The Fast Foodist: Arby’s new sandwich goes toe-to-toe with a cult classic: McDonald’s McRib

Arby’s wants to give McDonald’s MCD a good ribbing — in every sense of the term.

The privately held chain, best known for menu items like roast-beef sandwiches, curly fries and the Jamocha shake, recently rolled out a Country Style Pork Rib sandwich as a limited-time fall offering. There’s no mistaking what it’s about: a direct challenge to McDonald’s McRib — the ultimate exemplar of a popular menu item that returns with sudden fanfare, only to suddenly disappear.

Indeed,…