Burger King Introduces McRib Challenger, Will Customers Fall In Love With The BK Rib?

Fans of McDonald’s McRib will not have to wait until long to get their hands on a potential alternative. Burger King is introducing a new menu for the summer, and one of the items will be a rib sandwich similar to the cult classic.

Burger King’s BK Rib Sandwich will feature a boneless rib covered in sauce on sweet bread with buttered pickles, USA Today notes. The summer menu, which will be available nationwide beginning on Tuesday, will also include several other limited-time options, including several Pulled Pork sandwiches, a BBQ Chicken Salad and sweet potato fries.

While the other menu items may be better than the BK Rib, the notoriety and cult-like following surrounding the McRib has made Burger King’s inclusion of a similar sandwich to become the focal point of the menu.

The McRib has been a limited-time menu option for McDonald’s for 32 years, BurgerBusiness.com notes. The boneless rib sandwich has gained a dedicated following and news of its arrival at participating chains makes headlines. McDonald’s last made the McRib available in December, and its yearly appearance is an anticipated event.

Just because Burger King is creating a rib sandwich similar to the McRib does not mean fans of McDonald’s will flock over to try the new sandwich. In some ways, the McRib’s appeal is singular, but, if the BK Rib is good, Burger King could soon have a following of their own.

The move to include a pork sandwich is due to consumer demand as customers are looking for more than just a burger, USA Today notes. Eric Hirschhorn, vice president of global innovation at Burger King, said, "It's not just about beef anymore, but other proteins like chicken and turkey and pork.”

Burger King had previously tested the BK Rib in several markets, and USA Today reports the company will begin to promote the new summer menu heavily in the near future.