We may be a society (understandably) prone to skepticism and negativity right now, but fear not: Help is on the way, in the form of a restructured boneless pork patty covered in sauce and served with pickles and onions on an oval-shaped bun. That’s right—the McRib has made its triumphant return to McDonald’s. And this year, it won’t be one of those “at participating locations only” situations. For the first time in nearly 10 years, the beloved meat sandwich will be available at all 14,400 McDonald’s restaurants in the United States—and you can get one for free, if you are willing to work for it.
Yes, as if the McRib’s Brigadoon-like reemergence from the McMists wasn’t cause enough for celebration by McRib enthusiasts, the chain is also giving away 10,000 free sandwiches tomorrow for its official rollout. Also, facial hair is involved. Here’s how to get your soon-to-be-sauce-covered hands on one of these iconic fast food items for free.
How to get a free McRib
To mark the triumphant return of the McRib, as well as the end of No-Shave November, McDonald’s is giving away free McRib sandwiches tomorrow to the first 10,000 people who post a photo of their clean-shaven face on their public social media profile with the hashtag #shave4mcribsweepstakes and tag @mcdonalds. (And no, posting it in your stories doesn’t count.) The lucky winners don’t even have to leave their home to claim their prize: Their McRib will be delivered in the form of a $15 credit for UberEats, which can be redeemed for a McRib “or other item via McDelivery on UberEats.”
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So why the shaving part? According to a release from McDonald’s, it’s part of an effort to raise awareness of No-Shave November, and the cancer research that is funded through the yearly fundraising campaign. But why shaving + the McRib? “Our bearded fans know… facial hair and the McRib just don’t mix—believe me, I’ve tried,” said David Tovar, McDonald’s vice president of U.S. communications, in a statement. (And, sure, but that seems like a great way to alienate a significant chunk of the McRib fanbase.)
And don’t worry if you do not sprout facial hair: Getting rid of a beard isn’t the only way to enter. You can post a photo of your face post-shave or after a relaxing facial mask (the skincare product, not the controversial public health measure). So really, anyone can enter. Basically, you just need to post a picture of your face.
Here are the full rules, terms, and conditions you should know about before snapping and posting that smooth-faced selfie. The entry period started yesterday and ends tomorrow at 11:59 p.m. EST, or whenever the 10,000 free McRibs have been allocated, so grab that razor and get to work.