McRib Lawsuit 2026: Class Action Claims Explained

Quick Answer Box
– What the case is: A federal class action lawsuit alleging McDonald's misrepresented the McRib sandwich's ingredients, specifically the presence of azodicarbonamide (ADA) and TBHQ, chemicals that plaintiffs argue were not adequately disclosed to consumers.
– Who qualifies: U.S. consumers who purchased a McRib sandwich from McDonald's during the applicable class period, generally from 2019 forward, may qualify, subject to court-defined class certification parameters.
– What it's worth: Individual claimant recoveries in food misrepresentation class actions of similar scope have ranged from $15 to $85 per claimant, depending on proof of purchase and the final certified class size.

Case Snapshot

Introduction

The McRib lawsuit puts McDonald's directly in the crosshairs of federal consumer protection litigation. Plaintiffs allege the company sold a product it knew contained industrial-grade food additives without providing consumers the disclosure necessary to make an informed purchasing decision.

This is not a minor labeling dispute. The chemicals at issue, azodicarbonamide and TBHQ, carry regulatory histories that plaintiffs argue McDonald's had every reason to disclose prominently. The Northern District of Illinois, a court with an established record in complex consumer class actions, is where this case is taking shape.

Along the same lines: Apple Class Action Lawsuit 2026: Key Cases and Claims

For consumers who purchased a McRib sandwich after 2019, the legal question is whether McDonald's had a duty to tell them more than it did. That question will be answered in federal court, not in a press release.

What Is the McRib Lawsuit?

The McRib lawsuit is a federal class action alleging that McDonald's engaged in consumer fraud by failing to adequately disclose the presence of specific chemical additives in the McRib sandwich. The core complaint targets azodicarbonamide, a dough-conditioning agent also used in synthetic rubber and foam products, and TBHQ, a petroleum-derived preservative.

Plaintiffs argue that McDonald's marketed the McRib as a pork sandwich product without clearly communicating the full ingredient profile to consumers. Under the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, omissions of material fact during a commercial transaction can constitute actionable fraud.

The legal structure follows a three-count model: consumer fraud by omission, breach of implied warranty of merchantability, and unjust enrichment. Each count requires a different proof burden, and plaintiffs need to survive class certification on at least one.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to prior Illinois food labeling cases where courts accepted omission-based fraud theories, noting that plaintiffs do not need to prove outright deception, only that a material fact was withheld that would have affected the purchasing decision.*

McRib Class Action Lawsuit: The Legal Framework

The McRib class action lawsuit is structured under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(b)(3), the standard vehicle for consumer class actions seeking monetary damages. That rule requires plaintiffs to show that common legal questions predominate over individual ones and that a class action is a superior method for resolving the dispute.

Predominance is the hard part. McDonald's will argue that each class member's purchasing decision was individualized, breaking the common thread. Plaintiffs counter that the omission was uniform across all consumers because every McRib sold contained the same ingredients and the same allegedly deficient disclosure.

Courts in the Northern District of Illinois have certified consumer fraud classes in analogous food labeling cases, including cases involving undisclosed preservatives in fast food products. That precedent works in plaintiffs' favor at the certification stage.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the Seventh Circuit's broad interpretation of consumer injury in omission-based cases, which does not require plaintiffs to show they would never have bought the product, only that they paid more than it was worth given what they were not told.*

Key Rule 23 Requirements at Issue:

• Numerosity: Millions of McRib units sold nationally satisfies this threshold with minimal dispute
• Commonality: Whether the omission was uniform across the class, likely satisfied
• Typicality: Whether named plaintiffs' claims reflect the broader class experience
• Adequacy: Whether lead counsel and named plaintiffs can fairly represent the class
• Predominance: The primary battleground in this litigation

McDonald's McRib Lawsuit 2026: Where the Case Stands

The McDonald's McRib lawsuit in 2026 is at a critical procedural inflection point. Class certification briefing is the current stage, and the outcome of that briefing will determine whether this case moves toward settlement negotiations or gets narrowed into individual claims.

McDonald's filed motions challenging the adequacy of the named plaintiffs and disputing the sufficiency of plaintiffs' expert testimony on damages methodology. The Daubert challenge to plaintiffs' damages expert is the technical centerpiece of McDonald's current defense strategy.

If the court certifies a nationwide or even multi-state class, the litigation value increases dramatically. McDonald's faces reputational pressure that may accelerate settlement interest regardless of the legal merits.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the pattern where large fast-food defendants often move toward structured settlement discussions immediately after an adverse class certification ruling, treating the ruling itself as a settlement-forcing event.*

2026 Procedural Timeline:

McRib Lawsuit Update 2026: Latest Developments

The most significant 2026 development in the McRib lawsuit is McDonald's parallel regulatory argument. The company has argued that its compliance with FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) designations for both ADA and TBHQ forecloses any state-law consumer fraud claim, invoking an implied preemption theory.

That argument has not fared well in analogous cases. Federal courts, including courts in the Seventh Circuit, have generally held that FDA approval does not preempt state consumer fraud claims premised on omission rather than mislabeling.

Plaintiffs, meanwhile, have filed amended complaints that add class representatives from California, New York, and Florida, each state anchored in its own consumer protection statute. This multi-state pleading strategy is designed to create alternative recovery paths if the Illinois court declines to certify a national class.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the multi-state plaintiff strategy as a standard hedge in food litigation, noting that California's Consumers Legal Remedies Act and New York's GBL Section 349 both carry statutory damages provisions that do not require individualized proof of economic harm.*

Regulatory Preemption Argument: Status

Litigation Watch: The preemption defense and Daubert challenge to damages experts are the two legal pressure points most likely to determine whether this case settles or proceeds to a contested class certification hearing in 2026.

McRib Ingredients Lawsuit: What the Complaint Actually Alleges

The McRib ingredients lawsuit centers on two specific substances that plaintiffs argue McDonald's had a duty to disclose more prominently than it did. The complaint does not claim these ingredients are illegal. It claims consumers were not given enough information to make a truly informed choice.

Plaintiffs allege that McDonald's own promotional materials emphasized the McRib as a "classic" pork sandwich, imagery that plaintiffs argue created a false impression of a simpler product than the one actually sold. The gap between that marketing message and the full ingredient reality is the foundation of the fraud theory.

The ingredient disclosure argument tracks closely with cases involving "all-natural" or "wholesome" food labeling, where courts have found that affirmative marketing claims can create implied duties of ingredient transparency even where no outright false statement is made.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the distinction between mislabeling claims, which require a false statement, and omission claims, which only require a materially withheld fact, noting that omission claims carry a lower proof burden at summary judgment.*

McRib Core Ingredients at Issue:

McRib Azodicarbonamide Lawsuit: The ADA Controversy

Azodicarbonamide is the chemical compound most prominently cited in the McRib lawsuit. ADA is a flour-bleaching and dough-conditioning agent approved by the FDA under 21 CFR 172.892 at levels not exceeding 45 parts per million in flour.

The compound has been banned as a food additive in Australia, the European Union, and Singapore. In those jurisdictions, regulators concluded that the available evidence did not support continued use in food products. The FDA's position, based on U.S. risk assessments, is that ADA is safe at permitted levels.

Plaintiffs argue that McDonald's awareness of the international ban status obligated the company to affirmatively disclose ADA's presence. The legal theory is not that ADA violates U.S. law, but that a reasonable consumer would have wanted to know that the compound they were consuming is prohibited as a food additive in most developed markets.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the "reasonable consumer" standard under the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act, which asks what a typical consumer would consider material, not what the FDA has approved, noting these are separate and independent inquiries.*

ADA Regulatory Status by Jurisdiction:

McRib TBHQ Lawsuit: The Preservative Claim

TBHQ, or tert-butylhydroquinone, is a synthetic antioxidant preservative derived from petroleum. It appears in the McRib's ingredient list and is approved by the FDA under 21 CFR 172.185 at levels not exceeding 0.02 percent of fat or oil content.

The McRib lawsuit's TBHQ allegations follow the same legal architecture as the ADA claims. Plaintiffs do not dispute FDA approval. They argue that a petroleum-derived chemical preservative is the type of ingredient a reasonable consumer would consider material when deciding whether to buy a food product.

Animal studies submitted to the FDA during the GRAS review process showed that high doses of TBHQ produced precancerous stomach lesions in rodents. Plaintiffs' expert witnesses are expected to cite that regulatory history as evidence that the compound carries a risk profile warranting consumer disclosure.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the established principle that a defendant's compliance with minimum federal regulatory standards does not automatically satisfy state-law duties of disclosure, particularly when the defendant is aware of studies that raise product safety questions.*

TBHQ: Key Facts for Litigation Context

• FDA-permitted maximum: 0.02% of fat or oil content in food products
• Chemical origin: Petroleum-derived synthetic antioxidant
• Function in McRib: Extends shelf life of the pork patty and bun components
• Rodent study findings: Precancerous stomach lesions at high-dose exposure, per FDA review record
• Class period relevance: McRib sold with TBHQ throughout the 2019 to present class period

McRib Chemical Additives Lawsuit: Beyond ADA and TBHQ

The McRib chemical additives lawsuit is broader than just two compounds. The complaint catalogs additional ingredients that plaintiffs argue compound the omission theory: ammonium sulfate, polysorbate 80, and various artificial flavoring compounds.

Each additive, individually, might not move the needle on the "material omission" standard. Plaintiffs' theory is cumulative: the aggregate picture of undisclosed synthetic ingredients is what a reasonable consumer would have found material, not any single additive in isolation.

Courts have accepted cumulative omission theories in analogous food litigation. The critical question is whether plaintiffs can persuade the court that the combined ingredient profile constitutes a material deviation from what the McRib's marketing implied about the product's composition.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to survey evidence as a key tool for establishing consumer materiality at class certification, noting that conjoint analysis surveys measuring consumers' willingness-to-pay reduction upon learning ingredient details have survived Daubert scrutiny in recent Seventh Circuit cases.*

Additional Additives Named in Complaints:

Litigation Watch: The cumulative additives theory distinguishes this case from simpler single-compound food fraud claims, and plaintiffs' ability to present cohesive expert testimony on the collective materiality of these disclosures will determine whether class certification survives McDonald's Daubert challenge.

McRib Pork Lawsuit: The Restructured Meat Allegation

The McRib pork lawsuit component addresses a separate but related allegation: that McDonald's marketed the McRib in ways that implied the sandwich contained whole-muscle pork, when it actually contains a restructured pork product made from pork shoulder and other pork trimmings.

This is the more accessible piece of the consumer fraud theory for a general jury. Plaintiffs argue that the word "McRib" and the product's rib-shaped molded patty create an implied representation about the product's composition that does not match reality.

Helpful next step: Schedule 1 Lawsuit: What Plaintiffs Need to Know 2026

McDonald's response is that no reasonable consumer believes the McRib is a bone-in rib, and that the term "McRib" is a brand name rather than a compositional descriptor. Courts will need to apply the reasonable consumer standard to that specific marketing claim.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to analogous cases involving "chicken" nugget compositions and "beef" burger additive content, where courts have split on whether product shape or naming constitutes an implied compositional representation, noting that this remains unsettled law in several circuits.*

Pork Composition Claims:

• Marketed as: McRib "pork sandwich," rib-shaped patty imagery
• Actual composition: Restructured pork product, primarily pork shoulder and pork trimmings
• Legal issue: Whether marketing constituted an implied whole-muscle pork representation
• Controlling standard: Reasonable consumer test under applicable state consumer fraud statutes

Who Qualifies for McRib Class Action?

Qualifying for the McRib class action requires meeting the criteria that will be set out in the court's class certification order. As of early 2026, no class has been formally certified, meaning the exact eligibility parameters remain subject to court approval.

Based on the operative complaint, plaintiffs' counsel has proposed a class definition covering all U.S. residents who purchased a McRib sandwich from McDonald's between January 1, 2019 and the date of class certification. Subclasses organized by state may also be certified if the court declines to certify a nationwide class.

Proof of purchase is the practical challenge. Most consumers do not retain receipts from fast food transactions. Plaintiffs' counsel has proposed a claims process that would allow sworn attestation of purchase in lieu of documentary proof, a mechanism courts have accepted in analogous low-dollar consumer class actions.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the low individual claim value as a reason courts typically permit attestation-based proof in fast food class actions, noting that requiring receipts would effectively defeat the class mechanism entirely given the transactional nature of fast food purchases.*

Proposed Eligibility Criteria:

McRib Consumer Fraud Lawsuit: The Legal Theories in Detail

The McRib consumer fraud lawsuit rests primarily on the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, 815 ILCS 505/1 et seq. That statute prohibits "unfair or deceptive acts or practices" in commerce, including omissions of material fact.

Illinois is the home jurisdiction of McDonald's Corporation, headquartered in Chicago. That jurisdictional anchor gives plaintiffs a strong basis for applying Illinois law to a national class, a choice-of-law advantage that consumer class action attorneys specifically plan for when selecting forum.

The statute allows for actual damages plus attorneys' fees, and does not require proof of intent to deceive. An omission-based claim under this statute requires showing only that: (1) a material fact was omitted, (2) the omission was intended to induce reliance, and (3) the plaintiff suffered damage as a result.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the Illinois Act's fee-shifting provision as a structural incentive for defendants to settle before trial, because a successful plaintiff class recovers attorneys' fees from the defendant, making prolonged litigation financially damaging for McDonald's even if per-claimant damages are modest.*

Illinois Consumer Fraud Act Elements:

1. Deceptive act or practice (omission of material fact)
2. McDonald's intent that plaintiffs rely on the omission
3. Omission occurred in the course of commerce
4. Actual damages to the plaintiff class
5. Proximate causation between omission and damages

McRib Ingredient Misrepresentation: The Marketing Evidence

Ingredient misrepresentation claims require plaintiffs to connect McDonald's actual marketing materials to the allegedly created false impression. This is an evidentiary exercise, and plaintiffs have assembled a record of McDonald's advertising campaigns, menu descriptions, and promotional content.

Television advertisements for the McRib have historically emphasized themes of tradition, "classic" flavor profiles, and regional barbecue culture. Plaintiffs argue these campaigns created a reasonable consumer expectation of a simpler, more natural product composition than the actual ingredient list reflects.

Internal McDonald's marketing documents produced during discovery will be a critical battleground. If those documents show that McDonald's marketing team was aware of consumer concerns about synthetic additives during any relevant period, that evidence significantly strengthens the "intent to induce reliance" element.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to internal communications as the most litigation-changing category of discovery in food fraud cases, noting that a single marketing memo acknowledging consumer sensitivity to specific additives can shift the settlement calculus dramatically.*

Marketing Evidence Categories:

• Television and digital advertising emphasizing "classic" or "natural" pork themes
• McDonald's website and in-store menu descriptions during the class period
• Ingredient disclosures available in restaurants versus what consumers encountered at the point of sale
• Consumer survey data on McRib purchasing motivations and ingredient awareness
• Internal communications from McDonald's marketing and product development teams

Litigation Watch: The internal McDonald's marketing documents produced in discovery, combined with plaintiffs' conjoint survey evidence on consumer willingness-to-pay, constitute the two-pillar evidentiary structure that will determine whether this case survives summary judgment in 2026.

McRib Class Action Settlement Amount: What Could Claimants Receive?

No settlement has been reached in the McRib class action as of publication. Any figure presented here reflects analysis of comparable food fraud class action outcomes, not a confirmed recovery amount.

Comparable food additive disclosure class actions have settled in the range of $5 million to $50 million total, with individual claimant distributions typically falling between $15 and $85 per claimant. The distribution range depends heavily on the certified class size, the proof-of-purchase standard adopted by the court, and the number of valid claims submitted.

A nationwide McRib class, if certified, would encompass potentially millions of qualifying transactions. High class volume typically drives per-claimant payouts down even as the total fund increases, a structural feature of consumer class action economics that benefits the claims-filing attorneys as much as individual class members.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the claims submission rate as the most underappreciated variable in food class action settlements, noting that consumer class actions frequently see submission rates below 5 percent of the eligible class, which can meaningfully increase per-claimant distributions for those who actually file.*

Comparable Settlement Outcomes (Food Additive / Labeling Cases):

McRib Lawsuit Filing Deadline: When Must You Act?

The McRib lawsuit filing deadline, in the consumer context, refers to the deadline to submit a claim form after a settlement is approved. That deadline has not been set because no settlement exists as of early 2026.

Once a settlement is reached and approved by the court, the claims administrator will issue notice to the class, typically by mail and digital publication. The notice period is generally 60 to 90 days, with a claim submission deadline set at the close of that window.

Separate from the claims process is the opt-out deadline, which allows class members who prefer to pursue individual litigation to exclude themselves from the class. Missing the opt-out deadline means being bound by any class settlement, including any release of claims against McDonald's.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the opt-out mechanism as particularly important for consumers with documented personal injury claims related to McRib ingredient exposure, noting that a class settlement's release language will typically extinguish individual damage claims above the class recovery if the class member fails to opt out.*

Key Deadline Framework:

How to Join McRib Class Action: The Process

Joining the McRib class action does not require filing a lawsuit. Class members are automatically included in a certified class unless they affirmatively opt out. The active step required is submitting a claim form during the settlement claims period.

The claims form process will require claimants to provide: their name and contact information, the approximate number of McRib purchases made during the class period, any available proof of purchase, and a sworn attestation confirming the accuracy of the submission.

For consumers who want to be proactive before a settlement is finalized, contacting a consumer class action attorney is the appropriate step. An attorney can register the client's interest, monitor the litigation, and ensure the client does not miss any notice or deadline.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the practical reality that most class members learn about settlements through inadvertent media coverage rather than formal legal notice, and that working with counsel who monitors the case actively is the best way to ensure timely claim submission.*

Steps to Participate:

1. Confirm you purchased a McRib during the proposed class period (January 1, 2019 onward)
2. Monitor court docket for class certification order and settlement approval
3. Submit a timely claim form when the claims period opens
4. Provide any available proof of purchase or execute a sworn attestation
5. Review the opt-out option if you have individual injury claims exceeding class recovery value
6. Consult a consumer class action attorney if you have questions about your specific situation

McRib Lawsuit Which Court: Jurisdiction and Venue

The McRib class action is venued in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, located in Chicago. That court is one of the busiest federal district courts in the country for complex civil litigation, including consumer class actions against major corporations.

McDonald's Corporation's principal place of business is in Chicago, Illinois. That corporate domicile establishes both diversity jurisdiction and a strong argument for applying Illinois substantive law to the nationwide class, which is a plaintiff-favorable choice given the breadth of the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act.

The Northern District of Illinois has a well-developed body of class action jurisprudence, including rulings in food labeling cases that have addressed the predominance requirement under Rule 23(b)(3). Judges in that district have both certified and decertified consumer food fraud classes, meaning the outcome here depends heavily on the quality of plaintiffs' class certification submissions.

On a related note, check out Amazon Prime Lawsuit 2026: Claims, Settlement & Who Qualifies

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the Northern District's relatively high rate of class certification in consumer omission cases compared to other federal districts, making venue in Chicago a material advantage for the plaintiff class in this litigation.*

Court and Jurisdiction Details:

Litigation Watch: The Northern District of Illinois venue is a plaintiff-favorable forum for consumer fraud class actions, and McDonald's preemption and standing arguments will receive scrutiny from a court with substantial experience in food labeling litigation.

McDonald's Class Action 2026: The Corporate Defendant's Position

McDonald's Corporation and McDonald's USA LLC are both named defendants. McDonald's corporate defense strategy in 2026 centers on four arguments: federal preemption, lack of Article III standing, inadequate class definition, and Daubert exclusion of plaintiffs' damages experts.

The preemption argument, as discussed above, has faced consistent judicial skepticism in the Seventh Circuit. The standing argument is more viable: McDonald's contends that plaintiffs who suffered no physical harm and who consumed the product without adverse effect cannot demonstrate the "concrete injury" required for Article III standing.

The damages expert challenge targets the conjoint analysis methodology plaintiffs' economists are using to quantify the price premium consumers allegedly overpaid. If that expert is excluded, the damages model collapses and the case may not survive summary judgment.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to the Daubert motion as McDonald's most potent litigation weapon in this case, noting that conjoint analysis methodology in food cases has been accepted by some circuits and excluded in others, making the Northern District's ruling potentially dispositive.*

McDonald's Defense Strategy Matrix:

McRib Food Safety Lawsuit: State-by-State Consumer Protection Landscape

The McRib food safety lawsuit's reach across multiple states reflects the strategic decision by plaintiffs' counsel to maintain alternative recovery paths. While Illinois is the primary forum, the amended complaint identifies California, New York, and Florida subclasses, each anchored in distinct state consumer protection law.

California's Consumers Legal Remedies Act (CLRA) and Unfair Competition Law (UCL) are among the most plaintiff-favorable consumer protection statutes in the country. California courts do not require proof of actual reliance in UCL claims, which dramatically lowers the evidentiary burden for California subclass members.

New York's General Business Law Sections 349 and 350 provide statutory damages and have been applied in numerous food labeling cases. Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) similarly provides broad consumer remedies. Each statute carries different elements, different damages caps, and different class certification standards.

*Attorney Insight: Attorneys handling these claims point to California as the single most valuable subclass jurisdiction in food litigation, because the UCL's broad "unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent" prong allows courts to find violations even without proof of a specific statutory violation, providing the widest possible liability net.*

State Consumer Protection Statutes at Issue:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the McRib lawsuit about?

The McRib lawsuit is a federal class action alleging McDonald's failed to adequately disclose the presence of chemical additives, including azodicarbonamide and TBHQ, in the McRib sandwich.

Plaintiffs argue these omissions violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and constituted a breach of implied warranty.

The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Who qualifies to join the McRib class action lawsuit?

U.S. consumers who purchased a McRib sandwich from McDonald's on or after January 1, 2019 are within the proposed class definition.

No class has been formally certified as of early 2026, meaning the exact eligibility parameters remain subject to court approval.

Consumers do not need proof of receipt; sworn attestation of purchase may be accepted once a settlement claims process opens.

How much could I receive from a McRib class action settlement?

No settlement has been reached, so no confirmed per-claimant amount exists.

Comparable food additive class action settlements have produced individual payouts ranging from $15 to $85 per claimant, depending on class size and claims submission rates.

Higher per-claimant recovery is possible if the certified class is smaller than currently projected or if the settlement fund is structured favorably for timely claimants.

What is the filing deadline for the McRib class action?

There is no active claim submission deadline because no settlement has been approved as of early 2026.

Once a settlement is reached and receives court approval, a claims period of 60 to 90 days will typically be set by the claims administrator.

Consumers should monitor the Northern District of Illinois docket or consult a consumer class action attorney to avoid missing notice.

What chemicals in the McRib are at the center of the lawsuit?

Azodicarbonamide (ADA), a dough conditioner banned in the EU, Australia, and Singapore, and TBHQ, a petroleum-derived preservative, are the two primary additives at issue.

Both are FDA-approved at specified levels, but plaintiffs argue their presence was not disclosed in a way that allowed consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.

Additional compounds named in the complaint include ammonium sulfate, polysorbate 80, and unspecified artificial flavoring agents.

Which court is handling the McRib class action lawsuit?

The McRib class action is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, in Chicago.

McDonald's corporate headquarters in Chicago establishes venue and provides the basis for applying Illinois consumer protection law to the nationwide class.

No MDL consolidation has been ordered as of Q1 2026, and the case is proceeding as a single consolidated action.

Closing

The McRib lawsuit is at the stage where court decisions in the next 12 months will define its ultimate scope and value. Class certification and the Daubert ruling on damages methodology are the two events that will move this case toward either a negotiated resolution or protracted individual litigation.

Consumers who purchased a McRib after January 1, 2019 are within the proposed class period. The practical step right now is to note that history and consult a consumer class action attorney who handles food labeling and ingredient disclosure cases. An attorney can monitor the docket, preserve your ability to participate in any settlement, and advise on whether opting out in favor of individual litigation makes sense based on your specific circumstances.

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Acting before class certification is settled is the right time to get counsel involved.