How to Get a Free McRib When They Return to McDonald's for the First Time in Years

The McRib is headed back to McDonald's menus, and the fast-food franchise is celebrating the fan-favorite item's return in a big way. As fans of the McRib count down the days to its nationwide return on Wednesday, Dec. 2, McDonald's is asking them to "shave the date" in order to score a free sandwich. That's right, McDonald's is giving away 10,000 free McRibs, though fans will have to undergo a bit of a transformation to be one of the lucky winners.

On Monday, the home of the golden arches announced a social media contest in partnership with No Shave November to give away the beloved sandwich upon its Wednesday return. To enter the contest, McRib-lovers simply have to share a picture of their cleanly-shaven or baby-smooth face on their public Twitter or public Instagram profile using the #Shave4McRibSweepstakes hashtag. Those entering must also tag @mcdonalds.

"Our bearded fans know… facial hair and the McRib just don't mix—believe me, I've tried," David Tovar, Vice President of U.S. Communications, said in a press release. "With the nationwide return of the McRib, we're helping fans enjoy every delectable moment by encouraging them to shave for a chance to win a free McRib. And we're excited this year to partner with No-Shave November, a charity that knows a thing or two about facial hair."

As McDonald's points out, taking part in the contest has some added benefits outside of the chance of potentially scoring a free McRib, the chain writing, "that beard you've so proudly grown while in quarantine or for a good cause this November…it's got to go. Or it could get in the way of you enjoying a mouthwatering McRib."

You don't however, need to be able to grow a beard to enter, as anyone with a baby-smooth face can join the contest. The first 10,000 entries will receive a code for a free McRib, available via McDelivery with Uber Eats, while supplies last.

"No-Shave November is a month-long journey where we ask participants to put down their razors and 'get hairy' in the name of cancer awareness," Monica Hill, Senior Executive Director of No-Shave November, said. "We're thrilled McDonald's is supporting this important cause, getting both the bearded and the non-bearded involved beyond November simply by purchasing a McRib."

The McRib first debuted on U.S. menus in 1981, though it has come and gone in the years that have followed. Thanks to its seasoned boneless pork slathered in tangy barbecue sauce and topped with slivered onions and tart pickles, it has quickly become a fan-favorite menu item. Its return to menus nationwide on Wednesday (the McRib will be available for a limited time only at all of its 14,400 US restaurants) marks the first time the McRib has been on menus across the country since 2012.