Judge allows McRib meat lawsuit to proceed against McDonald's

A federal judge in Chicago has allowed a proposed class action lawsuit against McDonald's to move forward, accusing the company of misleading customers about the meat used in its McRib sandwich, FOX 5 DC reported.

The lawsuit, filed by four consumers, alleges the McRib patty is designed to look like pork ribs but contains no actual rib meat. Plaintiffs argue the sandwich's name, appearance, and marketing mislead customers into thinking they are buying a more expensive cut of pork.

Judge April Perry dismissed some claims but allowed consumer deception, fraud, and unjust enrichment claims to proceed. She noted surveys showing 72% of respondents expected rib meat in the McRib and 67% considered rib meat important in their purchase decision.

McDonald's denies the allegations, stating the McRib contains 100% pork from U.S. suppliers and does not include heart, tripe, or stomach. The ruling does not establish deceptive advertising but permits parts of the case to continue.