McDonald's McRib Makes a Comeback

NEW YORK -- The McRib, McDonald's elusive pork sandwich, is back. Usually available only when individual restaurants feel like making it, the sandwich will now be sold at all U.S. locations through Nov. 14, the fast-food chain announced yesterday, as reported by the Associated Press.

The menu item has inspired a cult following, with a Facebook group called "Bring Back the McRib!!!" There are Twitter tags, where posts range from "Lucky me, the McRib is back" to "If you eat McRibs, you need to re-evaluate what it is you actually want in life." There's also the McRib Locator, a website where true believers can report McRib sightings and even truer believers can take a road trip when one shows up within driving distance, the AP noted.

The boneless patty, dressed with onions, pickle slices and barbecue sauce, was introduced nationally in 1982, developed after the company's then-president decided to add pork to the menu. With 500 calories and 26 grams of fat, it's slightly trimmer than the Big Mac, which has 540 calories and 29 grams of fat.

It's usually up to the local franchisee to decide if or when to sell the McRib; only in Germany is it available year-round. Last November, for the first time in 16 years, McDonald's made the McRib available at all its U.S. restaurants for about three weeks.

It was a smash, and while McDonald's declined to provide specific sales numbers, it was enough to convince the world's largest burger chain to give it another run, the report stated.

"Bringing it back every so often adds to the excitement," Marta Fearon, McDonald's U.S. marketing director, said about why the McRib isn't just offered all the time.

Keeping true to form, Fearon said it is not known if McRib will be back next year.

"It's too early to speculate," she said.

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