McDonald's McRib sandwich is back and it's generating a lot of buzz. Whether you love it or hate it, the divisive dish always creates a stir when it returns to menus after a periodic pause. According to CNN, the novelty surrounding the McRib is what gives it an advantage and is the driving force behind its appeal. Although the McRib has a devoted fan base, it is likely that it will never secure a permanent spot on the McDonald's menu.
Fast food companies know that having at least one seasonal item is good for business. When diners know that something is only available for a limited period of time, they are more motivated to make time to buy it than if it was always there waiting for them. Temporary dishes can also add variety to a menu that has been based on the same staples for decades. The limited-time pork sandwich is brought back every year, but it's notoriously hard to find. McDonald's even launched its own McRib locator app to help customers locate restaurants that sold it.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the sandwich, McDonald's announced a contest on Thursday in which it will give away digital versions of the fan-favorite sandwich, almost as spicy as McRib himself. The main reason McDonald's will never make the McRib a permanent fixture is the thrill of having a limited-edition menu. If the McRib were always on the menu, it wouldn't have the same appeal and excitement every time you went to try it. The McRib was created by McDonald's first executive chef and McNuggets inventor Rene Arend after feasting on shredded pork sandwiches on a trip to Charleston, South Carolina. The only clue to McRib's return was a teaser tweet asking followers to turn on their notifications for the “biggest announcement”. McDonald's said that the “rise of the Internet and the emergence of social media” solidified McRib's icon status and “the hype” surrounding its annual return even gave rise to the phrase 'McRib season'.Because McDonald's is so ubiquitous and the McRib so remarkable, fans get discouraged when it leaves and rejoice exuberantly when it returns.
First released regionally in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1981, before its national debut the following year, the McRib is a boneless pork burger seasoned with barbecue sauce and topped with pickles and onions on a sandwich-style bun. Major media outlets and the entire Internet pick up the story every time the McRib returns, which in turn draws more traffic as sandwich fans flock to try it once again. Meat scientist Roger Mandigo, one of the men credited with helping McDonald's invent its legendary sandwich, told the Lincoln Journal Star that the national supply of those pork pieces used to make the McRib is not too large. It's the price of those strange cuts of pork shoulder that play an important role in determining when and how long the McRib stays on the menu. McDonald's McRib sandwich has been around for 40 years now and continues to be one of their most popular items. Every October or November for the past few years, headlines appear when McDonald's McRib reappears in select locations across the country.
The limited-time pork sandwich is brought back every year but it's notoriously hard to find. The main reason McDonald's will never make the McRib a permanent fixture is because they know that having at least one seasonal item is good for business. The novelty surrounding this iconic sandwich gives it an advantage over other items on their menu and is what drives its appeal. Temporary dishes can also add variety to a menu that has been based on the same staples for decades. McDonald's even launched its own McRib locator app to help customers locate restaurants that sold it. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, McDonald's announced a contest in which they will give away digital versions of this fan-favorite sandwich.
The rise of social media has solidified its icon status and given rise to 'McRib season'.Whether you love or hate this divisive dish, one thing is certain: McDonald's McRib will continue to be an annual tradition for many years to come.
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