From Burgers To Bitcoin: Why The McDonald’s McRib Season Has Traders Talking Bullish

McDonald’s has officially brought back the McRib to US stores, and that has unexpectedly reignited a discussion in crypto circles about Bitcoin’s next possible move. The sandwich, which returned on Nov. 11, has been oddly linked by some traders to past Bitcoin rallies. Bitcoin traded around $104,400 after hitting $106,000 earlier in the day, still struggling to break past $110,000. McRib Returns And Bitcoin Buzz The buzz started after the popular Bitcoin Archive account posted on X, saying every McRib comeback has coincided with major Bitcoin price surges. The post listed past returns and price moves side by side, fueling debate across social media. “McDonald’s McRib signals MAJOR Bitcoin rally. Every comeback has led to explosive BTC price action,” the account wrote. McDonald’s McRib Signals MAJOR Bitcoin Rally Every comeback has led to explosive BTC price action: • 2017: Nov → BTC +1,000% • 2020: Dec → BTC +200% • 2021: Nov → BTC to $69K ATH • 2024: Dec → BTC new ATH $126K The McRib returns today. Bitcoin to the moon? pic.twitter.com/xU8hD89Axk — Bitcoin Archive (@BitcoinArchive) November 11, 2025 The historical pattern goes like this: McRib reappeared on Nov. 2, 2017, when BTC traded at $6,745. By December that year, it hit $19,666. In 2020, when the McRib came back on Dec. 2, BTC was $18,773 and later climbed to $64,895 by April 2022, a gain of 245%. In 2021, the sandwich returned with Bitcoin at $61,000; nine days later, it topped $69,000, a 13% increase and a new record then. The legendary McRib returns 11/11 at most McDonald’s in the US. It is our most-mentioned limited-time product online, higher than other evergreen items, particularly on X. Funnily enough and entirely independent of McDonald’s involvement, the McRib has recently found new… pic.twitter.com/R5LiuKTZiD — Guillaume Huin (@HuinGuillaume) November 10, 2025 Analysts Weigh In On The “McRib Effect” Zack Voell, a crypto analyst known for linking cultural moments to market shifts, resurfaced the trend in a tweet last year. He wrote: “Here’s a look back at how Bitcoin has reacted to news that McDonald’s McRib is back on the menu. They just announced it again last week. And you’re bearish?” Voell even shared a chart mapping the digital currency’s price against McRib announcement dates, which caught widespread attention among traders. Other analysts have mixed views. Some market watchers say the pattern reflects how social mood and investor psychology often shape crypto movements more than logic or data. They point out that people tend to find patterns that fit their beliefs, even when the evidence is thin. Others describe the McRib-Bitcoin link as a meme that got too much credit, noting that in some years BTC moved the opposite way despite the sandwich’s return. On Correlation & Causation According to those skeptical voices, the McRib’s timing could simply line up with typical end-of-year optimism in markets. Coincidence, they say, should not be mistaken for a reliable pattern. Analysts have also pointed out that traders often cherry-pick the examples that support the story while ignoring years when the crypto moved differently. Still, the conversation highlights how crypto culture loves turning memes into signals. Some traders treat the McRib’s return as a symbolic marker of good times ahead, a lighthearted reminder that markets are not only driven by numbers but by mood and imagination too. Featured image from McDonald’s/Image edited with Gemini, chart from TradingView