People who bought the McDonald’s McRib may be covered by a proposed class action alleging the sandwich is marketed as rib meat but contains none. A federal judge let the core claims proceed on October 30, 2026; no class has been certified and there is nothing to file yet.
Allegations Only · No Settlement Yet
This article describes a class action complaint. The statements below are unproven allegations. McDonald’s has not been found liable, there is no certified class, and nothing to claim at this time. This page is informational and is not legal advice.
What Is This About?
Four consumers sued McDonald’s Corporation in federal court in Chicago on December 23, 2025, in a proposed class action over the McRib. The case is Le v. McDonald’s Corp., No. 1:25-cv-15609, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, before Judge April M. Perry. The plaintiffs allege the name, the rib-shaped patty and the advertising lead buyers to expect rib meat, when the patty is restructured pork made from other cuts.On October 30, 2026, Judge Perry denied McDonald’s request to dismiss the whole case. She called it premature to accept McDonald’s argument that no reasonable consumer could expect the McRib to contain rib meat, and wrote that the plaintiffs’ reading of the name is “not unreasonable or fanciful,” according to Reuters. Claims for consumer deception, fraud and unjust enrichment go forward; several other claims were dismissed without prejudice, which lets the plaintiffs try to replead them.
Free settlement alerts
Get notified when new class actions open to claims
Join thousands of readers who get the latest class action settlements you may qualify for — delivered straight to your inbox.
What the Lawsuit Alleges
The complaint claims the McRib is sold on the strength of its name and a patty pressed into the shape of a rack of ribs, but that it is restructured pork that includes no rib meat. It alleges the patty includes pork shoulder and organ meat such as heart, tripe and scalded stomach. The plaintiffs say they would not have bought the sandwich, or would have paid less, had they known.The judge also said McDonald’s advertising emphasizing the sandwich’s rib-like shape could support the fraud claim’s intent element, though the plaintiffs will need more evidence to prove it.
McDonald’s Response
McDonald’s denies the allegations. It has said the McRib patty is 100% pork from U.S. farmers and suppliers, and it specifically denies using heart, tripe or scalded stomach. The October 30 ruling decided only that the claims were adequately pleaded; it is not a finding that the allegations are true.What Happens Next
The case now moves toward discovery, where both sides exchange evidence about how the McRib is made and marketed. The plaintiffs would later have to win class certification before anyone outside the four named plaintiffs could recover, and McDonald’s can be expected to oppose it. There is no trial date in the reports on the ruling.Questions
Is there a McRib settlement?
No. As of October 31, 2026 there is no settlement, settlement fund or claim form in the McRib lawsuit. The judge only ruled that the case can move forward; no class has been certified and McDonald’s has not been found to have done anything wrong.
What did the judge decide on October 30, 2026?
U.S. District Judge April M. Perry in Chicago denied McDonald’s request to dismiss the whole case. Consumer deception, fraud and unjust enrichment claims will proceed, while several other claims were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the plaintiffs may try to replead them. The ruling is not a finding that the allegations are true.
What does McDonald's say about the McRib?
McDonald’s denies the allegations. It has said the McRib patty is 100% pork from U.S. farmers and suppliers, and it specifically denies that the patty contains heart, tripe or scalded stomach.
Who would be covered if the McRib case becomes a class action?
The lawsuit seeks to represent people who bought the McRib. The exact class definition and time period will be decided only if the court certifies a class later in the case. Nobody needs to register or file anything now.
Sources
• Reuters, “McDonald’s must face lawsuit over McRib, US judge rules” (October 30, 2026)• Fox Business, “McDonald’s dealt legal setback as judge allows McRib meat lawsuit to proceed”
• Men’s Journal, “McDonald’s McRib Class Action Lawsuit Can Move Forward After Judge’s Ruling”
• Le v. McDonald’s Corp., No. 1:25-cv-15609 (N.D. Ill.), filed December 23, 2025
