The Rise, Fall, and Return of the McRib: The Story Behind McDonald's Iconic Sandwich

The McRib was created by McDonald's executive chef René Arend in 1981 as an alternative product due to a shortage of chickens for McNuggets.

The McRib is made from pork shoulder meat shaped to look like ribs and flavored with barbecue sauce.

The sandwich was an initial success but sales later slumped, leading McDonald's to repeatedly discontinue then bring back the McRib over the years.

The McRib found popularity in some international markets like Germany, helping keep it on the menu.

Food scientist Roger Mandigo developed the restructured meat technology used to bind the pork pieces together for the McRib.