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Judge Allows McRib Meat Lawsuit Against McDonald's to Proceed

Updated 10:55 AM ET · 10:30 PM ETConfirmedShare via:      

Business Desk

In Short: District Judge April Perry rejected McDonald's bid to dismiss the lawsuit in its entirety, allowing consumer deception, fraud, and unjust enrichment claims to proceed while dismissing five other claims without prejudice.

A federal judge in Chicago ruled Friday that McDonald's must face a proposed class action lawsuit alleging the McRib sandwich contains lower-grade pork products rather than rib meat.

The lawsuit, filed by four consumers in December, alleges that McDonald's designed the McRib patty to resemble a rack of pork ribs despite containing no actual rib meat.

The ruling comes after a survey found that 72% of respondents expected the McRib to contain rib meat, and another found that 67% considered rib meat important or very important to their purchasing decision.

McDonald's argued that the sandwich's name does not mislead reasonable consumers and that its publicly available ingredient list identifies pork as the primary ingredient.

However, Judge Perry determined that it was too early to conclude that consumers could not reasonably expect the sandwich to contain rib meat, citing allegations about its marketing and consumer surveys submitted by the plaintiffs.

The judge also noted that McDonald's website describes the sandwich only as containing pork, and reasonable consumers need not do research before buying a $7 fast-food sandwich.

McDonald's maintains that it does not use hearts, tripe, or stomach in the McRib and has always been transparent about its ingredients.

The plaintiffs accused McDonald's of intentionally shaping McRib patties with ridges to resemble pork ribs and make diners believe the sandwich contains rib meat, an expensive cut known for its higher fat content and rich flavor.

The judge said ads highlighting the meat’s rib-like shape could support a claim of intent to defraud, though further proof was needed.

The lawsuit asks whether the product’s overall presentation promises more than its ingredient description explains.

The distinction is important because the lawsuit is not claiming that McDonald's is selling something other than pork.

The plaintiffs are seeking class-action status, which could eventually allow other McRib purchasers to participate in the case.

What this adds

What's confirmed

• A federal judge ruled Friday that McDonald's must face a proposed class action lawsuit accusing the fast-food giant of misleading customers about the meat used in its popular McRib sandwich.
• One survey found that 72% of respondents expected the McRib to contain rib meat, while another found that 67% considered rib meat important or very important to their purchasing decision, according to the court filing.
• There are nearly 45,000 McDonald's restaurants worldwide. (Edgar Su/Reuters, File / Reuters Photos) As FOX Business previously reported, the lawsuit alleges that the McRib contains lower-grade pork products, including pork shoulder, heart, tripe and stomach, rather than rib meat.
• The ruling allows portions of the case to proceed but does not establish that McDonald's engaged in deceptive advertising.
• Perry determined that it was too early to conclude that consumers could not reasonably expect the sandwich to contain rib meat, citing allegations about its marketing and consumer surveys submitted by the plaintiffs.
• District Judge April Perry in Chicago rejected the company's bid to dismiss the lawsuit in its entirety, allowing consumer deception, fraud and unjust enrichment claims to proceed while dismissing five other claims without prejudice.
• McDonald's argued that the sandwich's name does not mislead reasonable consumers and that its publicly available ingredient list identifies pork as the primary ingredient.
• The lawsuit, filed by four consumers in December, alleges that McDonald's designed the McRib patty to resemble a rack of pork ribs despite containing no actual rib meat.
• The company previously told FOX Business that it does not use heart, tripe or scalded stomach in the McRib patty.
• McDonald’s, the global fast-food chain, is facing a fresh legal setback over its McRib pork sandwich.
• On October 30, 2026, a federal judge in Chicago allowed key claims in a proposed consumer class action to proceed.
• The lawsuit asks whether the product’s overall presentation promises more than its ingredient description explains.

What's still developing

• Perry rejected the argument that the McRib's trademarked name shields the company from deceptive marketing claims, noting that other McDonald's products, including the McChicken and Egg McMuffin, have names that describe their ingredients.
• McDonald’s has sold the McRib periodically since 1981.
• “Plaintiffs’ proffered understanding of ‘McRib’ is not unreasonable or fanciful,” Perry wrote.
• “This lawsuit distorts the facts and the claims are meritless,” it added.
• Fast-food chains have faced other lawsuits over product depictions in ads and on menu boards.
• According to an unofficial fan-run McRib Location website, there have been sightings of the McRib in almost every state.
• If you want to find which location has the beloved sandwich, there is an official "McRib Finder" app for iOS and Android phones.
• Last week, McDonald's didn't divulge on why the McRib wasn't a permanent menu option.
• In the app, you can also swap McRib-themed stickers and plan sandwich dates with friends.
• Or, a McRib can be delivered through UberEATS if you don't want to leave your home.
• Hate it or love it, the McRib is back at McDonald's.
• Fans were last able to order the sandwich in December 2016.

Sources

• ConsumerAffairslink
• FOX 5 DClink
• Fox Businesslink
• LiveNOW from FOXlink
• NBC Newslink
• Open Magazinelink
• ABC News — video link