A beloved item on the McDonald’s menu has sparked a class action lawsuit, as four individuals allege that the McRib lacks authentic pork meat.
On December 23, 2025, Peter Le, Charles Lynch, Dorien Baker, and Derrick Wilson initiated a federal legal complaint, accusing McDonald’s of deceptive marketing practices regarding the McRib.
The lawsuit argues that the name and appearance of this seasonal offering mislead customers into thinking it contains genuine pork rib meat.
The claim states, “By incorporating ‘Rib’ in the McRib’s name and molding the patty to resemble pork ribs, McDonald’s intentionally or negligently misleads consumers.”
As outlined in the lawsuit, the McRib allegedly comprises less desirable pork cuts, such as pork shoulder, heart, tripe, and scalded stomach.
This legal action aims to include all consumers of the McRib over the past four years, asserting 16 claims against the restaurant chain, including fraud, breach of warranty, contract breaches, and violations of state consumer protection laws, according to The Independent.
McDonald’s said in a statement to the outlet that the popular item, first introduced in 1982, uses ‘100 percent’ boneless pork.
‘This lawsuit distorts the facts and many of the claims are inaccurate. Food quality and safety are at the heart of everything we do – that’s why we’re committed to using real, quality ingredients across our entire menu,’ the chain told the outlet.
A federal complaint filed on December 23, 2025, by Peter Le, Charles Lynch, Dorien Baker, and Derrick Wilson, cited McDonald’s marketing of the McRib as misleading to consumers
McDonald’s said in a statement to the outlet that the popular item, first introduced in 1982, uses ‘100 percent’ boneless pork and the suit ‘distorts the facts’
The McRib, according to the suit, is said to contain lower-quality cuts of pork including pork shoulder, heart, tripe and scalded stomach
The complaint claimed that the company ‘cultivated a sense of anticipation’ around the limited-time product, ‘leveraging its scarcity to drive sales’
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‘Our fan-favorite McRib sandwich is made with 100 percent pork sourced from farmers and suppliers across the U.S. We’ve always been transparent about our ingredients so guests can make the right choice for them.’
McDonald’s added that it does not use pork hearts, tripe, or scalded stomach in the McRib patty, and those items aren’t allowed in any of its pork products, CBS News reported.
The suit, however, also claims that the false advertising of the product and its contents was to sell the McRib at premium prices.
According to data cited in the suit, the McRib cost more than many items, averaging $5.63 in December 2024 and reaching as high as $7.89 at some locations, the outlet reported.
‘The McRib is among the most expensive individual menu items at McDonald’s, often priced higher than burgers made with 100% beef patties,’ the complaint stated.
It further claimed that the company ‘cultivated a sense of anticipation’ around the limited-time product, ‘leveraging its scarcity to drive sales.’
The suit is seeking damages restitution and injunctive relief, and if the class becomes certified any consumer of the product would be able to join the suit.
