45 years ago McDonald’s debuted its popular McRib. Now, it’s back again after countless rereleases.

After McNuggets were introduced in 1979, franchisees couldn’t get enough of them and demanded another hot product to sell.

A nationwide chicken shortage left some franchises without McNuggets, so McDonald’s chef René Arend created a fast, affordable alternative.

The design for the McRib used new technology to create a “restructured meat product” developed by Richard Mandigo at the University of Nebraska, NPR reported.

Arend designed the McRib’s shape to “look like a slab of ribs,” and while the product is made with pork, it doesn’t include any actual rib bones.

Made with boneless pork, barbecue sauce, onions, and pickles, the menu item sparked early interest from customers nationwide.

However, while customers showed up to try the McRib for the first time, not many returned for repeat visits, and it disappeared from menus in 1985.

That same year, McDonald’s introduced a mini version of the sandwich, the McRib Jr.

The McRib found success as a limited-time offer. In 2007, McDonald’s sold 30 million sandwiches, Maxim reported.

In 2008, devoted McRib fan Aaron Klein started the McRib Location website that used crowdsourced tips to help people find the sandwich at select locations nationwide.

“The McRib has been a beloved menu item at McDonald’s since its inception nearly 40 years ago,” Linda VanGosen, McDonald’s vice president of menu innovation, said in a statement at the time.

“There’s nothing quite like the taste of the McRib. To our customers, it’s become more than a delicious, saucy moment … it’s a season, and it’s taking the internet by storm. That’s why this year we’re proud to serve the McRib nationwide for everyone to enjoy.”

The launch proved successful and boosted sales that were declining amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Restaurant Business reported.

During the pandemic, chains including Burger King and KFC turned to nostalgia, offering customers familiar comforts during an uncertain time.

However, despite the hype, we were a bit underwhelmed.

The rectangular pork patty reminded us of the sausage McDonald’s uses on its breakfast sandwiches, while the pickles and onions tasted crisp and fresh.

We enjoyed the toppings, but the sandwich was missing the barbecue flavor we expected — likely because it arrived with barely any sauce, unlike the much saucier McRibs seen online. This could’ve been a restaurant-specific error at the time, but we haven’t been back to reorder it since.

But yet again, the sendoff didn’t stick.

The McRib returned to menus in 2023, 2024, and 2025, continuing the long-running cycle of limited-time disappearances and comebacks.

However, unlike previous years, the McRib was only available in select cities in 2025.

After years of dramatic goodbyes and limited-time returns, McDonald’s brought the polarizing pork sandwich back once again in 2026.

Starting on October 27 at select locations in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Dallas, fans can purchase a McRib for a limited time, the company told USA Today. Customers in other cities are encouraged to check their McDonald’s app for availability.

Its latest comeback proves the McRib’s strange staying power.

Every time it disappears, fans wonder whether this will finally be the last time — and head to their nearest location to try it for (possibly) the final time.