McDonald's Will Welcome Back The McRib Despite Its 2022 'Farewell Tour'
Despite last year's much-hyped 'Farewell Tour' that seemed to signify the end of the McRib for good, the cult-favorite sandwich is set to make a return to some McDonald's menus. Following an Instagram post shared by the viral account @snackolator on September 26, hinting at the item's return, McDonald's reportedly confirmed to Today.com that the McRib would once again be making a limited-time comeback this November. And now, local news outlets in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky report that the McRib will be available for a limited time at McDonald's locations in those states starting on November 11.
The "here today, gone tomorrow" marketing tactic may be gimmicky, but it's also proven lucrative. As Business Insider reported in 2022, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski referred to the McRib as "the GOAT of sandwiches" — i.e., the "greatest of all time" — thanks to its unwavering ability to drive sales. Indeed, the sandwich's return last fall was partly credited for increasing the company's fourth-quarter earnings in 2022, so it's far too profitable to banish from menus for long.
The bad news? This won't last long, and not everyone will get the chance to enjoy. While the company says that "some lucky fans" may find the saucy sandwich, it confirmed the item will only return to "participating markets" for a limited time and will not be available nationwide.
The elusiveness of the McRib is part of its appeal
While many fans of the snack would no doubt love to see its return as a permanent menu item, the McRib's elusive nature is no doubt part of its appeal — for both customers and company higher-ups alike. The stacked sandwich, which features a boneless pork patty drenched in tangy barbecue sauce and topped with onions and pickles, first appeared at McDonald's back in 1981. But after a number of years, it got yanked from the menu due to unimpressive sales. One of its returns occurred in 1994 to promote the live-action "Flintstones" film. This time around, the McRib became a hit, and it remained a McDonald's fixture throughout the '90s and early 2000s.
The sandwich previously embarked on a "farewell tour" in 2005, when it was officially removed from the permanent menu yet again. Since then, it's become a limited-time commodity, popping back up at the fast food chain to much fanfare every few years. Some customers have compared its cycle of farewell tours and comebacks to musicians like Cher, given that it drives hype by announcing its retirement, but never fails to eventually return.
Although the company has not supplied a solid end date for 2023's limited run of the McRib, Today.com notes that it was removed from menus last year by November 20. Still, that should give some McDonald's customers plenty of time to secure one at a participating location. For those who are eager for a taste of the nostalgia, there is also a fan-run McRib Locator Map website, where folks can post locations where they have recently purchased the sandwich.