McDonald’s is pushing back against a federal class-action lawsuit that alleges the fast-food giant misled millions of customers by marketing the McRib as a real pork rib sandwich, saying the legal claims “distort the facts.”
The 45-page lawsuit, filed on December 23, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by plaintiffs Peter Le, Charles Lynch, Dorien Baker, and Derrick Wilson, challenges the sandwich’s name and presentation. The complaint argues that the term “McRib” and the rib-shaped patty would lead a reasonable consumer to believe the product contains actual rib meat, when it does not.
According to the filing, the McRib is made from restructured pork, a processed combination of cuts such as shoulder, heart, tripe, and scalded stomach — none of which qualify as rib meat.
The lawsuit raises 16 legal claims, including fraud, breach of warranty, breach of contract, and violations of multiple state consumer protection statutes. Plaintiffs are seeking to represent a nationwide class of consumers who purchased a McRib within the past four years, along with state-based subclasses in California, New York, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.
First launched nationwide in 1982, the McRib has become one of McDonald’s most recognizable limited-time menu items, repeatedly disappearing and reappearing in the U.S. and abroad. Its scarcity has fueled a devoted fan base that closely tracks each return.
A McDonald’s spokesperson told The Independent that the McRib is made with 100 percent boneless pork, BBQ sauce, onions, and pickles, and does not include hearts, tripe, or scalded stomach.
“This lawsuit distorts the facts and many of the claims are inaccurate. Food quality and safety are at the heart of everything we do – that’s why we’re committed to using real, quality ingredients across our entire menu,” the spokesperson said.
“Our fan-favorite McRib sandwich is made with 100 percent pork sourced from farmers and suppliers across the U.S. We’ve always been transparent about our ingredients so guests can make the right choice for them,” the statement concluded.
The complaint also references McDonald’s 2014 effort to counter McRib rumors, when the company enlisted former MythBusters host Grant Imahara to tour a processing facility. That demonstration showed the patty was made from ground pork, water, salt, dextrose, and preservatives — not plastic or organ meats.
Despite that history, the lawsuit contends the McRib’s popularity makes accurate labeling especially critical, arguing customers may be less likely to scrutinize ingredient disclosures during short promotional windows.
Plaintiffs allege McDonald’s deliberately omitted the absence of rib meat from advertising and menu descriptions, causing consumers to pay inflated prices under misleading assumptions.
Pricing data from McRib Locator cited in the complaint shows the sandwich averaged $5.63 in December 2024 and reached as high as $7.89 in some markets, exceeding the average price of a Big Mac during the same period.
The lawsuit claims McDonald’s knew or should have known that the sandwich’s branding and rib-like shape would mislead consumers, and that the company failed to disclose the true composition of the product despite exclusive knowledge of its ingredients.
Plaintiffs are seeking class certification for McRib buyers nationwide over the past four years, along with damages, restitution, and injunctive relief.
If the class is certified, consumers who purchased the McRib during that time frame could be eligible to participate in the case.
