Why McDonald’s is bringing back its McRib for the umpteenth time

“While it won’t be available nationwide, some lucky fans may find their favorite elusive saucy sandwich at their local McDonald’s restaurants this November,” McDonald’s said in a statement to MarketWatch on Wednesday.

Not that the news should come as a complete surprise. McDonald’s has always employed a scarcity tactic in marketing the McRib. That is, the key to the sandwich’s appeal has been that it’s never around for long, leaving fans (including Homer Simpson) to devour it while they can.

As Restaurant Business, a trade publication, observed last year: “If consumers think there is a shortage of a product, or that it won’t be around for long, they will rush out to get it. Think of the Great Toilet Paper Shortage in 2020 and how many people rushed out to get some the moment they thought they might run out.”

The publication quoted McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski about this approach, particularly in relation to the “farewell tour”: “The McRib is the GOAT of sandwiches on our menu. And so like the GOATs Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, and others, you’re never sure if they’re fully retired or not.”

By all accounts, the strategy has worked: A Wall Street Journal story once noted that McDonald’s sold more than 60 million of the sandwiches over a three-year period — in spite of the fact (or maybe because of the fact) it’s available in such limited fashion.

Further proof of the McRib’s success: It has spawned some competition. In 2021, Arby’s released a Country Style Pork Rib sandwich as a limited-time fall offering — and took cheeky aim at McDonald’s in its marketing, referring to the McRib as a “rib-shaped sandwich” (there’s some truth to that — the McRib features a boneless pork patty with no actual ribs).

Naturally, the McRib’s return has sparked plenty of reaction on social media. One commenter on X (formerly Twitter) referred to the fact the sandwich seemingly has nine lives. Another said that McDonald’s retracting of its “farewell tour” announcement has left them having “trust issues.”