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History of the McRib

From WikiPedia:

The McRib is a sandwich periodically sold by the international fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's. It is currently being offered in parts of the United States and Canada until December 5, 2010.

The McRib consists of a formed ground pork patty, barbecue sauce, onions, and pickles served on a 6 inch (15.2 cm) roll. The patty is precooked, frozen and later reheated.

When it was first introduced, packets of a special McRib barbecue sauce called "Blazing Hot Sauce" were available with the sandwich. This sauce was much spicier than the barbecue sauce on the prepared sandwich and was only available for a short time.

The McRib Jr. was available for a short time in the late '90s. This version replaced the sesame seed roll with a standard hamburger bun and was served with a smaller portion of the pork patty. This product was sold at a lower price than the standard McRib.

The sandwich test-marketed very well in Nebraska and other Midwestern markets and was added to the restaurant's permanent menu throughout the United States in 1981. Sales were mediocre, and it was removed in 1985 after several years, only to be brought back as a limited time offering. However the sandwich performed better in Germany, where it remains a permanent item.

In the summer of 1994, McDonald's brought back the McRib as a tie-in with the theatrical release of The Flintstones, comparing the appearance of the McRib with the rack of ribs that topples the Flintmobile in both the animated and live action productions. McDonald's (which was featured in the film as "RocDonald's") supported the return with McRib packaging featuring the Flintstone characters and a television commercial featuring Rosie O'Donnell in her role as Betty Rubble.

On November 1, 2005, McDonald's put out a press release stating that the McRib would be permanently removed from the menu following a "McRib Farewell Tour." This appears to have been a deceptive kickoff to a viral/stealth marketing campaign;[citation needed] mcrib.com, a site registered to McDonald's, featured a petition to "Save the McRib," which was facetiously sponsored by the "Boneless Pig Farmers Association of America." So in a two-angled campaign, McDonald's was simultaneously conducting a McRib farewell tour and sponsoring a petition to "Save the McRib" to create buzz. On October 16, 2006, the "McRib Farewell Tour II" site appeared, confirming the campaign was a marketing ploy. The petition to "Save the McRib" still existed as well as the "BPFAA" site.

McDonald's brought the McRib back in the United States once again in October 2007, beginning the third farewell tour. It was reintroduced for a fourth time in late October 2008, across the United States, Hong Kong and Japan, with a promotional website featuring music sponsored by a "McRib DJ Plowman" which was a tribute to the creator of the sandwich.



Other McWeb Resources for the McRib!!

McRib Locator

McRib - Sandwich of Kings

McRib on the FaceBook

McRib on the Wikipedia


McRib Photo Gallery!!