McDonald's iconic barbecue sandwich — the McRib — officially returns to participating restaurants nationwide on Tuesday. Why it matters: The fast-food giant is bringing back its popular, seasonal sandwich as it looks to drive restaurant sales and speed up recovery from an E.

Yep, it's McRib season. McDonald's dropped the McRib today, leading people to run to McDonald's in the hopes that the sandwich will be everything they remembered. Here's what you need to know about the sandwich with a cult-like following. A little slice of heaven here on Earth.

The sandwich made a triumphant return in the late 80s. McDonald’s took the McRib off the permanent menu in 2005, opting to make the cult classic treat a seasonal item. Since then, the McRib has made several limited-time appearances over the years, including a few “farewell tours.”