Judge allows McDonald's McRib misleading claims lawsuit to proceed

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 31 Oct, 21:32 · Archive

A federal judge has allowed a lawsuit claiming McDonald's misleads customers about rib meat in the McRib sandwich to proceed.

A federal judge in Chicago ruled Friday that McDonald's must face a lawsuit accusing the company of misleading customers about the meat in its McRib sandwich. US District Judge April Perry rejected McDonald's bid to dismiss the case entirely, allowing consumer deception, fraud and unjust enrichment claims to proceed.

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 plaintiffs argue the sandwich's name, appearance and marketing mislead customers into believing they are purchasing a more expensive cut of pork. One survey submitted in the case found that 72% of respondents believed the sandwich contained pork rib meat, while another found that 67% considered rib meat important to their purchasing decision.

The lawsuit claims the McRib is made from ground pork products, including shoulder, heart, tripe and stomach rather than meat from the ribs. McDonald's has denied the allegations, maintaining that the sandwich contains 100% pork sourced from US farmers and suppliers, and that it does not use heart, tripe or stomach in the McRib patty. The ruling allows portions of the case to proceed but does not establish that McDonald's engaged in deceptive advertising.

How it is being reported

• McDonald's must face lawsuit alleging McRib contains no rib meatMcDonald's is being sued by four people on claims it misleads customers into believing its popular McRib sandwich contains actual pork rib meat.UPI · 31 Oct, 21:17
• McDonald’s dealt legal setback as judge allows lawsuit over McRib’s ‘lack of rib meat’ to proceedThe lawsuit alleges that McDonald's designed the McRib patty to resemble a rack of pork ribs despite containing no actual rib meat.New York Post · 31 Oct, 07:25

In this story: McDonald's · US District Judge April Perry · Chicago

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