THE McRIB IS BACK! Did you know? I found out this morning. It’s really quite ingenious how McDonald’s has been able to create an insane buzz about a sandwich that failed once upon a time. Now McD’s trots it out once a year for about six weeks in the fall. For 2010, that happened on November 2. And this year McRib’s are available at EVERY McD’s franchise in the USA. That’s a lot of pressed pork product slathered in BBQ Sauce!
Honestly, this is kind of the holy grail of Tasty Lies. I’m excited to get this out at the beginning of it’s run, but first let me say this: Not a McDonald’s fan. I dig Chicken McNuggets and I’ve reviewed the Angus Deluxe Hamburger once upon a time, but the McRib is a rarity and it’s something I always make sure I try once a year. I mean, you gotta’ live right? And I LOVE BBQ Sauce of all kinds. Plus, come on, it’s the McRib. The advertising for it always works on me. Let’s take a look at this beast.
There she is. It’s such a simple sandwich. Pork, BBQ sauce, onions, and pickles on a roll. I think the fact that’s it’s so far off from the normal stuff you find at McDonald’s (Beef, beef everywhere and not a bite that rocks). It’s also the only sandwich they have with a protein essentially dipped in a sauce. To be honest…something about it just looks good. But what’s it really look like?
It looks, more or less, like a sad version of the advertising. Forgive the pictures (My camera phone is losing it’s luster…I might grab another sandwich and retake these with a real camera), but it’s really just a squished and sloppier version of the advertisement. Mine is also without pickles, for the record, as I’m not a pickle fan. The bun, the onions, the meat, and the sauce are all pretty spot on, just not as nice looking. And, again, a LOT messier. There was BBQ sauce all over the inside of the box.
The taste…Well, I’ll be honest: I enjoy the taste of a McRib. However, I think that’s because it’s an annual thing. If the McRib were a regular menu item I certainly would only order it rarely. It’s just a nice ‘treat’ to have once in a while. If I sat around and thought about it, it’s essentially just ground pork and BBQ sauce. It DOES win in the fact that I think it’s the one non-chicken product that McDonald’s doesn’t sprinkle their awful meat seasoning on. That was my one problem with the Angus burger. That taste isn’t present here at all. The meat has little taste, to be honest. The BBQ Sauce and the onions do most of the work in that department. It has SOME taste, but it’s very faint.
The problem with this sandwich is it’s 500 calories. That’s really high. I had the meal with a Diet Coke and medium french fries. As a lunch it was 880 calories. That’s insanity. What’s crazier is that when I ordered the lady asked if I wanted to add a second McRib for a dollar. My mind was blown. The person in front of me at the drive through (by himself in the car) had ordered two with a large french fry. I knew this because his order was still on screen when I pulled forward. That’s a 1500 calorie meal. That’s 75% of the recommended daily diet. For one meal. 71 Grams of fat. That’s ludicrous. Offering a second sandwich for a dollar us irresponsible of McDonald’s.
But for what it is, a once a year deal, the McRib is a tasty treat. Just make sure you tailor the rest of what you eat around it.
Rating: 
This is the face-value special of the McEmpire, after all. It’s worth it to bathe in the largely word-on-the-street and media buzz machinations. I’ll be frank (you can still be Chris): I’ve been looking forward to this since the buzz began to creep on sports radio around Labor Day. Sure, it’s the specialty sandwich equivalent of a hot mess, but what a fine mess it is.
It’s so true. It’s shocking how they turned a bomb into a huge hit just by saying you can’t have it. I look forward to partaking once more before I say farewell for the year.
I too enjoy a good novelty snack…and Wendy’s has a delicious fish sandwich I believe they only offer around Lent. Unless they have changed something..but you literally have to wait for them to cook it as I am sure you can’t just leave fish lying around. But I would wait in lines for that sandwich anytime!
The commercial for this piece of slop is annoying and if I could I would bash my foot through the screen every time it came on!