2707200X From United States of America, joined Mar 2009, 6945 posts, RR: 1 Posted (1 year 7 months 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 3271 times:
Yup, the season is here, the famed sandwich rises from the forest haze one again much like the Family Guy episode where Don Most rises from the haze and goes down again.
I wonder if the McRib is so popular, why is it only seasonal, why not year round, Is it to keep sales very strong knowing that customers know it is good and seasonal or is it a supply issue of some sort?
My "philosophy" on this is if it is successful why not make it permanant menu Item if possible.
Also, do you plan to buy one?
"And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by." John Masefield Sea-Fever
LAXintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22070 posts, RR: 51 Reply 1, posted (1 year 7 months 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 3256 times:
Remember the McRib was a regular item at one time. (and still is, in some places like Germany and Asia)
I suspect sales ended up being weak compared to rest of the menu line up. McD probably can spike demand and to get more bang for their marketing efforts by having these annual holiday season returns.
Just a marketing gimmick at the end of the day.
Btw - anyone really figure out what a McRib really is? Had one about 10-years ago. Talk about mystery meat!
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
PanHAM From Germany, joined May 2005, 7771 posts, RR: 26 Reply 7, posted (1 year 7 months 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 3132 times:
Quoting LAXintl (Reply 1): Remember the McRib was a regular item at one time. (and still is, in some places like Germany and Asia)
Yup.
But there are other meals which in other countries are regulars and seasonal in Germany, it is all about marketing. I once heared a speech given by a food consultant, some 20 years ago who made a very pointed statement - the McD customers don't want a new deal, they want a new meal.
He wasn't quite right, the new deals are here with constantly special offers, but they create new meals all the time and for many customers with a lesser IQ somepin' they haven't seen on da menu for a while is new.
Molykote From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 1336 posts, RR: 30 Reply 8, posted (1 year 7 months 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 3132 times:
It's seasonal because the sandwich is absolutely dreadful. Having it on the menu for a limited amount of time leads people to believe that it's something "special" but also allows it to disappear just before people come to their senses and realize that they've been eating dogshit on a bun for the last 2 months.
The last time I sat down in a McDonald's was May 2010. I spent a night partying with a friend in Munich (Long Night of Music festival) and a McDonald's was the only open restaurant we passed on the way back to our hotel at about 3:30 in the morning. We each ordered a McRib for the novelty of it and (even drunk and starving) I don't think either of us finished the damn thing. Disgusting.
I did get a kick out of the fact that it took a trip overseas to get me into a McDonald's!
TCASAlert From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (1 year 7 months 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 3127 times:
The McRib is the best burger Maccas have ever done (well along with the Big Tasty). They had them here once about 10 years ago and never since. Such a shame because they were awesome.
The Big Tasty is on again here at the moment, but presumably will be replaced with the "Festive Selection" in a month's time.
WESTERN737800 From United States of America, joined Feb 2008, 684 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (1 year 7 months 1 day ago) and read 3021 times:
Quoting 2707200X (Thread starter): My "philosophy" on this is if it is successful why not make it permanant menu Item if possible.
I wish they would make it permanent. Its a great deviation from the normal stuff on any fast food menu. Some people don't like them. Most of my friends love them though.
Fly2HMO From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (1 year 7 months 1 day ago) and read 3011 times:
Quoting HT (Reply 3): the McRib is made from pork.
if that's made form pork then im as hung as an elephant.
I hate McDs, they're disgusting. They have made some minor improvements over the years though, and I have actually gone to one near to work a few time already just because I have no where else to go if I only have a 15min lunch break. Their angus burgers are edible but not much else. They dont hold a candle to in-n-out or five guys. And theyre a far cry from Jack in the box or carls jr.
sw733 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 6072 posts, RR: 10 Reply 16, posted (1 year 7 months 1 day ago) and read 3007 times:
Quoting Molykote (Reply 8): It's seasonal because the sandwich is absolutely dreadful. Having it on the menu for a limited amount of time leads people to believe that it's something "special" but also allows it to disappear just before people come to their senses and realize that they've been eating dogshit on a bun for the last 2 months.
Hahahahaha...I will agree with this. I never understood the McRib fad...when I was younger, it was OK. I tried it twice as an adult and thought it was pretty miserable both times.
I definitely think it's all marketing - it makes it exciting...special...rare. People like all that, and flock to it.
Tugger From United States of America, joined Apr 2006, 4633 posts, RR: 7 Reply 17, posted (1 year 7 months 23 hours ago) and read 2971 times:
Quoting LGWflyer (Reply 4): I wish McRib was over here at McDonalds! Nothing better than ribs eh?
But not a rib bone in sight!
Quoting bill142 (Reply 11): Quoting columba (Reply 10):
From the Simpsons : the unnamed animal whose meat was used for the burger (ribwich) had become extinct
Think smaller, more legs.
"Spider Pig, Spider Pig, does whatever a spider pig does.... "
Quoting sw733 (Reply 16): I definitely think it's all marketing - it makes it exciting...special...rare. People like all that, and flock to it.
Gotta admit, I enjoy the McRib when it is available. Would I want it all the time? No. But it is yummy the few times a year I get it.
Tugg
I don’t know that I am unafraid to be myself, but it is hard to be somebody else. -W. Shatner
rfields5421 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 6150 posts, RR: 25 Reply 18, posted (1 year 7 months 21 hours ago) and read 2907 times:
I worked for a QSR company for several years, though in IT we heard a lot about and were encouraged to learn a lot about how the restaurant business works.
This applies to the US market. There are many similar components in other nation markets, but a smart company soon learns what works in one country doesn't always work in another.
No one ever said MCD isn't extremely smart. Sure they have occasional mistakes, but fewer than almost anyone else.
A key metric used by the restaurant companies like MCD and everyone else is growth in sales. It is also one of the biggest things which the stock market analyst look at and has a very direct impact upon stock prices.
MCD and all the other companies are in the business of preserving stock value and increasing it whenever possible, not selling food. That is the tool to get to their stock goal.
Consumers in the US become 'bored' with menus which do not change. There is an interest in something new. The cycle is about 45 to 60 days for customers who use the restaurant frequently.
Consumers also like to see menu items return for specials, items which do not work well as standard menu choices.
McRib is one of the best returning products in the QSR business as far as a positive impact on sales.
It is that simple. MCD gets a sales boost every time the run the McRib as a special. A bigger boost than the impact the sandwich made as a regular menu item. Yes, it was once a regular menu item in the US.
Also, QSR facilities have a limited amount of storage space and food prep capacity. One special item at a time uses X amount of space - which can provide four to six specialty items per year. Adding a menu item without removing another similarly complex to prepare menu item reduces the capacity for specials.
For example, MCD found the overall increased sales compared to the cost in space, equipment and manpower sufficient to justify McCoffee full time. The McRib has never been that good of a sales increase element.
wn700driver From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 19, posted (1 year 7 months 21 hours ago) and read 2895 times:
Quoting Fly2HMO (Reply 15): They dont hold a candle to in-n-out or five guys. And theyre a far cry from Jack in the box or carls jr.
I'll give you in - n - out & 5 guys. But I think it's tough to say that Jack in the Box or Carl's Jr are markedly better. They're not bad, but I wouldn't say they jump right over McD's or anything. Now Burger King, there's someone that has their work cut-out for them. Product isn't too bad, but man their stores have got to be the NW DC-9s of their business. But not as nice on the inside, of course, lol...
ALTF4 From United States of America, joined Jul 2010, 1143 posts, RR: 4 Reply 20, posted (1 year 7 months 20 hours ago) and read 2869 times:
I lost a bet the other night. The consequences? Loser eats a McRib. I got one today for lunch... took a pic of me eating it to prove I lived up to my end of the deal...
now I feel like I need to barf.
The above post is my opinion. Don't like it? Don't read it.
Thanks to clever marketing (see above) and easily fooled customers who rush to buy it before it's gone again, McDonald's makes a lot more money selling it "for a limited time only" than they ever did as a year-round item. So it's not going to be permanent!
Quoting ALTF4 (Reply 20): I got one today for lunch... took a pic of me eating it to prove I lived up to my end of the deal...
Couldn't you just take a bite, shoot the pic and then throw it away?
planespotting From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 3438 posts, RR: 5 Reply 22, posted (1 year 7 months 20 hours ago) and read 2854 times:
Gentleman (Maybe I'm wrong to assume that only dudes are commenting on a McRib thread, but I bet I'm right), the answer has more to do with the supply and demand of commodities than any demand issues from consumers (but I'm sure that is part of it as well). See this aptly named article from Chicago Magazine:
And to this day, the McRib comes and goes from the McDonald's menu for reasons that have to do with its intense popularity and a national supply of pork trimmings that's typically a lot more limited than the supply of beef trimmings.
"If you suddenly start to buy a large amount of that material," said Mandigo, "the price starts to rise."
As the cost to McDonald's rises, the McRib tends to go out of circulation again. And then the same parts of a hog tend to flow back into the processing lines for Spam, Vienna sausages and other specialized products.
ALTF4 From United States of America, joined Jul 2010, 1143 posts, RR: 4 Reply 23, posted (1 year 7 months 19 hours ago) and read 2838 times:
Quoting blueflyer (Reply 21): Couldn't you just take a bite, shoot the pic and then throw it away?
Yeah probably. Didn't wanna throw away money on it though and buy another lunch. Also the requirement was three pictures, one with a few bites, one with most of it gone, then one with a bite left.
Yes, I could have bit it off, spit it out, ripped a bunch off, bit more, spit it out, etc. Hard to do without making a mess while sitting in the car in business attire.
The above post is my opinion. Don't like it? Don't read it.
474218 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 6340 posts, RR: 10 Reply 24, posted (1 year 7 months 18 hours ago) and read 2778 times:
Quoting LAXintl (Reply 1): Remember the McRib was a regular item at one time. (and still is, in some places like Germany and Asia)
I remember having a McRib and a Becks at a McDonald's in Breman. It was a good combination.
For those of you that can't wait for McRib seasion, maybe you should look in your grocers freezer case.
They are 2 for $2.00 at Ingles.
25 ltbewr: Many fast food and sit down chain restaurants offer 'seasonal' or limited term menu items for several reasons. One it to keep the menu 'fresh' with so
26 type-rated: You can also buy the rib patties separately and supply your own bun. Just look for the frozen rib patties in your grocer's frozen food section. Usuall
27 corocks: The funny thing is that the McRib was introduced into the market because there was a shortage of chickens in the early 80's to make McNuggets (which a
28 474218: Their fries suck. They ruined them went they PC and stopped frying them in beef tallow and switched to vegetable oil.
29 Geezer: One thing has always been a mystery to me; I'm very aware that a fair number of people 'love" to despise McDonald's; ( show me one thing that a like n
30 RayChuang: I think the reason why the McRib is sold on a limited basis in the USA is the potentially ENORMOUS cost of buying pork meat for this sandwich year-rou
31 TLG: But millions of customers, including me, disagree with you. I love it! -TLG
32 PHLBOS: I think you need to realize a couple things: 1. In-N-Out and Five Guys have not been around as long as McD's and their approach to burgers is differe
33 Revelation: Wikipedia sez: That doesn't rule out the possibility of pork penis in the ground pork patty, which is what one of my (carnivore) friends claims is th
34 Superfly: Nah it taste like chicken. Sometimes you have to cut off the slick tail that is sometimes attached to the patty......
35 stlgph: personally, i love the McRib. business wise, the McRib is seasonal and comes in with big fan fare to get "new" customers into McDonald's. yes, McDonal
36 PHLBOS: ... which was the successor to the QLT of long ago.
37 PanHAM: Even if he had told you there's pork pussy in the ground pork patty he would have fooled you. The meat of male pigs is unedible, that's why they cast
38 AR385: Well. In 2000 I participated in a proyect with one former employer that involved a huge contract with McDonald´s. They had an "issue" and we were go
39 Revelation: And many feel the McRib sandwich is too!
40 PanHAM: still better than vegetarian or even vegan. No one is forced to eat anything there. For the money of a meal at McDees (€ 6,49 in Germany) a skilled
41 Braniff747SP: I flat out refuse to eat at McD's. Why? Because there is so much better food available close by. There is no reason to eat such crap....
42 PHLBOS: This morning's local newscast (in Philly) discusses WHAT actually goes into a McRib sandwich: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/vid...99s-really-in-tha
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