Return of the McRib: 10 Best (and Worst) McDonald's Cash Ploys and Comebacks

McDonald's announced Oct. 23 that its boneless barbeque sandwich, the (in)famous McRib, will make a comeback this year, joining the continued success of cash ploys like McDonald's Monopoly as it storms U.S. locations through Nov. 14, 2011.

McDonald's gave the barbeque McRib, which originally appeared in 1981 before bowing out in 1994, made a preview return back in 2010, when the fast food corporation made the McRib available nationally last November. Sales were so popular, however, that the company decided to bring the McRib back again this year.

The McRib, a boneless pork sandwich smothered in BBQ, onions and pickle slices, has always been a popular McDonald's offering, garnering sales numbers to rival the Big Mac during its run. Part of the McRib's allure, however, has always been in its limited-run promise. Bringing it back every so often, said Marta Fearon, McDonald's U.S. marketing director, adds to the excitement. She is not sure if the McRib will reappear every fall.

Following Facebook groups like Bring Back the McRib!!! and Twitter trends like #McRib and #BringBackMcBBQ, the McDonald's franchise made the official decision to stop leaving McRib distribution up to local chains, bringing the barbeque sandwich back on a limited but national scale. Some purists question the return of a rib sandwich without any bones, but Fearson has an answer to that, too: That gives it, she told USA Today, this quirky sense of humor.

McDonald's limited-time items are often big hits, and the promise of a McComeback often draws a huge costumer base. Other times, however, the results are less successful.

While McDonald's Monopoly continues to be a surefire success, with Business Insider even doing a probe on How McDonald's Monopoly Game Became So Ridiculously Successful, other products, like the Hulaburger, go down as some of the most infamous failed products in fast food history. Here, count down our top ten, best to worst, of McDonald's famous cash ploys, from comebacks like the McRib and hits like Monopoly to the disastrous premiere of McDonald's McAfrica (trust me, we wish we were joking).