My wife (Kim) and I have been making an annual trip to the Minnesota State Fair for several years now. At the tip of one of our friends (thanks Al Spacealien), we heard that there was a McRib clone at Sonny’s Spiral Spuds within the Food Building. Having a strong urge for a McRib, we thought it would be worth paying the State Fair inflated prices to see if it tasted good.

Fighting through a typical crowd within the Food Building we arrived at Sonnys Spiral Spuds. The line was not terribly long, and none of the patrons ahead of me ordered the “Mighty MacRib”.


After making my order, the cashier shouted to the cooks “Rib Sandwich”. I tried to watch them prepare the sandwich, however I was unable to see where the rib patty came from (ie crock pot, freshly grilled, etc). After what seemed to be a rather long wait considering the seemingly slow traffic at this booth, I was presented with my Mighty MacRib. First I noted that the hoagie bun was shaped a little more narrow than a traditional hoagie bun, and had sesame seeds on top.

No worries, the bun really isn’t the main attraction so I dived in. I took a few bites and passed it to Kim so she could try it.

We agreed that something with the sandwich failed to hit the expectations we had. After a few more bites, I decided it was something to do with the way the patty was prepared. It tasted as if it had been sitting around for a long time. Also the BBQ was bland. This might possibly have been the worst McRib clone I have had. While none I have tried have duplicated the McRib, at least they generally ease the craving for a little while.

I would rather have spent the $1 more to have the Donna’s Barbecue Sandwich version of the McRib. Their version at the fair may be served with excessive amounts of BBQ, however it is taken off of the grill when you order and has flavor. In fact, I nearly purchased one again this year when we walked by as I was so disappointed by the earlier version. This is saying a lot as we try not to buy the same items each year, rather attempt to try something new.

Do you have a review of a McRib clone that you would like to share? Feel free to leave a comment with your story.