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Description
McRib is a barbecue-flavored pork sandwich periodically sold by the international fast food restaurant chain McDonald's. It was first introduced to the McDonald's menu in 1981, following test marketing the year before.

After poor sales, it was removed from the menu in 1985. McRib was reintroduced in 1989, staying on the menu until 2005 in many countries. From 2006 until 2018, it has generally been made available for a short time each year in most markets where it is sold, typically during the fall season, although is a permanent menu item at McDonald's restaurants in Germany and Luxembourg.

McRib consists of a restructured boneless pork patty shaped like a miniature rack of ribs, barbecue sauce, onions, and pickles served on a 5 1⁄2 inches (14 cm) roll. The process of restructuring the meat was first developed by the US Army as a means to deliver low cost meat products to troops in the field. This process was further refined by a Natick Center contractor and meat scientist, Dr. Roger Mandigo, leading to the McRib patty as we know it today. Despite its name, it is primarily composed of pork shoulder meat, according to McDonald's.
McRib Jr. was available briefly in 2000. This version replaced the roll with a standard hamburger bun, and was served with two pickles and a smaller pork patty.
Speculation on the limited availability of the McRib includes theories concerning the fluctuating price and unreliable supply chains of bulk pork, manipulation of availability windows to turn the product into a better loss leader for the company, and the generation of renewed enthusiasm and higher sales as a result of scarcity.

An informal study from 2011 entitled "A Conspiracy of Hogs: The McRib as Arbitrage" illustrates a correlation between the price of pork and the timing of McDonald's offering the sandwich; all five of the US McRib offerings between 2005 and 2011 occurred during low points in the price of bulk pork.

The official explanation from the McDonald's website concerning the sandwich's limited availability is: "We like to change up our menu throughout the year by offering some limited time only items, like our Shamrock Shake in the Spring. The timing of the McRib's return can vary from year to year, but most recently, it's made its appearance in the Fall."

Description
McRib is a barbecue-flavored pork sandwich periodically sold by the international fast food restaurant chain McDonald's. It was first introduced to the McDonald's menu in 1981, following test marketing the year before.

After poor sales, it was removed from the menu in 1985. McRib was reintroduced in 1989, staying on the menu until 2005 in many countries. From 2006 until 2018, it has generally been made available for a short time each year in most markets where it is sold, typically during the fall season, although is a permanent menu item at McDonald's restaurants in Germany and Luxembourg.

McRib consists of a restructured boneless pork patty shaped like a miniature rack of ribs, barbecue sauce, onions, and pickles served on a 5 1⁄2 inches (14 cm) roll. The process of restructuring the meat was first developed by the US Army as a means to deliver low cost meat products to troops in the field. This process was further refined by a Natick Center contractor and meat scientist, Dr. Roger Mandigo, leading to the McRib patty as we know it today. Despite its name, it is primarily composed of pork shoulder meat, according to McDonald's.
McRib Jr. was available briefly in 2000. This version replaced the roll with a standard hamburger bun, and was served with two pickles and a smaller pork patty.
Speculation on the limited availability of the McRib includes theories concerning the fluctuating price and unreliable supply chains of bulk pork, manipulation of availability windows to turn the product into a better loss leader for the company, and the generation of renewed enthusiasm and higher sales as a result of scarcity.

An informal study from 2011 entitled "A Conspiracy of Hogs: The McRib as Arbitrage" illustrates a correlation between the price of pork and the timing of McDonald's offering the sandwich; all five of the US McRib offerings between 2005 and 2011 occurred during low points in the price of bulk pork.

The official explanation from the McDonald's website concerning the sandwich's limited availability is: "We like to change up our menu throughout the year by offering some limited time only items, like our Shamrock Shake in the Spring. The timing of the McRib's return can vary from year to year, but most recently, it's made its appearance in the Fall."