McRib: Food-flavored sandwich or eerie economic indicator?

Today is the last day the McRib will be available nationwide. Before you chomp into that sticky, pork-flavored food product, make sure to read this post by Awl star — and Brokelyn alumnus — Willy Staley, who makes the argument for the deeper economic, supply side truth behind McDonald’s on-again, off-again attempts to sell you a rib-based product that contains no rib. Willy goes deep down the rabbit hole looking at arbitrage, pork climate, hog futures and how we’re all marks playing into Ronny McD’s hype game. Even Bloomberg TV thinks he’s on to something. While you’re at it, refresh yourself on Willy’s Brokelyn greatest hits, where he broke the story about Obama Fried Chicken being too hot for MTV, price checked fixing a crappy bike and showed you how to dress with Army/Navy store style. Just don’t get McSlop on your new pea coat.