Last month, the McRib made a return. While fans rejoiced, others weren’t too thrilled.
If you’re not a die-hard McDonald’s fan, you might not even know what the McRib is. That’s because the item only comes on the menu every once in a while—meaning that those who love the dish frequently find themselves waiting months or even years until they can order it again.
Why does McDonald’s not keep this item as a permanent fixture? Some speculate that it has to do with the fluctuating price of pork. Others say that the item is simply never really that popular.
Still, the item’s recent return to limited locations has led some to question how the item is made in the first place. Now, a video has emerged showing exactly that—and some users aren’t thrilled.
How Is The McRib Made?
In a video with over 6.1 million views, TikTok user Antonio Bell (@datboi_bell) shows a POV of a McDonald’s kitchen.
To make the sandwich, he grabs several frozen “rib patties” out of the freezer. From there, he puts them on the grill and compresses them down. The cooked meat is then stacked in a plastic container.
Following that, a vat of barbecue sauce is placed in the microwave. Once it’s done, the TikToker removes one of the meat pieces, then dunks it into the sauce. The sauced patties are then placed into another plastic tray.
Finally, the plastic tray is shoved into a warming rack, where employees can then use the cooked and soaked meat on buns, adding onions and pickles.
“Idk how you guys like these,” Bell writes in a comment.
Commenters Aren’t Happy
Under the video, users were quick to express their disgust with the process of assembling the McRib, especially in the manner shown by Bell.
“The smell of the sauce coming out the microwave is genuinely rancid,” said a user. “Idk how people eat it.”
“Yall ever heard of wiping something down or cleaning that sauce container,” added another.
“Got a mcrib last year for the first time just to try it, ended up with food poisoning,” recalled a third.
But is this sort of preparation typical for McDonald’s?
A Look Into The McDonald’s Kitchen
While users might not like seeing how the proverbial sausage is made, many commenters with McDonald’s experience claimed that this kitchen was not especially dirty.
They might not be wrong. Although some aspects of the kitchen appear unkempt, constant cleaning and nationally dictated standards mean that many fast-food chains are surprisingly spic and span.
In fact, one 2018 study found that fast-food restaurants were occasionally found to be cleaner than some five-star restaurants.
This doesn’t mean that the food they serve is particularly healthy. According to the McDonald’s website, the 520-calorie McRib sandwich has 13 grams of sugar and almost half of one’s daily recommended intake of saturated fat.
Do People Really Like The McRib?
Fans of the sandwich are vocal. As noted by the Wall Street Journal, the McRib once had such a dedicated fanbase that sites popped up tracking locations where the sandwich was available.
Historically, the McRib only came back occasionally for local promotions. This has changed in recent years, with McDonald’s relaunching the item in 2020 and 2022 for a name-no-longer-applicable “farewell tour.” Since then, it’s been available for limited times in select locations.
While some commenters under Bell’s video may have been discouraged from purchasing the snack after seeing its assembly, others are more excited than ever to gulp it down.
“‘WhOS eATiNG thEsE?’ Me, give me 3 and a Powerade,” declared a commenter.
“McRib is leather cardboard. That’s why I’m going back tonight,” shared a second.
BroBible reached out to McDonald’s via email and Bell via TikTok and Instagram direct message.