The McRib Effect

The Mcrib is disgusting, but a lot of people love it!

Today we're gonna tackle the origins of the McRib and try to figure out why McDonald's refuses to make it available at a consistent time every year. Is this just great marketing, or is there something more going on behind the scenes?
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[modernbusinesschannel]

What are your thoughts on the McRib? -Nate

[KrytechDERAusbilder]

The moment when you realize how priviliged you are by living in Germany where it is a default menu item for over 20 years

[MrTaylork]

My Dad goes into food plants all the time for his work. He went to a pork plant and the McRib came up. They told him that it takes most of the year to build up enough inventory of pork for when the McRib comes out and then McDonalds comes in and wipes out their inventory.

[starpartyguy]

I used to visit McDonald’s 2x a week. As the prices rose, I realized going to my local diner was almost the same price, the food was a bit healthier, the menu is bigger, and I got served.

[fleendarthemagnificent]

"Restructured pork"... As a fomer meat cutter who worked in this industry for 24 years, the term "restructured" means emulsified. Little bits of every part of the pig are ground and mixed with water into an extremely smooth paste. It is seasoned and then injected into the rib shaped mold, formed, cooked and then flash frozen. The same thing goes for boneless hams. Ever wonder why when you have a boneless ham sliced you sometimes see air bubbles? Pure muscle meat doesn't have air bubbles. Boneless hams are made the same way. Ham ground up into a paste, water and seasonings added, the paste is injected into those football shaped ham molds and then cooked. That's what it is and how its made.

[sauce]

Your point on the last theory is proven here in Germany, where the McRib is available year round because pork prices are generally low since it’s so widespread in german cuisine.

[Gregg]

General Mills has the same issue with their "monster cereals" (Count Chocula, Frankenberry, etc.). They realized that they could make just as much money by selling these Halloween cereals as seasonal items for just 2 months out of the year as they could selling them year-round. As seasonal items, they get premium shelf space, more focused advertising, and elevated customer excitement. McDonalds has the same result with the McRib (although I also think the pork price thing is part of it as well).

[K-----]

I have always heard the reasoning being pork prices. Which I can totally see as being a driving and very logical reason.

[icegiant]

I think the Simpson's nailed this subject with their version called the RibWich. As Krusty said, the animal we made it from, there aren't anymore of. Cows? No, think smaller, more legs. LOL.

[evolvingben]

I think you pretty much nailed it. The only other thing that comes to mind is the psychological phenomenon where inconsistent rewards leads to greater addictiveness. Like slot machines or scrolling on a social media feed. If consumers knew exactly when to expect the McRib every year, it wouldn’t be as exciting and hook them as well. Also the idea of “this may be the last time the McRib comes around” also contributes to the need to get it while you can.

[braddeicide]

I was always confused as a kid how the heck you could eat a burger full of bones.

[k.]

I heard it wasn't because of the pork prices directly but rather the supply of pork. I don't know if it's true but basically what I read was that McDonald's can only offer the McRib if there's a pork surplus because they need so much of it to be able to offer it nationwide. Like a big part of how McDonald's determines its menu is by availability of items because it has to be at EVERY McDonald's if they decide to put it on the menu they're really limited by things that they can get in huge quantities.

[lilyayora]

I love that the type of patty the MCrib has is literally a snack we have here called "mexicano", which you can buy in every supermarket and every fast food joint.

[phrygianphreak]

I used to work at McDonald’s and I HATED McRib season. Most of us did. Ppl lost they minds over it, and between the sauce getting on EVERYTHING and the smell that could only be described as edible chemicals, we all just wanted to call in for the month

[njzeigler]

The McRib oddly enough is based on the chopped formed rib patty originally formulated for military dining facilities and hot field chow they still served today, albiet with a different bbq sauce and on rice not a bun.
The ribs are packed and served from what is known as a "Squad Tray" they are also available in this form in the freezer section of many US grocery stores, sold under the On-Cor brand.

[PillowyMound]

Like other commenters already said, it's a permanent menu item here in Germany. Pork being way cheaper than beef over here might be a factor.
I have it a few times a year, definitely less than 4 or 5 mcribs a year and honestly when I have it, it slaps. It's tender and the bbq sauce adds the needed sweetness to the savory pork patty.
It is just such a mess to eat and I think I would grow tired of it really fast, it tastes good because I rarely have it I guess. That fact combined with it being up there with the most expensive burger on the menu keeps me from enjoying it more often when I can get better burgers for the same price.

[rucussing]

I like the frog leg sandwich. The McRibbit! The bunny sandwich is great too, the McRabbit!

[CrystalMouse]

I find it hilarious that an item from my elementary school lunch from 1994 is now being gobbled up like it's a rare Pokémon card 😂

[Camelotsmoon]

I remember when the mcrib was supposed to be a permanent menu item in the past 5-7 years, and then no one bought it. Mcrib is just one of those things, sometimes I pass mcdonalds and I'm like "Oh, mcrib is back... Maybe I am still alive and not in a coma in some hospital somewhere, unconscious.". It's just something that happens, I don't mind it disappearing and reappearing.

[perceivedvelocity]

I've had one McRib. I didn't love it. IMO it was ok at best. The Shamrock shake on the other hand is something that I look forward to every year.