McDonald’s limited-time menu option, the McRib, is under legal scrutiny due to a lawsuit claiming the sandwich does not contain actual pork rib meat and that the fast-food giant has misled customers.
A federal class action filing in Illinois alleges the McRib is made from “lower-grade pork products such as, inter alia, pork shoulder, heart, tripe, and scalded stomach.”
Plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages in New York, Illinois, California, Washington, DC, and more. They allege that, despite containing lower-quality cuts of meat, McDonald’s is charging a premium price (up to $7.89 before tax) for the dish.
McDonald’s has vigorously denied these claims, stating the sandwich is made from 100% pork sourced from farmers and suppliers across the US and contains none of the parts mentioned in the suit.
McRib has a cult following and is only available through limited-time returns since its 1981 launch.
The legal challenge arrives as the US fast-food industry grapples with a decline in traffic from lower-income customers due to inflation.