The McRib Is Back: Rob Has the Final Word

After first being introduced forty years ago amidst amazing hoopla, the McDonald’s McRib sandwich is back for one of its periodic rollouts as they continue the cliched strategy of limited availability.

Still the endless images on TV eventually piqued my curiosity.

Now normally the only reason I ever go to Mickey D’s is for a Sausage and Egg McMuffin and coffee. I’ve managed to avoid their other innovations — OK, I have tasted the Chicken McNuggets once. But solely in the interest of my professional calling I finally broke down and tried the McRib.

Here’ my take.

Actually, at first blush it wasn’t bad in a generic kind of way. But I just couldn’t get past the images of all those plump pork ribs coated in BBQ sauce on a beautiful bun. Truth be told it wasn’t rib meat at all as far as I could tell – maybe pork shoulder or whatever, but it did not really deliver on what McDonald’s pretentiously calls the “most important sandwich of the year.”

Of course, you add the obligatory onions and pickles coated in a comfy sauce, and the roll was indeed fresh with a nice texture. But imagine the flavor of a pork version of Chicken McNuggets compressed into a patty. It’s safe and vaguely familiar but it disappoints in a predictable kind of way.

But they’ll probably still sell the hell out of it.