"Hey, who wants bones in a sandwich?" — Voice-over guy
Article by: Larry Oji (Liontamer)
Pictured from: McDonald's
Created by: McDonald's
First appearance: 1982
Bio
A hallmark of portable food innovation, McDonald's boneless rib sandwich, the McRib, was conceptualized by the company's first executive chef Rene Arend. Arend's choices of shaping the pork patty into a slab of ribs and forgoing the typical fast food sandwich's traditional circular shape were both crucial, critical components of the McRib's groundbreaking culinary presentation.
Due to the close-mindedness of strangely xenophobic customers, the sandwich was initially and shockingly discontinued in 1985, seemingly the first member of a scrap heap that would include future menu items such as the McD.L.T., the McPizza, and the McLean Deluxe. However, after numerous infrequent resurrections (each more popular than the last), the McRib now enjoys a hotly anticipated return toward the end of each year from stalwart meat space enthusiasts.
In the video game realm, the sandwich is also a mysteriously rare power-up hidden (yet unlockable through Game Genie or Pro Action Replay) in every licensed McDonald's video game of the 8- and 16-bit eras, from the Japan-exclusive Donald Land all the way to McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure.
Parodied by inferior imitators such as Burger King's Rib Sandwich and Krusty Burger's Ribwich, the McRib stands alone in its slathery-lathery-hickory-BBQ-sauce-pickle-and-onion deliciousness. Often imitated, never duplicated, McRib is back!
Fun Fact: The McRib has inspired countless instances of revelry and bacchanalia, including professional artwork as well as the most popular forum thread in OC ReMix history, "Celebrate the McRib".
Selected game appearances
NES
- Donald Land (1988)
- M.C. Kids (1990)
Genesis
- Global Gladiators (1993)
- McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure (1993)
References
- Wikipedia - "McRib"
- McDonald's - "101 Reasons to Eat a McRib"
- McRib Locator
- The Colbert Report - "The McRib Is Back"
