The McRib is back, but McDonald’s hints it’s your last chance to enjoy it

(NEXSTAR) – Over the last few years, McDonald’s has brought the fan-favorite McRib back for limited-time stints at its restaurants. The McRib is making its annual return again this fall, but it appears this will be the sandwich’s last hurrah.

In 2019, McDonald’s sold the McRib at 10,000 of its 14,000 U.S. locations before making it available nationwide in 2020 for the first time since 2012. It made a limited-time appearance again last year.

The sandwich, which debuted on menus in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1981, has enjoyed a cult following for decades, thanks in no small part to its fleeting, sporadic appearances at restaurants. Speaking to its elusiveness, Mike Bullington, the senior archives manager for McDonald’s, said in a press release last year that the sandwich was designed to be “enjoyed during the colder seasons.”

McDonald’s had also previously revealed that the sandwich infrequently appears on its restaurants’ menus because it’s “a local option based on customer demand,” according to a 2017 tweet from the company.

According to a product description for the McRib on the McDonald’s website, the sandwich’s 2022 return is unique: it’s “the McRib Farewell Tour.”

“Order yours in the McDonald’s app for delivery or pick up before you say goodbye on 11/20/22. Enjoy our famous pork sandwich as if it’s your last!” the listing reads.

While McDonald’s doesn’t list an exact day the sandwich will be available, multiple restaurants nationwide tell Nexstar the sandwich will be on their menus early this week. Nexstar has reached out to McDonald’s for comment but hasn’t yet heard back. Before you run to your nearest location to get a McRib (or two), you may want to call ahead to check availability.

This is just the latest fan-favorite McDonald’s has brought back this year. Earlier this month, it rolled out its iconic Halloween Happy Meal pails.