McDonald’s faces class action lawsuit claiming McRib contains no real rib meat

McDonald’s Federal class action lawsuit alleges the company misled millions of people through marketing McRib Because real ribs “twist the truth.”

45 pages complainfiled in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on December 23, 2025, by Peter Le, Charles Lynch, Dorien Baker, and Derrick Wilson, challenging the name and appearance of the product, specifically the terminology “McRib“ There’s also its rib-shaped patty, which they say would lead a reasonable consumer to believe the sandwich contains actual rib meat, when in fact there isn’t.

According to the complaint, the ribs were actually made from reconstituted pork, combining cuts such as shoulder, heart, tripe and blanched stomach, none of which met the standards of rib meat.

The lawsuit cites 16 legal claims, including Fraudbreach of warranty, breach of contract and violation of state consumer protection laws. It is designed to represent the national category of consumers who purchased ribs within the past four years, as well as state-specific subcategories in California, New York, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.

Introduced nationwide in 1982, the ribs have become one of McDonald’s best-known limited-time items, appearing regularly on menus in the U.S. and overseas. Its limited availability only adds to the hype, with loyal fans keeping an eye out for when and where it will return.

A McDonald’s spokesperson told independent The McRib uses 100% boneless pork with barbecue sauce, onions and pickles and contains no heart, tripe or stomach burn.

“This lawsuit misrepresents the facts and many of the claims are inaccurate. Food quality and safety are at the core of everything we do – which is why we are committed to using real, high-quality ingredients throughout our menu,” the spokesperson said.

The statement concluded: “Our fan-favorite rib sandwich is made with 100% pork sourced from farmers and suppliers across the United States. We have always been transparent about our ingredients so guests can make the right choice.”

In 2014, McDonald’s hired former “MythBusters” host Grant Imahara to tour processing facilities and Refute rumors Regarding the McRib, it indicates that the patty is made from ground pork, water, salt, glucose and preservatives, not plastic or organ meats.

Still, the current lawsuit argues that this popularity makes clear and accurate product descriptions even more important because customers may be less willing to check ingredient details during a brief promotion.

The plaintiffs argued that McDonald’s deliberately omitted this fact in its advertising and menu materials, resulting in customers paying high prices as an excuse.

according to Spare ribs positioner Data cited in the lawsuit shows that Mike’s Ribs are priced higher than many core menu items, with an average price of $5.63 in December 2024 and as high as $7.89 in some locations, higher than the average Big Mac price during the same period.

The lawsuit alleges that McDonald’s knew or should have known that consumers would be misled by the brand and shape of the sandwich and that the company failed to disclose the absence of rib meat despite having exclusive knowledge of the product’s ingredients.

The plaintiffs are seeking class certification for McRib buyers nationwide over the past four years and are seeking damages, restitution and injunctive relief.

If the court approves the class action, consumers who purchased the McRib during this period may be eligible to join the lawsuit.