Arby's - The Topic

[Toliver]

Well, I answered my own question. I went to a local Arby's with a co-worker and we agreed to order the two new sandwiches and switch half of each sandwich with each other. That way we'd get to try both in one sitting.

The short rib sandwich (a special offer...not a regular item on their menu) was quite tender but it was served on what they called "Texas Toast" which was completely lacking in any sort of buttery or garlic goodness. WTF? So it was just this thick dry bread which wasn't very appetizing at all.  The crispy onions were good, the BBQ sauce was good but overall it was just "meh". It has been touted to have been smoked for 6 hours but there was no nice smokey flavor.

The other sandwich we tried was the Smokehouse Brisket. According to Arby's the brisket has been cooked in a smoker for 13 hours. But you could have fooled us. There was absolutely no smoke flavor in the sandwich. I mean you should at least be able to smell the smokiness of smoked meat, right? Another "meh" sandwich. 

The two things I learned from my visit?

1) They still have potato wedges! I thought the triangular shaped potato patties were history but they had them. They sell them as a two-patty, three-patty, or 4-patty combo. 

2) Never order a large Jamocha Shake unless you have 4 other people to help you drink it. It was mammoth and could compete with 7-Eleven's Big Gulps. 

[cdh]

I found myself hungry and by an Arby's recently, so I decided to try their gyro.  Meh.  Not lamby enough. Will have to stop in if they do the game meat sandwiches again this year, now that I know where there is an Arby's.

[Toliver]

"Arby's has a new menu item — and the internet is quacking up about it"

Quote

On Oct. 20, Arby's is adding duck to the menu in the form of a sandwich.

The duck will be sourced from Maple Leaf Farms, a company specializing in the bird. Each duck breast will be cooked sous vide, then seared and topped with a smoked cherry sauce and crispy onions. The sandwich will cost $6.99 and customers will be able to get it in a sandwich meal for $8.99.

 

Unfortunately, this is not a nation-wide promotion:

"The list of 16 lucky duck cities"

 

 

[Tri2Cook]

"On a cold and grey Chicago morn' a poor little baby child is born..."

Sorry for the musical interlude,  just seemed to fit because I'm about to confess that I actually like the regular run-of-the-mill Arby's roast beef sandwich*. I used to love when they ran the 5 for $5 promotion.

*At least, I did like them. There's not an Arby's anywhere close to where I live so I haven't been in a long time. But if they haven't changed, I like them.

[Kim Shook]

1 hour ago, Tri2Cook said:

"On a cold and grey Chicago morn' a poor little baby child is born..."

Sorry for the musical interlude,  just seemed to fit because I'm about to confess that I actually like the regular run-of-the-mill Arby's roast beef sandwich*. I used to love when they ran the 5 for $5 promotion.

*At least, I did like them. There's not an Arby's anywhere close to where I live so I haven't been in a long time. But if they haven't changed, I like them.

Once every 3 or 4 months, I have to have a Beef and Cheddar.  The combination of the ersatz beef, ersatz cheese, soft onion roll and loads of "Horsey Sauce" is an occasional guilty pleasure.😏

[kayb]

5 hours ago, Toliver said:

"Arby's has a new menu item — and the internet is quacking up about it"

 

Unfortunately, this is not a nation-wide promotion:

"The list of 16 lucky duck cities"

 

 

I'll be damned. Jonesboro, AR, is one of the "Lucky Duck" cities. Arby's is not two miles from my house. Not a huge Arby's fan, but I will be going to check this out.  Will document thoroughly.

[lindag]

Amazingly enough there's one in Montana, though not exactly in my back yard so I'll have to enjoy it by proxy.

 

[gfweb]

As a frequent cooker of SV duck...I wonder how easy this will be to bite through in a sandwich.  The slices of breast shown in the photo are thick enough to look like a knife would be helpful. 

 

But I trust the wizards at the Arby test kitchen.

[MSRadell]

On 10/17/2018 at 2:03 PM, Toliver said:

"Arby's has a new menu item — and the internet is quacking up about it"

 

Unfortunately, this is not a nation-wide promotion:

"The list of 16 lucky duck cities"

 

 

That must've just been the preliminary list because my wife went by 1 of the Arby's here Louisville yesterday and they had a signout advertising the duck.

[Toliver]

14 hours ago, MSRadell said:

That must've just been the preliminary list because my wife went by 1 of the Arby's here Louisville yesterday and they had a signout advertising the duck.

Ask her to take one for the team and report back on how it tastes. 

[IowaDee]

No mention of duck at the Ottumwa, Iowa Arby's the sign out front featured deep fried turkey and apple crisp.

Drove on by to our favorite mama y papa taco place and pigged out on al pastor tacos.  Don't need no quackin' duck

Edited October 20, 2018 by IowaDee (log)

[kayb]

Reporting in on duck breast sandwich:

 

First, it came with a camo can koozie, something I hadn't anticipated.

 

It's on what appears to be a brioche bun.

The bun encases a 3/4 inch thick slab of duck breast, seared well. No sign of pink inside. The advertised "cherry sauce" tasted like barbecue sauce to me. Topped with french fried strips of onion.

 

It was fairly tender, but dry. I did not get a significant taste of duck. 

 

It was edible, but I won't hurry back for another one, not at $6.99 for a sandwich or $8.99 for a combo meal. I'll stick to the cheeseburger and fries at my local burger joint. 

[Smithy]

What is one to make of a slogan that says "It's Meats Season"? Especially at a meat-centered fast food joint? 

[gfweb]

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

What is one to make of a slogan that says "It's Meats Season"? Especially at a meat-centered fast food joint? 

Advertising twaddle. You aren't supposed to think about it. Just go buy some meat. Cause it's meat season. Right now , before you miss out. Limited time offer. 

 

While supplies last. 

[Smithy]

1 hour ago, gfweb said:

Advertising twaddle. You aren't supposed to think about it. Just go buy some meat. Cause it's meat season. Right now , before you miss out. Limited time offer. 

 

While supplies last. 

 

...and never mind grammar.

[Toliver]

On 10/21/2018 at 11:38 AM, kayb said:

Reporting in on duck breast sandwich...

Thanks for taking one for the team. I'm sorry it was a bust. Maybe it's one of those things where it sounded good on paper, but...

I'm finding that the more of their "specials" I try, the more I'm disappointed. They seem to have a problem with execution.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

I think it's a marketing plan to overprice their sandwiches, for which they never intend to have a plan for execution to provide product that equals the value of what they extract from the consumer. They seem to be very good at that. I'd have to call it fraud if under oath.

 

At least you got the drink coozie, @kayb. 

 

I remember when Arby's actually used to be good when they sliced deli meats in front of you for your sandwich, and offered an honest product.

[demiglace]

Was it always a deli meat beef or did they at one time have real roast beef? 

[Kim Shook]

7 hours ago, demiglace said:

Was it always a deli meat beef or did they at one time have real roast beef? 

I don't ever remember Arby's using real roast beef.  I grew up in the N. VA. area and we always went to Roy Roger's., so we tended to look down on Arby's "roast beef".  It always seemed like Arby's used some kind of 'fused' meat and the beef at Roy Roger's was so good - you could actually see the roasts being sliced and you could pull a piece apart along the grain.  

[demiglace]

7 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

I don't ever remember Arby's using real roast beef.  I grew up in the N. VA. area and we always went to Roy Roger's., so we tended to look down on Arby's "roast beef".  It always seemed like Arby's used some kind of 'fused' meat and the beef at Roy Roger's was so good - you could actually see the roasts being sliced and you could pull a piece apart along the grain.  

Thanks Kim,  Roy Rogers sounds great. I thought Arby's would have had real roasts to become popular. Guess not.

[lemniscate]

On 10/23/2018 at 11:04 AM, Kim Shook said:

I don't ever remember Arby's using real roast beef.  I grew up in the N. VA. area and we always went to Roy Roger's., so we tended to look down on Arby's "roast beef".  It always seemed like Arby's used some kind of 'fused' meat and the beef at Roy Roger's was so good - you could actually see the roasts being sliced and you could pull a piece apart along the grain.  

 

As a past Arby-ite (gah, what a horrible job that was, but paid a little way through college) the "roast beefs"  were a formed meat product, they were all the same dimensions and were baked onsite.  They were weighed before baking, during baking and at the end of baking to log loss.   There was a certain smell to them.  Like bouillon.   I don't think I've eaten anything Arby's since that job.  But I think I would consider trying the duck sandwich, I really like duck.  But its not available in my area.

[demiglace]

18 hours ago, lemniscate said:

 

As a past Arby-ite (gah, what a horrible job that was, but paid a little way through college) the "roast beefs"  were a formed meat product, they were all the same dimensions and were baked onsite.  They were weighed before baking, during baking and at the end of baking to log loss.   There was a certain smell to them.  Like bouillon.   I don't think I've eaten anything Arby's since that job.  But I think I would consider trying the duck sandwich, I really like duck.  But its not available in my area.

Thanks for the input lemniscate. I've always wondered about it.

 

[chileheadmike]

I tried one of Arby's fish sandwiches for lunch today. Not bad, it was served hot and crispy. Tartar sauce was waaaaaayyy too sweet. 

They have two, I ordered the non-gross one without "cheese" "sauce". 

[Kim Shook]

42 minutes ago, chileheadmike said:

I tried one of Arby's fish sandwiches for lunch today. Not bad, it was served hot and crispy. Tartar sauce was waaaaaayyy too sweet. 

They have two, I ordered the non-gross one without "cheese" "sauce". 

This is currently our favorite commercial.  Wait until the end for the payoff.  I will try one, I actually like fish sandwiches.  

[Margaret Pilgrim]

chileheadmike got it right.   NO CHEESE!

 

Decent bun, actually acceptable fish, lettuce and I didn't mind the tartar sauce.   Maybe I just couldn't taste it under that godawful Cheese Whiz.   I know, what was I thinking!    Jettisoned the top half of bun since it was inundated with it, and scraped most off the fish.    Ate it Danish sandwich style.    I would order this again...WITHOUT the cheese.    Was huge, by the way.    Next time will order one and split.   Today, they were 2/$6.