McDonald's Facing McRib Lawsuit: Why Some Customers Aren't Lovin' It

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Some customers are bringing their beef to the forefront.

McDonald’s has found itself in a bit of a pickle after a class action complaint was filed alleging the already polarizing McRib sandwich is, well, ribless. 

The complaint, obtained by E! News, points to the McRib’s history at McDonald’s, where the sandwich has made its way on and off the menu for decades, with fans both decrying and lauding its seemingly inevitable returns.

“McDonald’s has cultivated a sense of anticipation around the McRib, leveraging its scarcity to drive sales across its many locations,” the complaint reads. “Fans eagerly await each return, trusting that the sandwich they’re biting into is exactly what the name implies: a sandwich crafted using pork ‘rib’ meat.”

The reality, the complaint alleges, might make some fans go hog wild. 

“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 filing claims, instead alleging the rectangular sandwich is composed of “ground-up portions of lower-grade pork products such as, [among other things], pork shoulder, heart, tripe, and scalded stomach.”

In fact, as this filing implies, the McRib contains just about everything but the kitchen sink, if the sink in question were actual meat from the ribs of pigs. 

As for McDonald’s, the fast food chain fired back at the allegations, claiming the plaintiffs are crying pig—er, wolf—and filed to have the case dismissed.

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U.S. District Judge April Perry, however, remained unmoved, dashing McDonald’s hopes of having the entire case thrown out.

In her opinion obtained by E! News, Perry wrote, “The Court is not persuaded by Defendant’s many arguments that it would be unreasonable or fanciful to think the McRib contains rib meat.”

She also took issue with McDonald’s argument that the exact makeup of the McRib has been made available to the public due to the years in which the sandwich has been the subject of reporting. 

“Consumers are not required to consult publicly-available sources before making purchases,” the filing read, “and the reasonable consumer does not necessarily do research before buying a $7 fast food item.”

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She did note, however, further proof would be needed to prove intent to defraud when it comes to the McRib’s rib-like shape. 

Meanwhile, McDonald’s is maintaining its hands are clean. 

In a statement, per NBC News, the chain insisted the McRib doesn’t include heart, tripe or stomach, emphasizing the chain has long been transparent when it comes to its ingredients.

“This lawsuit,” McDonald’s claims, “distorts the facts and the claims are meritless.”

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