It ’s a McRib domain , and we ’re all just livin ' in it . Much like the first Charles Percy Snow of the season or springtime break , McDonald’srelease of religious cult - favorite McRib is somethinga lot ofpeople get behind . Keyword : a lot . And the good news is lover can line up to get onestarting Oct. 31 , 2022 . But there ’s sorry news this class . Just like clockwork , McDonald ’s will pull the sandwich off the computer menu quicker than fans can say McRib . However , the libertine - food monster allege , this will be the McRib ’s " Farewell Tour . "

Really McDonald ’s ? A farewell tour for the McRib ? Kind of like Motley Crue ’s 2015 Final Tour ? Or Cher ’s or Tina Turner ’s or the Spice Girls ' or the Eagles ' or so many otherfarewell tours that were n’t farewells ? Assuming the McRib is about to take its final fore , we ’re here to pay homage to the sandwich that has come and start for more than 40 year .

What Is the McRib?

For those who like to live what they ’re eating before they , well , use up it — the McRib is nothing brusk of a secret . It was created 41 years ago in 1981 by McDonald ’s first executive chef , René Arend , who also develop those famousChicken McNuggetsas a means to combat achicken shortage .

" The McNuggets were so well get that every dealership wanted them,“Arend tell Maxim powder magazine in a 2009 interview . " There was n’t a organisation to provide enough chicken . We had to occur up with something to give the other franchises as a new production . "

After a class of test - marketing , that first McRib appeared in McDonald ’s stores in 1982 . Despite the cultlike appreciation for the sandwich , the McRib wasactuallyconsidered a failure . Even with support throughout the Midwest , McDonald ’s discontinued the McRib in 1985 , quote a deficiency of pork feeder in the United States .

McRib

Then it made a major riposte in 1994 as a promotional standoff - in to " The Flintstones " movie . by nature , the sudden popularity and support for the McRib sparked a motion to restock blue-ribbon storehouse across the U.S. and Canada . But just as it reappeared , the McRib vanish again in 2005 . McDonald ’s even be after a " McRib Farewell Tour " ( shocking , good ? ) have an online"Save the McRib " campaign .

So all this begs the question : What exactlyisthe McRib ? McDonald’sdescribesthe contents of the famed sandwich as " veteran , boneless pork slather in smoky , sourish barbeque sauce , topped with slivered onion plant and tart pickles , " but that ’s just marketing . We do know one thing : It’snotpork rib meat . It ’s mostly meat from the porc articulatio humeri .

It ’s calledrestructured meat , and the food processing technique was make by the U.S. Army in the sixties to glower its solid food monetary value . These young marrow were added to MREs for troops . So basically , the McRib is made of pig voice ( include boneless pork picnic shoulder joint ) pressed into the iconic McRib cast with some barbecue sauce added for smell .

McRib farewell tour

McDonald ’s did allow the late Grant Imahara , former carbon monoxide gas - host of the show " MythBusters,“behind the scenesin 2014 with Virginia teacher Wes Bellamy . Bellamy ’s tweet about how unappetizing the sum looked catch McDonald ’s attention .

The two find out as the pork meat was process and press into shape , and then flash - frozen to be embark to restaurant . In the video recording , Kevin Nanke , frailty president of McDonald ’s U.S. pork supplier Lopez Foods , says the only ingredients in a McRib are pork , water , dextrose and preservatives to " lock in the flavor . "

The McRib Farewell Tour

There must be something about that flavor , because 40 - plus years is a fairly long time for McDonald ’s to be serving up this love - it or hate - it sandwich .

Now back to the McRib Farewell Tour . The McRib ’s , like most others , comes complete with fan merch . McStans can show their love for the sandwich via wearing apparel , art and other " McRib memorabilia . " The merch goes on sale Nov. 4 , 2022 , at 11 a.m. ET atGoldenArchesUnlimited.com .

So , if you want to get your hand on a McRib or its farewell merchandise , do it before long because this prison term we do n’t know if it ’s really come back ( do n’t we though ? ) . Of course , that ’s all in the " McPlan . " Create a demand for a seasonal item and the diners will come .

McRib FAQ