Here we go again. Fast Food fans are suing a restaurant for ‘false and misleading advertising’. This time, it’s McDonald’s, again. And to the surprise of many other fans, these plaintiffs have found fault with legendary cult fave McRib…
A little history…
Remember, many moons ago, when a woman sued McDonald’s for serving its coffee ‘dangerously’ hot? She pulled away from a Drive-Thru and the cup tipped into her lap, causing some admittedly serious burns… And that was the start of a nasty tradition.
A legacy of greed?
Since then, other customers have sued McD’s – and several other Fast Food purveyors – over alle-gations of false and ‘deceptive’ marketing. IMHO, many of the suit bringers are simply greedy types trying to extract cash from the big brands. Any lawsuit, no matter how lame, could hurt the brand’s image and scare customers away.
Today’s example is almost certainly a case of someone looking for a quick buck…
When is a Rib NOT a Rib?
The suit, filed just before Christmas, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by Peter Le, Charles Lynch, Dorien Baker, and Derrick Wilson, is based on their contention that the McRib contains no actual rib meat.
They claim the patty’s shape, mimicking a miniature rack of ribs, could, “lead a reasonable consumer to believe the sandwich includes real rib meat when there is none.”
What is it, then?
“According to the complaint, the McRib is actually made from ‘restructured pork’, which combines cuts such as shoulder, heart, tripe, and scalded stomach, none of which qualify as rib meat,” A recent story in The Independent reports.
On the other hand, McDonald’s insists, in a corporate statement, that, “Our fan-favorite McRib sandwich is made with 100 percent pork sourced from farmers and suppliers across the U.S. We’ve always been transparent about our ingredients so guests can make the right choice for them.”
Furthermore, The Independent asserts that, “In 2014, McDonald’s hired former “MythBusters” host Grant Imahara to tour a processing facility and debunk rumors about the McRib, showing that the patty is made from ground pork, water, salt, dextrose, and preservatives, not plastic or organ meats.” At least, it was back then. But that’s beside the point.
Last word?
McDonald’s own, official website‘s description of its McRib states: “The McRib starts with seasoned boneless pork dipped in a tangy BBQ sauce, topped with slivered onions and tangy pickles, all served on a toasted homestyle bun. When everything combines, you have BBQ pork sandwich perfection.”
My take
From where I’m sitting, it doesn’t appear that McDonald’s is hiding anything about is McRib. I see no deliberate effort to mislead or deceive diners. Though there is that loose end involving the alleged offal cuts…
Whatever else they say, nobody is disputing the claim that the McRib is apparently ‘all pork’…
~ Maggie J.