McDonald's Menu: What To Know About The McRib And Its Returns To 10,000 Locations

McDonald's announced Thursday that its McRib sandwich is returning to 10,000 locations for a limited time starting next week. The sandwich is a cult favorite, featuring boneless pork in a barbeque sauce topped with slivered onions and pickles.

McDonald's has created 16 Instagram story GIFs to celebrate the return of the sandwich.

"We're always listening to our customers and we know the McRib has some of the most loyal fans," Senior Director of Culinary Innovation and Commercialization at McDonald's USA Chad Schaefer said. "This year we're excited to give every McRib fan new ways to show their love for the sandwich with our saucy McRib GIFs so they can celebrate the season no matter where they live."

The McRib first appeared on McDonald's menus in 1981 but didn’t become popular until the 1990s. Fans of the McRib have even developed their own website where users can report the McDonald's location of where they spotted the sandwich.

The cult following for the sandwich and the limited availability allows McDonald's to create "excitement" around the product, a marketing director of the fast-food giant said in 2011. In 2007, a "McRib Farewell Tour" resulted in 30 million McRib sandwichs being sold across the country.

According to McDonald's, a McRib sandwich has 480 calories, 24 grams of protein, 45 grams of carbohydrates, 22 grams of fat and 890 milligrams of sodium. The price of a McRib sandwich varies depending on location. It usually costs roughly $4.

Other famous seasonal McDonald's products include the Shamrock Shake, which is sold in the spring. Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Lattes are also a popular fall item whose popularity relies on seasonal marketing.