Will The McRib Be Discontinued? The 2022 Farewell Tour Is Confusing

It’s almost time to celebrate your favorite fall tradition: the return of the McRib. But this time, the sandwich’s arrival is going to look a bit different. McDonald’s announced that the menu item’s return on Oct. 31 will also mark the beginning of the sandwich’s farewell tour. That means it could be the last time you can get your hands on the goods — emphasis on the could. Then why all this fanfare about it leaving the menu? Good question. If you’re wondering whether the McRib will be discontinued, here’s what the future holds for your favorite limited-edition offering.

If you’re unsure what the farewell tour means for the fate of the McDonald’s sandwich, you’re not the only one. Word of the McRib’s upcoming departure left many people shocked, and even more fans confused. The brand broke the tragic scoop with its fans in an Oct. 24 tweet that said, “the McRib is coming back 10.31 but this is its farewell tour.” That’s a pretty uneventful way to make a huge announcement, and judging by the replies, it looks like McRib stans agree. Twitter user @Gravitionss replied to the tweet with the question on everyone’s mind, “WDYM FAREWELL TOUR,” to which the brand simply responded, “maybe u should sit down for this.” Now is not the time to be chill, McDonald’s.

Not to get all ~conspiracy theorist~ on you, but it seems odd that the company is being super nonchalant about this, right? Why is McDonald’s cracking jokes at a time like this if it’s really the end of the McRib? Well, that right there could be your answer, folks. According to the brand, there may be some hope for the McRib — you just need to read between the lines.

Will The McRib Be Discontinued?

In an Oct. 24 press release about the sandwich’s farewell tour, McDonald’s hinted that it hasn’t completely closed the door on a McRib relaunch in the future. “Like any true farewell tour, we’re hoping this isn’t a ‘goodbye’ but a ‘see you later,” the company said in the post. “Because as our McRib stans have experienced time and time again: you never know when — or if — the McRib is coming back.” To put it simply, McDonald’s isn’t saying the McRib will be back, but the brand isn’t saying it won’t be back, either.

Just because the brand left the McRib’s future open-ended doesn’t mean you should expect it to make a nationwide comeback in 2023. According to an email from McDonald’s to Elite Daily, the brand emphasized enjoying the moment: “We can’t say for certain what the future holds. But for now, fans should enjoy the McRib while they can, because it won't be returning nationwide anytime soon.” You can get your boneless BBQ pork sandwich in stores as well as delivery via the McDonald’s app when the McRib returns on Oct. 31, because you never know when you’ll get it again.

The Farewell Tour, Explained:

If all this sounds familiar, it’s because it is. McDonald’s also threw a “farewell tour” for the McRib in 2005 — only to bring it back again in 2006, with a “Farewell Tour II.” In 2007, there was yet another farewell tour.

So, yeah, farewell tours aren’t really the end of an era when it comes to McDonald’s. But, you should brace yourself for a smaller return, if the McRib does come back. After the ‘05, ‘06, and ‘07 farewell tours, the McRib only came back regionally in the United States in 2008 and 2009. It wasn’t until 2020 that the McRib came back nationally for the first time since 2012, and it returned again in 2021.

With the 2022 McRib farewell tour on everyone’s minds, you can likely rest easy that this is “see you later,” but the question remains — where and when?