McDonald’s class action alleges McRib sandwich contains no actual rib meat

McDonald’s class action overview:

• Who: McDonald’s is facing a class action lawsuit filed by consumers.
• Why: The lawsuit alleges McDonald’s misleads consumers into believing its McRib sandwich contains rib meat when it does not.
• Where: The McRib class action lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court.

McDonald’s is facing a new class action lawsuit filed by consumers who claim the fast food chain misleads them into believing its McRib sandwich contains rib meat when it does not.

Plaintiff Peter Le and three others filed the McRib class action lawsuit against McDonald’s Corp. on Dec. 23 in Illinois federal court, alleging violations of state and federal consumer laws.

The McRib is a limited-time menu item that McDonald’s has offered since the 1980s. The sandwich is made with a boneless pork patty that is shaped like a rack of ribs and is smothered in barbecue sauce.

The McRib class action lawsuit alleges that McDonald’s misleads consumers into believing that the sandwich contains rib meat, even though it is made with lower-quality cuts of pork, such as pork shoulder, heart, tripe and scalded stomach.

“By including the word ‘Rib’ in the name of the McRib, as well as by going out of its way to shape the sandwich’s patty into the shape of a pork rib, McDonald’s knows or should know that consumers are so misled,” the McRib class action lawsuit says.

McRib class action claims McDonald’s misled consumers into paying premium price for sandwich

The plaintiffs claim that McDonald’s misleading marketing and advertising of the McRib has caused them and other consumers to pay a premium price for a sandwich that does not contain the high-quality rib meat they expected.

“The McRib is among the most expensive individual menu items at McDonald’s, often priced higher than burgers made with 100% beef patties,” the McRib class action lawsuit says.

The plaintiffs are seeking to represent a class of all U.S. consumers who purchased a McRib sandwich from McDonald’s in the past four years. They are also seeking to represent subclasses of consumers in California, New York, Illinois and Washington, D.C.

The McRib class action lawsuit is seeking damages, restitution and injunctive relief.

In related news, a federal court has cleared the way for nationwide claims in a McDonald’s breakfast ad class action lawsuit. Plaintiffs in the case claim McDonald’s falsely advertised its breakfast meals came with orange juice included as part of the fixed price.

What do you think of the claims in this McRib class action lawsuit? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiffs are represented by Thiago M. Coelho of Wilshire Law Firm PLC.

The McDonald’s McRib class action lawsuit is Le, et al. v. McDonald’s Corp., Case No. 1:25-cv-15609, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

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