McRib Is Back, and Bitcoin's Weirdest Bullish Indicator Lives On

Key Takeaways

Bitcoin Traders Revisit the McRib’s Peculiar Market Connection

Over the past two weeks, bitcoin’s price has slipped approximately 1.8%, while its value against the U.S. dollar has declined 4.1% since Sept. 23. With the year steadily drawing to a close and market volatility keeping traders on their toes, bitcoiners have somehow turned their attention to a rather peculiar subject: a sandwich featuring a restructured, boneless pork patty fashioned to resemble a miniature rack of spare ribs.

That culinary curiosity is none other than McDonald’s infamous McRib, which is making yet another comeback at select U.S. locations on Oct. 27. Historically, the fast-food chain has concentrated the sandwich’s limited-time appearances in major metropolitan markets across the Midwest, South, and Texas, including Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, and Atlanta.

Bitcoin.com News covered the McRib’s return last year, but rather than hitting the streets in pursuit of the elusive barbecue delicacy, we charted the sandwich’s historical comebacks against bitcoin’s price performance. Why? Because bitcoin enthusiasts have long entertained the peculiar theory that the McRib’s return sends BTC prices climbing, yet our historical analysis revealed a decidedly different narrative.

Coinbase, Kraken and Other Exchanges Join the McRib Frenzy

This year’s McRib comeback is no exception, and the speculation extends well beyond everyday bitcoin enthusiasts posting on X about the sandwich’s supposed connection to bullish BTC prices. Just before the weekend began, centralized exchange (CEX) Coinbase posted, “The McRib is coming back soon btw. IYKYK,” seemingly hinting at the longstanding market superstition.

Fellow CEX Kraken joined the culinary speculation, writing, “McRib szn,” alongside a photograph of McDonald’s cult-favorite boneless pork sandwich. The McRib-fueled conversation reverberated across the exchange industry, with HTX, OKX, Blockchain.com, Bitrue, and several other CEX platforms joining the festivities.

Six Bullish Years, One McRib Disappointment and a Questionable Correlation

Revisiting Bitcoin.com News’ 2025 McRib-to-bitcoin price analysis, the subsequent market data reveals that BTC never delivered the anticipated rally, having already entered a bearish retreat during the first week of October 2025. Nevertheless, the sandwich’s historical track record leans more bullish than bearish, particularly when examining bitcoin’s highest price within 12 months of each McRib comeback.

Across six years (2019-2024), bitcoin eventually climbed above its price on the corresponding McRib return date. Three of those years (2020, 2021, and 2023) produced relatively swift or substantial bullish advances, although the 2021 rally ultimately unraveled. The lone outright disappointment came last year, when bitcoin declined following the sandwich’s return and never reclaimed its initial price. At the time of writing this article, BTC is down 21% since the last McRib return, but a full 12 months have not been completed.

Ultimately, despite the historical tilt toward bullish outcomes, the McRib-bitcoin connection remains an entertaining market superstition rather than a credible trading signal. Will that stop us from tracking the McRib-to-bitcoin price relationship during and after the sandwich’s latest comeback? Hell no. Much like bitcoin obituaries, Peter Schiff indicators, and other delightfully absurd correlations, crypto enthusiasts appreciate a good running joke, and ultimately, that’s precisely what the McRib-to-bitcoin analysis represents.