The McRib is back. Again. And at this point, McDonald’s should just stop pretending that it’s ever going away for good.
As Delish reports, on October 27, McDonald’s brought back its beloved (and equally controversial) McRib sandwich for a limited time. But before you head to your nearest Golden Arches, there’s a catch: The sandwich won’t be returning nationwide.
According to McDonald’s, the McRib will be available at select restaurants in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Dallas, with additional locations potentially joining the lineup. Customers can check the McDonald’s app to see whether their local restaurant is participating.
For anyone unfamiliar with the sandwich that’s managed to inspire this much devotion, the McRib features a seasoned, boneless pork patty shaped to resemble a rack of ribs, covered in tangy barbecue sauce and topped with slivered onions and dill pickles on a toasted bun. It’s sweet, savory, and saucy, and it’s become one of the chain’s most recognizable limited-time offerings since its 1981 debut.
Of course, we need to talk about the McRib’s rather interesting relationship with retirement. Back in 2022, McDonald’s announced that the sandwich was embarking on a “Farewell Tour,” giving customers what the chain suggested could be their last chance to order one. There was even commemorative merchandise to mark the occasion. Except the goodbye didn’t exactly stick.
The McRib returned to select restaurants in 2023, made another appearance in 2024, and came back yet again in 2025. Now, with its fourth consecutive post-announcement appearance approaching, it’s pretty obvious that McDonald’s and the McRib have very different definitions of the word farewell.
Unsurprisingly, fans are already having some strong reactions to the latest return. “I need this more than I need air,” one Instagram commenter wrote. One person who had never tried the sandwich seemed genuinely curious about the hype, asking, “I’ve never had it but I know people go crazy for it. Is it THAT good?” Another commenter responded to someone asking about the sandwich’s taste with, “Absolutely Delicious 🤤 IMO 🔥🔥🔥.”
And naturally, the sandwich’s repeated returns haven’t gone unnoticed. One commenter questioned what happened to the supposedly final McRib comeback from a few years ago, pointing out the rather obvious contradiction. Still, love it or hate it, the McRib clearly knows how to get people talking. Between its devoted fans, its critics, and its apparent inability to stay retired, few fast-food sandwiches have managed to turn their return into this much of an event.
McDonald’s hasn’t announced how long the McRib will stick around this time, so if you’re hoping to grab one, check your local restaurant’s availability. And maybe don’t take the next farewell tour too seriously.
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Photo Credit: Robson90 / Shutterstock.com
