The McDonald's McRib Is Officially Back for a Limited Time — but There's a Catch

Attention McDonald's fans: Your tweets, prayers, and angry letters have been answered. The McRib is officially making a comeback. But, naturally, there is a major catch.

On Wednesday, The Independent reported that the McRib, which was first introduced in the early 1980s, is back on the menu in McDonald's locations across the United Kingdom after being pulled from permanent circulation nearly a decade ago. 

“It is more than just a sandwich; it’s a phenomenon. We have heard our fans loud and clear — the fan petitions and pleas on social — and after almost a decade of anticipation, we are thrilled to bring back this iconic menu item," Thomas O’Neill, the head of menu at McDonald’s U.K., shared in a statement with The Independent. “Knowing how well-loved the McRib is, we had very little choice — we had to make it happen. It was time to step up and satisfy the cravings of McRib enthusiasts across the country.”

But, it will only be available for a limited time, so if you happen to find yourself across the pond, we suggest taking every opportunity to snag one (or three). 

However, there may not be a need to whip your passport for long. While McDonald's wouldn't comment to Food & Wine on a return to the U.S., Joe Erlinger, the president of McDonald's U.S., shared with the Today Show this past June that the infamous sandwich will make a comeback stateside "later this year."

According to a recent report published in Missouri-based Springfield News-Leader, a McDonald's spokesperson told the outlet that the McRib will be returning to McDonald's locations in the "Greater Ozarks area" on Wednesday, November 27. McDonald's corporate, however, has declined to confirm the claim when reached by Food & Wine.

Beyond that, The Topeka Capital-Journal in Kansas — where the McRib was first released — wrote on October 16 that the "iconic menu item is expected to be in Topeka McDonald's restaurants and ready to sell the week of Monday, Nov. 25, The Capital-Journal was told Monday by Patrick Manning, marketing supervisor for Lawrence-based Dobski & Associates."

In case you are somehow very unaware of this food phenomenon, the McRib includes a boneless pork patty (that is still shaped to make it look like there are bones in it, but this way, it stays visually appealing and easy to eat), pickles, onions, and McRib Sauce sandwiched between a homestyle bun. 

If you really want to track one down, you can always use the McRib Locator, which shows you every instance where the sandwich shows up on menus across the globe. According to its most recent update, you can find it in the U.K., Guatemala, and Canada. (And if you happen to see one, make sure to share the intel by reporting a McRib sighting to the website.) 

And, as The Independent noted, you can always find it in German McDonald's restaurants, as the sandwich proved to simply be too popular to ever take off the menu.