Plaintiffs claim the beloved McRib is a big McFib.
McDonald’s, purveyor of America’s favorite rack-of-ribs-shaped sandwich, has been hit with a federal class-action suit accusing the chain of misleading millions of customers by falsely marketing its McRib as containing real pork rib meat.
At the heart of the complaint, filed Dec. 23 in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, is the name and presentation of the product, which plaintiffs argue would lead a reasonable consumer to believe it contains actual rib meat when in fact it does not.
The primary ingredient of the sandwich, which has found a cult following thanks in part to its on-again, off-again status on McDonald’s menu, is restructured pork composed of parts like shoulder, heart, tripe and scalded stomach.
Included among the suit’s 16 legal claims are allegations of fraud, breach of warranty, contract violations and violations of state consumer protection laws. It also alleges the McRib’s fleeting inclusion on the fast-food giant’s menu dissuades customers from scrutinizing its ingredients.
Plaintiffs Peter Le, Charles Lynch, Dorien Baker and Derrick Wilson are seeking federal class certification on behalf of millions of McRib purchasers over the last four years, as well as subclass certifications in California, New York, Illinois and Washington, DC.
A McDonald’s spokesperson told The Independent that the McRib doesn’t use hearts, tripe or scalded stomach — and that its only ingredients are 100 percent boneless pork, barbecue sauce, onions and pickles.
“This lawsuit distorts the facts and many of the claims are inaccurate. Food quality and safety are at the heart of everything we do – that’s why we’re committed to using real, quality ingredients across our entire menu,” the spokesperson said.
“Our fan-favorite McRib sandwich is made with 100 percent pork sourced from farmers and suppliers across the U.S. We’ve always been transparent about our ingredients so guests can make the right choice for them.”
The McRib made its world debut in 1982, and has sporadically appeared on McDonald’s menu ever since. The boneless sandwich is formed via a special press into the shape of a rack of ribs, complete with distinct ridges made to resemble bones.
The ephemeral sandwich has a global following of devotees, who closely track its return to the McDonald’s menu via a dedicated McRib Locator website.
