Mc-What? McDonald’s Sued Over Claims Its McRib Has No Actual Rib Meat

The lawsuit says the fast food chain has misled customers to pay for a false premium meat cut.

Some McDonald’s customers are fed up and alleging that the restaurant chain’s famous McRib has deceitful marketing.

Four disgruntled customers argued that the McRib’s rib-shaped patty is being sold under false pretenses. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois received the 45-page complaint, filed Dec. 23.

According to The Independent, the fast food eatery has dismissed the claim made in a federal class action lawsuit against them. However, an apparent ingredient list for the sandwich argued otherwise, leading to the legal action.

The filing dictates that the “McRib” actually consists of restructured pork. Instead of legally-confirmed rib meat, this pork allegedly comes from the animal’s shoulder, heart, tripe, and scalded stomach.

Since its debut in 1982, the McRib has become a fascination amongst McDonald’s lovers for its limited releases throughout each year. Although considered a more premium menu item, the complaints suggests that McDonald’s deceives buyers through the marketing of the sandwich.

The lawsuit claims McDonald’s is liable for fraud, breach of warranty, contract violations, and violations of state consumer protection laws. The filing aims to represent all U.S. consumers who bought the sandwich in the past four years, in addition to subclasses in California, New York, Illinois, and Washington.

However, McDonald’s has denied the claims about the McRib’s alleged ingredients. A spokesperson told the news outlet that the sandwich meat consists of “100 percent [boneless] pork,” not including any animal organs.

“This lawsuit distorts the facts and many of the claims are inaccurate. Food quality and safety are at the heart of everything we do – that’s why we’re committed to using real, quality ingredients across our entire menu,” the spokesperson said.

The statement continued, “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.”

Despite the company’s rebuttal, the plaintiffs still deem their case as valid, as the marketing and promotion materials do not accurately describe the meat. Furthermore, given its higher price compared to other menu items, the plaintiffs believe that customers should understand that the sandwich does not include a costlier pork cut.

The plaintiffs are seeking damages, restitution, and injunctive relief as they hope a class certification will allow other McRib enthusiasts to join the lawsuit.