McRib is back. This is why McDonald's does not sell it year round

McDonald's McRib is back again.

The fast food company announced Thursday that barbecue sandwiches will be available in over 10,000 restaurants as soon as Monday. But, McDonald's said, the menu item will only be for a limited time.

It's by design. Seasonal products are an important marketing tool for the food industry, according to Alexander Chernev, professor of marketing at Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.

Limited releases almost give consumers a Pavlovian response. For example, when the weather gets colder, Starbucks customers are usually thrilled with Pumpkin Spice Lattes. In November, customers come in to check out the new holiday cups.

"Having these exclusive products, available for a short period of time, gives people a reason to come to the store," Chernev explained. [1[ads1]9659002] It's not just Starbucks and McDonald's who come up with the season's specials: Dunkin's announced a whole host of pumpkin-flavored treats in August. When the holidays are in full swing, we see Coca-Cola's Christmas cars, Subway turkey sandwiches and more. In spring it will be Girl Scout cake time.

Especially for fast food chains, which depend on knowledge, holilday articles can offer consumers a variety.

"You need consistency because it is the brand mantra," Tsernav said. "But no matter how much you like something, you consume something different … you enjoy what you have used before."

Chernev says it's a neat marketing program: While a specialty can be exciting on its own, it can also remind consumers how much they like the basics.

Seasonal offers can also give brands a chance to test a new product. When Starbucks announced the return of Pumpkin Spice Latte two years ago, it also revealed Teavana Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte.

And Chernev pointed out that the seasonal menu items mean that brands have something new to talk about every quarter.

Starbucks has said it is part of the rationale behind seasonal drinks

"We strive to provide our customers with unique, seasonal offerings to celebrate each season, and customer response has been extremely positive to it," said one spokesman for the company two years ago.

There are some basic economics in supply and demand behind limited time releases as well: Scarcity can build hype.

"It's a way to create excitement on the menu," RJ Hottovy, a consumer strategist for Morningstar, said.

Items that may be popular for a few months would probably not provide enough demand year round.

When McRib debuted in 1981, it was a sack. McDonald's pulled it off the menu four years later. Although it never achieved nationwide successes, there were parts of the country where McRib generated a solid enough fanbase to bring it back now and then.

Hottovy explained that sales usually increase for a short time when companies unveil seasonal products. But after a few weeks, it falls short of the demand for the core fans of the limited time product.

So enjoy your McRib sandwiches while they last. And let's be honest, you probably won't have one in April.