Jan

27

I was driving down US 41 and passed by the local McDonalds when I noticed the sign that the McRib is back. That was enough to get me to turn around and pull in. While there are many BBQ snobs out there, myself one of them, I still find the McRib to be delightful. The McRib is a tasty piece of mystery pork, BBQ sauce, onion, served on a hoagie roll. The sandwich is quite delicious served with a correct sauce/meat/bun ratio. The McRib is messy, but not messy enough that you would have to worry about your clothes. Their BBQ sauce is quite tasty, especially for a fast food place, which is proof that McDonalds testing kitchen is doing its job. The main thing about the McRib is that you can be anywhere in the country whether it's in Maine or Alaska, and you can get an instant BBQ fix. The McRib is not very filling, and it takes two to get my fix.The McRib, served with an order of fries (McDonalds fries are the best fast food fries in the universe) is a meal worth stopping by and savoring. While I love my stand alone BBQ places and frequent them often, there will always be a special place in my heart and stomach for a McRib.

Sadly, the McRib is one of those sandwiches that McDonalds brings out only every so often. If the McRib were on the menu all of the time, I'd probably eat at McDonalds a lot more than the couple of times a month I normally go there.


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13 Comments so far

  1. George Parkanyi on January 28, 2009 12:00 am

    I remember those, Jeff, and you're absolutely right. They taste great. We don't have them here at the moment - not that I'd really know; my KIDS have become McDonalds snobs and won't go near the place (though they would eat at Wendy's every night if they could). And I agree on the fries as well - almost. We get some GREAT golden chip-wagon fries here in the summer.

    The other things that work at McDonalds are the Egg McMuffins - a great breakfast deal, and you can't beat the chocolate sundaes for both taste and value. (Take THAT, Warren Buffett) They're what - 89 cents or something ridiculous?

    They haven't supplanted Starbucks however. I tried one of their ballyhooed cappucino's for the first time and decided "No, let's not do that again."

    So…do I get any points for ballyhoo deflation?

    Cheers,
    George

  2. rocky on January 28, 2009 8:34 am

    Jeff:
    I understand that the Boneless Pig Farmers of America are lobbying hard for their piece of the pork from the Obama stimulus package. If they are successful (and based on press reports about other pork barrel projects, they will be), then McRib's may be around for quite a while.

  3. Stephen on January 28, 2009 11:25 am

    Jeff,

    Yes, the McRib is the only food item I really enjoy at McDonalds. The banana (Hawaiian) shake, at Fatburger, is another item I wish was offered more frequently, however it is only available during the summer. One of Fatburger's mottos says it all: "do you really think man clawed his way to the top of the food chain to eat soy?"

  4. Steve Leslie on January 28, 2009 12:37 pm

    I saw a show on McDonalds and how they conduct their research and constantly use focus groups to try products and new ideas. It was on CNBC and was entitled something like, "Inside the Golden Arches."

    I strongly recommend the show for the entrepreneur in all of us.

    Sometimes they pull a product because it has outlived its life expectancy and no longer has its appeal it once did. However, as for french fries, there are no peers. They sell more french fries than any body on the planet. Also their new premium coffee is a big hit. In fact 1/3 of all their sales are for breakfast and I think they sell 5 million cups of coffee a day. Not bad stuff here.

    They have had a few colossal flops do you remember the sandwich where they had the hot hamburger on one side and the cool lettuce tomato and onion on the other.

    However, based on your recommendation, I will invest in a McRib

    BTW I have been eating at Duffy's sports bar and grille out of Miami Florida here in Melbourne and have been overall please with the food the service and the ambiance. Huge sports theme and all-in-all a very positive experience.

    sl.

  5. Matt Johnson on January 28, 2009 2:14 pm

    I laughed out loud when I read this post, very funny. Thank you!

  6. rocky on January 28, 2009 4:07 pm

    Matt:
    I’m glad that at one person was amused.

    In between trades, I wrote about the Boneless American Swine (Sus Domesticus Nobonius) on my website and was inundated with hate mail from the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) people. Hmmm.

  7. Steve Leslie on January 28, 2009 5:35 pm

    I went to my local McDonalds and there was no McRib on the menu. it must have only a limited engagement. I reread this post and did not find anything particularly funny. Did I miss something? sl.

  8. George Parkanyi on January 28, 2009 5:50 pm

    Jeff,

    Don’t answer Stephen until you’ve unloaded your bean position. :)

    Wait a minute - I have a bean position too!

    Stephen, I eat soybeans raw for breakfast, Veggieburgers for lunch, and sushi and soy sauce for dinner (I throw away the fish). In fact I’m going home now and will be making the kids drink two cups of soymilk each. And I might even watch the hockey game, enjoy some pick-up truck commercials, and have a soy-beer or two with chips and tofu dip. REAL men eat soy - and like it.

    I bet your “Fatburger” wouldn’t hold up beside a lipo-suction clinic. :)

    Cheers,
    George

  9. Steph on January 28, 2009 6:03 pm

    Very funny indeed! I ate a McRib exactly once, back in the early 90’s. Then for a long time I refrained from eating pork and beef, mainly due to dietary paranoia.
    Now I eat everything, including amazing bbq pork ribs whenever I can find them, and I cannot fathom sticking a McRib in my mouth and thinking it tastes good. But my non-judgemental self will test this idea before reaching any conclusion sans evidence.

    Thanks for the McReminder!

  10. Rocky Humbert on January 28, 2009 9:42 pm

    sl:

    Go to the Boneless Pig Farmer website: http://www.bonelesspigs.org/bonelesspigs_MMH.swf

    After reading it carefully… if you don't crack a smile, I'll offer you a job as my firm's new Head of Regulatory Compliance.

    Rocky

  11. david higgs on January 30, 2009 2:49 am

    To me this just ain't natural. A boneless rib "McRib" — how they get the rib out? That's kin to putting a square peg into a round hole, it just ain't right. The food at places like McD, well it just ain't food, less you call'n bleached flower, sugar, salt and more sugar and more salt food. Oh it just dawned on me where they but the bone… it's in the hamburger meat, now that's corporate bottom line thinking… McBonus time! Go to a certified butcher shop and get ya a true rack.

  12. jeff watson on January 31, 2009 12:13 am

    David,

    It would be a good idea to revisit what Victor and Laurel wrote about McDonalds back in 2005.

    http://money.msn.com/content/Investing/P134953.asp

    Jeff

  13. Ken Drees on January 31, 2009 3:56 pm

    To each his own, but from my taste memory banks I tried a McRib the first year it came out — 20 plus years ago — and it was disgusting. Maybe they have improved since. I live in an area that does not have too many nearby and/or good BBQ places, so two years ago I started reading everything I could about BBQ. I invested in an offset smoker and now am able to BBQ very good pork, chicken, etc. All natural wood coal, seasoned fruit and hardwoods, homemade sauces, etc. It took a lot of effort, patience and practice but its worth it to do your own BBQ. Start reading the BBQ blogs and you will soon be hooked.

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