McRib Returns To Southern California

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The fabled McRib sandwich has returned to Southern California McDonald's restaurants, the fast food chain announced Monday.

The scarcely available pork sandwich has been absent from local McDonald's for two years, but is back by popular demand, McDonald's said in a statement.

"Southern California McRib fans are among the most passionate, dedicated and creative in the world," Paul Tulaphorn, McDonald's franchisee and association president of the local McDonald's owner operators group, said in a statement. "We're excited to reward their loyalty and join them to celebrate the return of an icon."

The fast food chain has also launched the "McRib Finder," an iOS 10 app showing users their closest location offering the sandwich.

The McRib holds a rarefied place among fast food special-menu items. It was first introduced in 1981 but was pulled from menus around 2005. Since then, it has been made available on a limited basis and has accumulated a cult following.

The sandwich returned to local menus on Monday and will be available for a limited time, McDonald's said.