October 16th 2024.
I have to admit, I never thought I'd see the day when the McRib would disappear from McDonald's menu. It was a sad day when I went to get my usual fix and it was nowhere to be found. I remember my first McRib experience like it was yesterday. It was back in 1998, when Billie Piper's "Girlfriend" was topping the charts and Mulan had just hit the big screens in the UK.
McDonald's decided to celebrate this momentous occasion by introducing a new burger to their menu - the oriental McRib. It was the star of their "Tastes of The Orient" special menu. I remember taking my first bite and being blown away. It was nothing like any other oriental food I had ever tasted, but it was by far the most delicious thing I had ever eaten. The succulent pork burger, smothered in barbecue sauce and topped with crispy fried onions, all sandwiched between a perfectly toasted sesame bun...it was love at first bite.
I was a huge fan of McDonald's as a kid, and looking back, I'm surprised I didn't develop any health issues from my frequent visits. But the McRib was something special. It surpassed my go-to order, the McChicken sandwich, by a long shot. It became my new comfort meal, something I knew I could count on to bring me joy in my time of need.
So you can imagine my devastation when I walked into McDonald's one day, ready to devour my 10th McRib of the month, only to find out that it was gone. Just like that, without any warning. Looking back, it was probably my first experience with true grief. Up until then, my only reference for losing a loved one was from watching Littlefoot mourn his mother's death in "The Land Before Time" or Simba watching his father Mufasa get trampled by wildebeest in "The Lion King." But suddenly, I could relate.
Of course, I still made weekly trips to McDonald's, but I had to learn to appreciate other menu items like the McChicken sandwich and the classic nuggets drenched in barbecue sauce. Life moved on and I accepted that I might never see the McRib again, but I found other joys in life.
Then I met my best friend Iain at university, and we bonded over our mutual love for the McRib. I can't remember exactly when we realized our shared obsession, but it was like we were on the same wavelength. We both had the same memories and excitement when talking about the McRib. It was a special connection.
And then, in 2014, the unthinkable happened. The McRib was back on McDonald's menu. No longer labeled as "The Taste of The Orient," it was just the McRib, and I knew from that moment on, my waistline would never be the same. Being in my twenties, I was wiser to the world and knew that our time together was limited. So I indulged in more McRibs in a few weeks than any doctor would recommend in a lifetime. It may not have been the healthiest choice, but it was worth every delicious bite.
When the time came to say goodbye, my flatmate and I met at the McDonald's on Oxford Street. We each ordered two McRibs and marked the moment with a tearful Instagram post, exactly 504 weeks ago today. At least this time, I was able to say a proper farewell and take comfort in knowing that I savored every moment we had together, until hopefully, we would be reunited again.
And now, at 36 years old, McDonald's has brought back my beloved McRib for a limited time. But I can't indulge as I did in 2014 without feeling a sharp pain in my chest, reminding me that I'm no longer a young buck who can handle daily McDonald's runs. I'll have to be a bit more cautious this time around.
But the excitement of being reunited with the McRib is like seeing an old childhood friend who moved abroad. Our time together may be limited, and things may be different now that we're older, but the comfort of returning to an old memory from childhood will always make the McRib more than just a burger. People may come and go, but the McRib always comes back, never changing, always reliable. Do you have a similar story or experience? I'd love to hear it. Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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