Grilling season might be over, but a beloved barbecue sandwich is about to make its triumphant return to McDonald's across the country.
We're talking about the legendary McRib, which will be back in restaurants starting Monday, Oct. 7.
The McRib, which has been making annual menu appearances since 1981, is a boneless pork patty smothered in tangy barbecue sauce that's topped with raw onions and tangy pickles, all served on a hoagie-style bun. The item's limited availability (it's only available for about a month once a year and not all stores have to carry it) has birthed the McRib's cult-like fanbase.
A representative for McDonalds confirmed that this year the sandwich will be available at more than 10,000 locations across the U.S. The sandwich is also making a much earlier return than usual. In 2018, the McRib officially came back on Oct. 29. In 2016 and 2017, it didn't start popping up in most locations until early November.
Related
In addition to bringing back the sandwich itself, this year McDonald’s also created 18 Instagram story GIFs, which will allow fans to share their excitement for the McRib's return with the hashtag #McRibSZN.
To make it easier for people to locate a sandwich, McDonald’s has a website that allows customers to check if the McRib is available at any specific location by inputting a zip code.
Meanwhile, McRib fans have already started storming Twitter with their own updates.
Of course, if you don't feel like waiting in a potentially very long line to get your hands on a McRib, you could always make one at home thanks to Al Roker's delightfully tasty copycat recipe.
