# McRib back at all locations thru Nov 14

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcrib-back-at-all-locations-thru-nov-14/600629>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 24, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcrib-back-at-all-locations-thru-nov-14/600629 "2011-10-24T15:12:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 48

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**Author:** ![cardinal\_fang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal_fang/32/15316_2.png) [@cardinal\_fang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cardinal_fang)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcrib-back-at-all-locations-thru-nov-14/600629/48 "2011-10-26T04:08:16Z")

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> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> [CNN.com](http://CNN.com)’s Eatocracy on the McRib: [http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/10/25/taking-a-ribbing-testing-out-mcdonalds-cult-sandwich/](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](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=584856), the article links to a [piece](http://journalstar.com/news/local/education/article_bd4c13ee-e85c-11df-b271-001cc4c002e0.html) 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.

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