McDonald’s is facing a lawsuit over the McRib. Plaintiffs claim the sandwich doesn’t actually contain rib meat: ‘Materially misled’

Four customers filed a federal class-action complaint against Chicago-based McDonald’s in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The plaintiffs are Peter Le of Baldwin Park, California; Charles Lynch of Poughkeepsie, New York; Dorien Baker of Chicago; and Darrick Wilson of Washington, D.C. According to CBS News, their lawsuit accused the company of deception tied to the McRib sandwich and called the product’s name a form of false advertising.

The chain sells the McRib only in limited windows and uses ad campaigns to mark each return, most recently starting in November. The complaint said McDonald’s has “cultivated a sense of anticipation around the McRib, leveraging its scarcity to drive sales across its many locations.”

The 520-calorie sandwich is made with five ingredients: seasoned boneless pork dipped in BBQ sauce, sliced onions, and dill pickles in a toasted homestyle bun. McDonald’s says, “When everything combines, you have BBQ pork sandwich perfection.”

Plaintiffs say the McRib name and rib-shaped patty do not match the meat inside

The lawsuit alleged that customers who buy the sandwich assume they are eating pork rib meat, but that the McRib does not contain any. “Despite its name and distinctive shape – its meat patty has been deliberately crafted to resemble a rack of pork ribs – the McRib does not contain any actual pork rib meat at all,” the lawsuit said. “Instead, its meat patty is reconstructed using ground-up portions of lower-grade pork products such as, inter alia, pork shoulder, heart, tripe, and scalded stomach.”

Spareribs and baby back ribs are premium pork cuts and are more valuable than lower-quality cuts, the complaint stated. The lawsuit said the McRib is still among the most expensive single-item options on the McDonald’s menu, even though it contains no rib meat.

“The name ‘McRib’ is a deliberate sleight of hand. By including the word “Rib” in the name of the sandwich, McDonald’s knowingly markets the sandwich in a way that deceives reasonable consumers, who reasonably (but mistakenly) believe that a product named the ‘McRib’ will include at least some meaningful quantity of actual pork rib meat, which commands a premium price on the market,” the lawsuit said.

McDonald’s has faced other food-related scrutiny, as a child recently bit into a chicken nugget and found something wedged inside. “McDonald’s does this despite knowing that the sandwich in fact does not contain any meaningful quantity of actual pork rib meat – indeed, none at all.”

The complaint said buyers are led to think they are eating rib meat when they order a McRib, but are instead eating “a lower-quality restructured meat product that did not contain any actual pork rib meat.” The lawsuit alleges McDonald’s misled buyers about the McRib’s contents, a type of complaint that has surfaced with other fast-food orders, such as when a New York woman claimed her Big Mac order was missing both onions and meat.

“Put simply: consumers have been materially misled en masse as a result of McDonald’s deceptive labeling and marketing into purchasing sandwiches that they would not otherwise have purchased, or would only have paid less for, had they known the truth,” the lawsuit said.

The plaintiffs alleged that McDonald’s knows or should know that customers are being misled by the name “McRib” and by the patty’s shape, which resembles a pork rib. The lawsuit alleged fraudulent omission or concealment, fraudulent misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation, and other counts.

It asked the court for an order “enjoining McDonald’s to desist from further deceptive naming, marketing and advertising practices with respect to the McRib and such other injunctive relief that the Court deems just and proper,” along with damages for the plaintiffs.

McDonald’s USA responded in a statement. “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. Our fan-favorite McRib sandwich is made with 100% 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.”

The company added that it does not use pork hearts, tripe, or scalded stomach in the McRib patty and that those items are not allowed in any of its pork products. McDonald’s said the McRib is made with 100% seasoned boneless pork. The sandwich first appeared on menus in Kansas City in 1981, was pulled four years later, later became a cult favorite, and moved from regional sales to all U.S. restaurants in 2020.