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McRib

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The McRib

The McRib is a sandwich from McDonald's made from boneless pork and barbecue sauce on a bun, with onions and pickles added. It was developed at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln[1]. The sandwich test-marketed very well in Nebraska and other Midwestern markets and was added to the restaurant's permanent menu throughout the United States in 1981.[2] Sales were mediocre, and it was removed after several years, only to be brought back temporarily every year since. Numerous inconclusive explanations based on pork prices and even conspiracy theories have been suggested to explain the McRib's periodic reappearances.

Officials at McDonald's, in a 1985 stockholder meeting, mentioned that the reason the McRib was pulled was because the McRib could not sustain international sales because many countries do not eat pork regularly. Germany was mentioned as an example which could sustain sales, but not the U.S. or certain Asia Pacific countries. The strategy announced at that time would be that the McRib would be brought back periodically as a "specialty" sandwich since it definitely increased sales during a promotional period before receding.

On November 1, 2005, McDonald's put out a press release stating that the McRib would be permanently removed from the menu following a "McRib Farewell Tour." This appears to have been a deceptive kickoff to a viral marketing campaign; mcrib.com, a site registered to McDonald's, features a petition to "Save the McRib," which is facetiously sponsored by the "Boneless Pig Farmers Association of America." So in a two-angled campaign, McDonald's is simultaneously conducting a McRib farewell tour and sponsoring a petition to "Save the McRib" to create buzz. The idea for the tour seemed to have come from The Simpsons episode "I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can" which featured a farewell tour for its parody food item. On October 16, 2006, the "McRib Farewell Tour II" site appeared, confirming the campaign was a marketing ploy. The petition to "Save the McRib" still exists as well as the "BPFAA" site.

The McRib is still on sale in Germany[1].

The McRib is currently on sale in portions of Ohio and Missouri as well as the Chicago area.

McDonald's brought back the McRib in October 2007.[2]

The 3rd Farewell Tour will begin at the end of October.

Pop Culture References

  • "I haven't seen you this excited since they brought back the McRib" or a variation of this line has appeared in several sitcoms, including Full House, Yes, Dear and Roseanne.
  • In the "Mole People" episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000, Mike Nelson says at one point, "I'd rather watch David Crosby eat a McRib sandwich than watch this scene."
  • David Letterman's Top 10 once featured, "Things Elvis Presley would say if he came back today," one of which was: "Aw hell, don't tell me I missed the McRib!"
  • In an episode of The Boondocks, a back-from-a-coma Martin Luther King, Jr. ate one, exclaiming "Oh snap! No they didn't! A boneless rib sandwich!".
  • In the reality show The Osbournes, Jack mentions his love for the McRib sandwich. Kelly responds by saying "What the fuck is a Muc-Rib?"
  • In The Simpsons episode "I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can," Krusty Burger released an item called the "Ribwich." To the dismay of its devoted, cult-like following, the sandwich was discontinued after the animal it was made from had gone extinct. Later, in The Simpsons Hit & Run, the Squeaky Voiced Teen said that the Ribwich is made from only paste and MSG.
  • In the series-ending episode of the King of Queens, Doug replies to a question about why he still has his passport by saying "I heard they were bringing the McRib back in Canada." Doug also makes an allusion to his love of the McRib in the season 9 episode 'Knee Jerk.'
  • MC Hammer once ate 7 McRibs in a competition with Dr. Phil, to raise AIDS awareness
  • In his standup, Jim Gaffigan refers to the McRib, saying "I was in the gym the other day and I saw this hot chick working out and I could like see her ribs and everything.....and all I could think of was I hadn't had a McRib in like forever..."

Sources

  1. ^ http://www.mcdonalds.de/html/products/standards4/getinfo.php?code=mcrib
  2. ^ Justin Fox. "The McRib is back Review". Retrieved 2007-10-25.
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