McDonald's dealt legal setback as judge allows McRib meat lawsuit to proceed

A federal judge has ruled that McDonald's must confront a class action lawsuit that claims the company has misled customers regarding the meat used in its well-known McRib sandwich. On Friday, U.S. District Judge April Perry, based in Chicago, denied McDonald's request to dismiss the lawsuit entirely, allowing allegations related to consumer deception, fraud, and unjust enrichment to move forward. However, she dismissed five additional claims without prejudice.

The lawsuit, initiated by four consumers in December, contends that McDonald's has intentionally designed the McRib patty to mimic the appearance of a rack of pork ribs, despite the absence of any actual rib meat. The plaintiffs assert that the sandwich's name, visual presentation, and marketing create a misleading impression that customers are purchasing a more premium cut of pork.

Judge Perry stated that it is premature to determine whether consumers could reasonably expect the sandwich to contain rib meat, referencing the plaintiffs' allegations about the marketing tactics used by McDonald's and survey data they provided. One survey indicated that 72% of participants expected the McRib to include rib meat, while another survey showed that 67% considered rib meat to be an important factor in their purchasing decision, as noted in the court documents.

This ruling permits certain aspects of the lawsuit to continue but does not confirm that McDonald's has engaged in deceptive advertising practices. According to previous reports from FOX Business, the lawsuit claims that the McRib is made with lower-quality pork products, such as pork shoulder, heart, tripe, and stomach, rather than actual rib meat.

In response to the allegations, McDonald's has firmly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the McRib contains 100% pork sourced from U.S. farmers and suppliers. The company previously informed FOX Business that it does not include heart, tripe, or scalded stomach in the McRib patty.

McDonald's further contended that the name of the sandwich does not mislead reasonable consumers and emphasized that its ingredient list, which is publicly accessible, clearly identifies pork as the primary ingredient. Judge Perry dismissed the notion that the trademarked name of the McRib protects the company from claims of deceptive marketing, pointing out that other McDonald's menu items, such as the McChicken and Egg McMuffin, have names that accurately describe their contents.

A spokesperson for McDonald's did not provide an immediate response to a request for comment from FOX Business.

The McRib, which was first introduced in 1981, has garnered a dedicated fan base due to its occasional limited-time appearances on McDonald's menus. The sandwich consists of a boneless pork patty slathered in barbecue sauce and garnished with onions and pickles.

McDonald's operates nearly 14,000 restaurants across the United States and over 45,000 locations worldwide.