McRib back at all locations thru Nov 14

[cardinal_fang]

@Elendil_s_Heir

CNN.com’s Eatocracy on the McRib: http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/10/25/taking-a-ribbing-testing-out-mcdonalds-cult-sandwich/?

@Bosstone

The scarcity contributes to the mythology.

Hmm. At the risk of beating a dead pig, the article links to a piece about Roger Mandingo (and his induction into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame), inventor of the process that allows “restructured meat products” like the McRib to be built.

And to this day, the McRib comes and goes from the McDonald’s menu for reasons that have to do with its intense popularity and a national supply of pork trimmings that’s typically a lot more limited than the supply of beef trimmings.

“If you suddenly start to buy a large amount of that material,” said Mandigo, “the price starts to rise.”

                                            As the cost to McDonald's rises, the McRib tends to go  out of circulation again. And then the same parts of a hog tend to flow back into the processing lines for Spam, Vienna sausages and other specialized products.

So, is there some truth after all to the myth that introducing the McRib drives pork (trimmings) prices to unsustainable levels, resulting in limited time offerings? Perfesser sez yes.