In what year was the McRib first introduced?

The McRib was first introduced in 1981. McDonald's initially tested the sandwich in the Kansas City area as a limited-time offering, rather than launching it nationwide all at once.

The product was developed by René Arend, McDonald's first executive chef, who also helped create the Chicken McNuggets. A chicken shortage after the McNuggets' success encouraged McDonald's to develop another meat-based menu item. Arend shaped a restructured pork patty to resemble a small rack of ribs, even though a conventional round patty would have been simpler to produce.

The McRib was removed from many menus in 1985 after relatively weak sales, then returned in 1989. Since 2006, it has generally appeared as a seasonal promotion, often in autumn. Its unusual availability pattern is why some people confuse its reintroduction date with its original debut. The sandwich is made with a boneless pork patty, barbecue sauce, onions, and pickles on a roll.