Forget the holiday season – this December, it’s all about the McRib! As an early holiday treat, the McRib, one of the most iconic fast food menu items, is returning to participating McDonald’s restaurants nationwide for a limited time only beginning next month.
The mouth-watering dish will make its anticipated return to McDonald’s menus nationwide beginning Tuesday, Dec. 3, the fast food chain declaring it “McRib SZN.” For those unfamiliar, the McRib features a slice of seasoned boneless pork slathered in tangy barbecue sauce and is topped with slivered onions and tart pickles.
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One of McDonald’s most storied menu items, the McRib’s history dates back to 1981, when the item first debuted on the McDonald’s menu in Kansas City, Kansas as “a regional favorite.” After the sandwich was brought back in honor of the theatrical release of the live-action Flintstones film, the sandwich reached international fame, with McDonald’s choosing to keep it on the menu throughout the ‘90s and early 2000s. The sandwich even hit menus in Germany, New Zealand, and France.
But the McRib’s popularity wasn’t enough to save it. Following a years-long permanent placement on the menu, McDonald’s launched three farewell tours for the McRib in 2005, 2006, and 2007 The sandwich briefly returned from 2010 to 2012 and again in 2020, and has since gone on to make a limited comeback annually, even making a comeback on Canadian menus earlier this year for the first time in a decade.
When it hits menus again this year in the U.S., it will be bringing a little something extra. For the first time ever, McDonald’s is selling the McRib’s signature flavor, A Whole Lotta McRib Sauce. Described as being “perfect for holiday parties, festive recipes or the ultimate stocking stuffer for McRib lovers,” the sauce will be available in limited-edition half-gallon jugs for $19.99 beginning Monday, Nov. 25 at 10 a.m. ET., online at www.wholelottamcribsauce.com.
“The McRib is more than a sandwich – it’s a part of culture, it’s a legend, it’s an event,” Tariq Hassan, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at McDonald’s, said. “McRib SZN is a holiday unto itself, so we wanted to embrace that spirit and give fans an even bigger way to celebrate this year with A Whole Lotta McRib Sauce.”
The McRib returns to McDonald’s menus beginning Dec. 3. Fans can score a half-gallon jug of A Whole Lotta McRib Sauce starting Nov. 25.
