McDonald's finally confirms legendary 1980s item is returning to UK this month

The McRib contains a boneless pork patty, which is shaped like ribs and covered in BBQ sauce, with onions, pickles, and a toasted bun - and it'll be back for a limited time from October 16

McDonald's is bringing back 1980s cult favourite the McRib to the UK later this month.

The McRib contains a boneless pork patty, which is shaped like ribs and covered in BBQ sauce, with onions, pickles, and a toasted bun. It was first launched in 1981 but was discontinued four years later, although it has returned several times since then. In the UK, the McRib was last on sale in 2015 - and fans have regularly called for it to come back ever since.

The sandwich, which will cost £4.49 on its own or £6.19 as part of a medium extra value meal, will be available for a limited time from October 16. Thomas O’Neill, Head of Menu at McDonald's UK said: “It is more than just a sandwich; it’s a phenomenon. We have heard our fans loud and clear – the fan petitions and pleas on social - and after almost a decade of anticipation, we are thrilled to bring back this iconic menu item.

“Knowing how well-loved the McRib is, we had very little choice - we had to make it happen. It was time to step up and satisfy the cravings of McRib enthusiasts across the country.” It comes after McDonald's fans spotting mysterious messages hinting to the McRib on the fast food chain’s app.

Screengrabs on social media show how some people were sent a message which popped up on their phone screen, saying: "McRib_Test.notification_16.10.24 [TEST]". Others said they saw an "error" image notification within the app, which mentioned the name of the burger, alongside the launch date of October 16.

It comes after Maccies brought back its iconic Grimace Milkshake last month to mark 50 years of McDonald’s in the UK. The milkshake is inspired by the iconic purple McDonald’s character Grimace and is made by mixing blueberry syrup and a creamy milkshake base. It was only available for one week only from August 28 to September 3. McDonald's has around 1,400 UK restaurants, of which roughly 80% are franchised, and it employs over 170,000 people.

In an update back in August, McDonald's announced plans to open 200 restaurants and create 24,000 jobs across the UK and Ireland by 2028 as part of its biggest expansion since 2002. McDonald's has not yet revealed any locations of where these new restaurants could open. The company also confirmed it will upgrade its existing locations too.