McDonald’s is currently in the hot seat as a federal class action lawsuit targets its most famous menu item.
A group of four plaintiffs, Peter Le, Charles Lynch, Dorien Baker, and Derrick Wilson, filed a 45 page complaint in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on December 23, 2025. The suit alleges that the fast food giant is essentially catfishing its customers by selling a “McRib” that doesn’t actually contain a single scrap of real rib meat.
The legal beef centers on the “restructured” nature of the iconic patty. While the sandwich is famous for its rack of ribs shape and distinctive bone like ridges, the lawsuit claims that is all just a clever visual trick.
According to the plaintiffs, the meat is actually a blend of lower grade pork products including shoulder, heart, tripe, and scalded stomach, rather than the premium rib cuts consumers expect.
The suit includes 16 counts of legal drama, including allegations of fraud, breach of warranty, and violations of consumer protection laws. The plaintiffs argue that McDonald’s uses the “limited time only” hype to distract customers from looking too closely at what they’re actually eating. They also pointed out that the McRib often carries a premium price tag, sometimes even more than a Big Mac, despite allegedly being made of cheaper “byproducts.
McDonald’s is already pushing back against the “mystery meat” narrative. A spokesperson for the brand told The Independent that the allegations about organ meats are completely off base.
“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 spokesperson said. “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.”
The burger giant maintains that the sandwich is strictly 100% boneless pork mixed with barbecue sauce, onions, and pickles.
Despite that defense, the plaintiffs are pushing for class certification on behalf of millions of McRib purchasers over the last four years, specifically targeting regions like California, New York, and Illinois.
