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Over the years, the internet has sparked countless trends with origins that are almost as mysterious as their popularity, whether we’re talking about planking, the Scary Clown Panic of 2016, or bros forcing other bros to get down on one knee and pound a Smirnoff Ice.
A lot of these phenomena come off as fairly pointless; things that people simply do for the sake of doing because they don’t want to get left off of the bandwagon. However, there are a few that can trace their origins back to people who dreamed them up to raise awareness for a good cause—like the Ice Bucket Challenge, which generated over $200 million for ALS research that helped scientists recently develop a treatment they believe is capable of slowing down the progression of the disease.
Plenty of people have used the pandemic as an excuse to grow out a Quarantine Beard they normally wouldn’t be able to get away with prior to 2020 until November rolled around thanks to both “No-Shave November” and “Movember,” which have collectively helped generate over $100 million for charity with a special focus on men’s health.
The month has usually been a glorious 31-day stretch where you could finally grow out a lumberjack beard or rock a handlebar mustache while using the fact that it’s for a good cause to shame anyone who judges you for doing so. With that said, most people traditionally bid adieu to their facial hair by the time December rolls around, and while it can be tough to say goodbye, McDonald’s is doing what it can to ease the pain this year by giving away free McRibs to 10,000 clean-shaven customers on December 2nd, which also marks the grand return of the hallowed sandwich.
k giving them away only IF you shave bc beards + McRib sauce don’t mix. post ur clean-shaven selfie on ur public profile with #shave4mcribsweepstakes and @mcdonalds.
First 10,000 could get a free McRib via @ubereats.
ends 12/2. 50 US/DC 18+. rules at https://t.co/nsblLbdMHw https://t.co/RlrQ4My1Tx— McDonald's (@McDonalds) November 30, 2020
While the giveaway is targeted at people who’ve taken a razor to their face after neglecting it for a month, you didn’t technically have to participate in either of the aforementioned movements, as anyone who uses Twitter or Instagram and follows the instructions listed above is eligible to enter.
Even if you don’t manage to score a free one, you can take solace in knowing the company will donate some of the proceeds from sales of the McRib on Wednesday to the official No-Shave November charity, so if you somehow needed an excuse to celebrate its resurrection in the first place, you have one now.