck in.”
Thomas O’Neill, Head of Menu at McDonald’s UK added:
"It is more than just a sandwich; it’s a phenomenon. We have heard our fans loud and clear – the fan petitions and pleas on social - and after almost a decade of anticipation, we are thrilled to bring back this iconic menu item. Knowing how well-loved the McRib is, we had very little choice - we had to make it happen. It was time to step up and satisfy the cravings of McRib enthusiasts across the country.”
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The McDonald's recipe first debuted in 1981, also for a limited time only. While it didn't fare as well among fans initially and had to be taken off of the menu, things started picking up following its 1989 promo ads.
Notably, the dish has since made comebacks sporadically, such as in 2022, when it had its own "farewell tour," and then again in November 2023.
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