McDonald's Faces U.S. Lawsuit Over McRib Meat and Renovates Munich Branch

McDonald's is facing legal scrutiny in the United States after a federal judge in Chicago ruled that a consumer class-action lawsuit regarding the ingredients of the McRib sandwich can move forward. U.S. District Judge April Perry rejected a motion by the fast-food giant to dismiss the case, allowing core claims of consumer deception, fraud, and unjust enrichment to proceed.

The lawsuit, originally filed in December 2025 by four plaintiffs, alleges that McDonald's misled customers into believing the McRib contained genuine, expensive rib meat. Instead, the plaintiffs claim the sandwich features ground pork made from lower-grade cuts, including shoulder meat, heart, and other offal, shaped visually to mimic ribs. While company lawyers argued that claims regarding offal were false, they did not comment on the absence of actual ribs or the use of shoulder meat.

The McRib is a seasonal menu item that first debuted in 1981 and was most recently sold in the United States in November 2025. With the dismissal bid rejected, the legal process will now advance to the evidence-sharing phase, where the court will also determine whether additional affected consumers can join the class action.

In regional menu news, McDonald's also offers localized items in the United States, such as biscuits and gravy in select Southern locations. True to traditional Southern methods, the fast-food chain uses pork meat to prepare the thick gravy served alongside scratch-made biscuits, alongside processed ingredients including water, soybean oil, enriched flour, and sugar.

Across the Atlantic, a prominent McDonald's location in Germany is preparing for temporary changes. The three-story restaurant at Karlsplatz 10 in Munich, commonly known as the Stachus branch, is scheduled to close for a period beginning in January for comprehensive modernization and renovation work.

Opened in August 1994 near the historic Stachus fountain, the Munich branch has long operated as one of the highest-grossing franchises in Germany due to its central location near underground transit lines. Despite facing local security challenges in the surrounding area that have occasionally required private security and police intervention, the restaurant remains a heavily frequented landmark.

Corporate representatives for McDonald's in Germany noted that while approximately 1,400 restaurants operate nationwide—including 26 in and around Munich—additional openings and modernizations are planned for the coming years. Specific details regarding the timeline and final design of the renovated Stachus location have not yet been finalized.