McDonald’s says class action McRib lawsuit ‘distorts the facts’
McDonald’s has pushed back against claims in a class action lawsuit that the company misled customers by advertising the McRib as a rib meat sandwich when its patty allegedly comes from other pork cuts.
The fast-food chain says the McRib is made of seasoned, boneless pork, dipped into tangy BBQ sauce, topped with slivered onions and tangy pickles, and served on a toasted homestyle bun.
But lawyers argue that a “McRib” isn’t an accurate representation of what’s actually in the sandwich, according to a lawsuit filed on behalf of four plaintiffs on Dec. 23 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
“Despite its name and distinctive shape—its meat patty has been deliberately crafted to resemble a rack of pork ribs—the McRib does not contain any actual pork rib meat at all,” the lawyers wrote in the lawsuit, obtained by USA TODAY.
The lawsuit alleges that the company has used ground-up portions of “lower-grade pork products such as … pork shoulder, heart, tripe, and scalded stomach” to make the meat patty, a claim McDonald’s denies.
“It is precisely these misleading attributes that drive sales of the sandwich, which is why McDonald’s continues to bring it back time after time,” the lawsuit read.
McDonald’s USA said in a statement to USA TODAY on Jan. 5 that the lawsuit “distorts the facts and many of the claims are inaccurate.”
McRib is made with 100% pork sourced from U.S. farmers, McDonalds says
McDonald’s first started selling the McRib in 1981, but pulled it from the menu in 1985 due to poor sales. It made a return from 1989 to 2004 and then went on a “farewell tour from 2005 to 2007, only to be brought back in 2020 and then another comeback in 2024-2025 with regional limited-time returns in major U.S. cities.
McDonald’s often announces the sandwich’s return with a catchy slogan: McRib is back. The sandwich typically costs between $3.99 and $7.99, according to fan website mcriblocator.com.
McDonald’s USA said in a statement to USA Today on Monday that the company values food quality and safety.
“We’re committed to using real, quality ingredients across our entire menu,” McDonald’s USA wrote. “Our fan-favorite McRib sandwich is made with 100% 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 company said customers can always find out what’s in their food via the McDonald’s website, in the McDonald’s app, or at the company’s kiosks inside the restaurants.
According to the lawsuit, pork rib meat comes from the muscle and fat on a pig’s rib cage, usually resulting in spare ribs or baby back ribs, both considered premium cuts of pork. The lawyers claim that by calling its sandwich a McRib, McDonald’s has misled customers.
Surveys found that people care what kind of meat is in their McRib sandwich, lawyers say
The lawsuit said plaintiffs conducted two consumer surveys where consumers looked at real McRib advertisements and listed the types of meat they expected to find in the McRib.
Among the options were rib meat, pork, beef, chicken, no meat, and not sure, the lawyers wrote in the lawsuit. Of 215 respondents, 72% said they expected the McRib to include rib meat.
During a second survey, 174 respondents looked at images of the McRib and answered the question “How important is it to you personally that the McRib is made from rib meat when deciding whether or not to purchase it?”
Of the respondents, 67% said the McRib containing rib meat was either “important” or “very important” in deciding whether they’d buy the sandwich.
The lawyers have pushed for class members to receive damages, attorneys’ fees, and interest.
The lawyers have also asked the courts to order McDonald’s “to desist from further deceptive naming, marketing and advertising practices with respect to the McRib.”
This article originally appeared on USA Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect