Don't buy into the hype.

While traveling in Arizona this weekend I had a chance to go to McDonalds. Doesn’t sound very extraordinary but lately due to personal budget cuts I haven’t really gone out to eat much. Not that I think that I have missed much, but seeing how it was the travel budget that was paying for this meal I didn’t worry about it too much. Going back to the McRib however, I don’t really get it .

First of all, despite what the box says, it isn’t that tempting.  It comes in a very decorative paper box, but once you open it, it is very messy. They put a lot of barbecue sauce on it and it immediately gets all over your fingers. I know a lot of places advertise this as good, but to me a food should compliment a food item, not hide it. Though in this case hiding is probably a good thing because the rib part of the McRib is very odd looking. Since when did pork ribs come altogether? With it’s pink coloring it kind of reminded me of a smashed hot-dog. Add together the flimsy pickles and soggy lettuce and it looked like someone had stepped on a barbecue smothered hot-dog and was now asking be to pay $2.70 plus tax for it.

Which brings me to taste. I thought the McRib was supposed to taste like pork ribs, but to  me it tasted like a barbecue smothered hot-dog. It was different, but it was not good. Granted this may be personal bias, but I do not like barbecue sauce on my hot-dogs. Plus I have never attempted to put pickles, lettuce, and onions on one either. It didn’t even taste like a good hot-dog, it was more like those generic hot-dogs that are mushy and you pick up at the 99 cent store.

Which brings me to my last point, price. As I mentioned earlier I paid $2.70 plus tax for the McRib sandwich. That makes it about $3 dollars. For $3 dollars I expect a pretty good hot dog. For three dollars you can buy a hot dog at El Guero Canelo (I should write about that place some day) or get a Polish dog at work. Both of those hot-dogs are worth $3 dollars. The McRib is not worth $3 dollars. If I could I would ask for my money back, but I can’t so I guess I will have to just accept the fact that I wasted my money on that gelatinous goop.

Anyhow, I don’t want to dis McDonalds, I actually like McDonalds. I am neither a health food advocate and I have been known to eat a Big Mac on more than one occasion. I didn’t think the McRib was going to be the best thing ever, but the way my friends were making it sound I did expect it to at least taste decent. Sad to say however it wasn’t the least bit decent. I write only to warn you of the hype, it will get you every time.