It wasn’t farewell after all for the McRib. Nearly a year after McDonald’s kicked off what it dubbed a “Farewell Tour” for the mouth-watering pork sandwich, the Golden Arches is bringing the McRib back for a limited time this fall, though not everyone will be lucky enough to place an order.
Originally debuting as “a regional favorite” in Kansas City, Kansas in 1981, the McRib boasts a slice of seasoned boneless pork slathered in tangy barbecue sauce and is topped with slivered onions and tart pickles. After the sandwich was brought back in honor of the theatrical release of the live-action Flintstones film, the sandwich reached international fame and remained a staple of the McDonald’s menu in the ’90s and early 2000s. It even debuted on menus in Germany, New Zealand, and France.
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However, the sandwich eventually got kicked off the menu, with McDonald’s launching three farewell tours for the McRib in 2005, 2006, and 2007 before it returned to the national menu from 2010 to 2012. The sandwich eventually made its grand return in 2020 and reappeared annually each November. When it returned last year, McDonald’s said the sandwich was “embarking on a ‘Farewell Tour,” though the chain added, “we’re hoping this isn’t a ‘goodbye’ but a ‘see you later.’ Because as our McRib stans have experienced time and time again: you never know when – or if – the McRib is coming back.”
However, rumors that the McRib was poised to make its annual return this November began swirling on Sept. 26 when popular snack-spotting social media account Snackolator shared in a post, “Woah! Last fall the McRib went on a ‘Farewell Tour,’ but it’s coming back this November!” The account claimed that the McRib would be returning to select markets “by mid-November.” Just a few days later, McDonald’s confirmed the news in a statement to Today.com, though the chain added that the McRib will only be returning to select McDonald’s locations in the U.S. for a limited time beginning in November.
“It turns out not everyone was ready to say goodbye to the McRib after last year’s Farewell Tour,” a McDonald’s USA spokesperson told Today.com. “While it won’t be available nationwide, some lucky fans may find their favorite elusive saucy sandwich at their local McDonald’s restaurants this November.”
The McDonald’s spokesperson did not reveal an exact return date for the McRib, nor did they share which locations the sandwich will return to. Last year, the McRib returned to McDonald’s restaurants nationwide beginning Oct. 31 and was available as part of its “Farewell Tour” until Nov. 20.
