McDonald’s McRib is set to return to menus at all of its 14,400 U.S. locations on Dec. 2 — the first time since 2012 that it will be sold nationwide.
McDonald’s first debuted the McRib nearly 40 years ago, in 1982: a boneless pork patty, shaped like a rack of ribs, covered in barbecue sauce and topped with pickles and onions.
But the chain soon transitioned the McRib to a limited-time offer; for a while, it was sold only at select locations, often once a year. The LTO has a cult following and was notoriously hard to find. McDonald’s even released its own McRib locator app to help customers find restaurants that sold it.
The McRib news comes as McDonald’s sales are rebounding from a dip in the second quarter due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a regulatory filing earlier this month, sales at U.S. stores open at least a year jumped 4.6% in the third quarter compared with the same period last year. Sales improvements in the U.S. were driven in part by the chain’s “strong performance” at dinner and new offers and partnerships, like the Travis Scott Meal and spicy nuggets.