What is McRib?
McRib is a controversial sandwich produced by the famous international fast food chain in the United States, McDonald’s. According to McDonald’s, McRib is composed of patty made from ground pork, onions, barbecue sauce and pickles. McRib was a test-market sandwich, which did very well in the markets of Nebraska and throughout other Midwestern markets.

Due to the consumers’ well acceptance of the sandwich, McRib was made a permanent item in the United States market in 1981. McRib has been permanently included in McDonald’s menu across the USA. However, when the sales went second-rate, it was pulled out of the menu in 1985. However, after several years, the sandwich was brought back to the market but was offered only for a limited time. McRib was well loved in Germany thus making it a permanent menu item in the country.

When the summer of 1994 came, McDonald’s reintroduced the McRib again. It was also the time of the release of the movie, ‘The Flintstones’. The reintroduction of McRib was actually a tie-in with the movie. McRib was compared to what appears like a rack of ribs above the ‘Flintmobile’. The packaging of the sandwich was also themed with the movie, featuring the ‘Flintstone’ character, ‘Betty Rubble’ played by Rosie O’Donnell.

McDonald’s announced a permanent removal of the sandwich in the market in November 1, 2005. A press release was announced and a tour named ‘McRib Farewell Tour’ followed. However, another campaign was released petitioning to save McRib. The petition was known as the ‘Save the McRib’. It was jokingly sponsored by the ‘Boneless Pig Farmers Association of America’. The two campaigns were accused of being a ploy. McDonald’s was accused of conducting contradicting campaigns to create controversy out of the sandwich. Later on, it was confirmed that the campaigns were just a strategy and on October 16, 2006, another campaign known as the McRib Farewell Tour II was released.

After a year, McDonald’s brought the sandwich back to the US market and it was October 2007 when the third farewell tour began. Another year passed and the sandwich was reintroduced again in 2008 but this time it is not just in the US but also across Japan and Hong Kong. Other regions in the US and Canada were offered a limited time only throughout 2008 to 2009. At that time, a promotional website was launched and it features music by McRib DJ Plowman. The music was intended to be a tribute for the McRib inventor.

When the year 2010, November 2 to be exact came, a six-week kickoff was launched by McDonald’s. The kickoff offered a nationwide availability of the sandwich. The event was known as the Legends of the McRib in New York City. Three McRib super fans were honored in the kickoff. The super fans are as follows: Mr. McRib, which is also known as Joey Erwin, Alan Klein, McRib locator website’s inventor and last but not the least, was Adam Winer. The six-week kickoff ended on December 5, 2010. McDonald’s considered the event as a success due to the sandwich’s sales boost reaching 4.8% in the month of November.