The McRib Farewell Tour, celebrating the McDonald’s McRib Sandwich, is making its way across the country. McDonald’s restaurants throughout the United States will give customers their last chance to experience the sizzling boneless pork rib patty topped with pickles, onions and tangy BBQ sauce on a special McRib bun.

Select cities in California, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia are hosting the McRib Farewell Tour. For a complete list of tour stops visit www.mcrib.com.

The farewell announcement comes as a surprise to customers who have come to love and expect the recurring availability of the McRib at their local McDonald’s restaurant. “Our customers will have the last chance to experience the savory taste of the McRib Sandwich and pay tribute to a part of McDonald’s 50-year history,” stated McDonald’s spokesperson, Jennifer Smith. The McRib was first introduced at McDonald’s Restaurants in 1982 as a promotional menu item and contributes to the 250,000,000 pounds of pork meat purchased by McDonald’s each year. The McRib Sandwich is scheduled for deletion from the McDonald’s menu at the end of the McRib Farewell Tour. “Ultimately it is our customers who determine what is on our menu. We have such a variety of options. We look forward to hearing what our customers think,” added Smith.

The McRib Farewell Tour ’05 website is available at www.mcrib.com for customers who would like to get more information about the McRib Farewell Tour, including: locations of McRib Farewell Tour stops, McRib Sandwich and pork trivia, and a place to sign a petition to keep the McRib Sandwich on the McDonald’s menu. Petitions may also be available at area McDonald’s restaurants.