MAIN Art & Culture Pop Culture Fast Food Arby's

"I'm thinking Arby's" is the slogan heard in commercials and ads nationwide appealing to the more health-conscience consumer as the Arby's chain continues leads the charge to "save the world from ordinary fast food."

Most noted for their roast beef sandwiches and curly fries, Arby's is also famous as an early adopter of low calorie 'lite' salads and sandwiches on their extensive menu.

While other major chains are only beginning to catch on to a widespread demand for low fat, tasty fast food, Arby's dramatically set itself apart in 1991 when they introduced the first low-calorie fast food sandwiches and salads. Along with the first to cut down on artificial additives and fillers in the mid-90's, Arby's also became the first to call for a ban on trans-fats in 2006.

Arby's history

It was brothers Forrest and Leroy Raffel who opened the first Arby's in Youngstown, Ohio in 1964 based on the belief that there was a vast market for fast food other than hamburgers.

Named for RB (the initials of the Raffel Brothers), Arby's was soon opening stores throughout Ohio and began opening out-of-state locations - most notably in Pittsburgh and Detroit - in 1968.

By the time they opened their 1000th restaurant in 1981, Arby's also featured it's now-famous crispy chicken sandwiches on the menu.

Today, their are hundreds of franchises and thousands more corporate-owned Arby restaurants with 25,000 employees located primarily throughout the US and Canada, and also in Asia, the Middle East, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, and the Caribbean.

Into the 21st century, Arby's continues its mission to set themselves apart from their competitors and looks to position themselves as the upscale alternative to traditional fast food.

Arby's menu

Roast beef Sandwiches — available in Junior, Regular, Medium, and Large; Beef 'n Cheddar also in Regular, Medium, or Large sizes; Arby's Melt; and the Super.
Chicken Sandwiches — Chicken Breast Fillet, Chicken Bacon n' Swiss, and Chicken Cordon Bleu; all with either crispy or roast chicken, along with popcorn chicken shakers and the Roast Chicken Club.
Market Fresh Sandwiches - Ham & Swiss, Turkey & Swiss, Roast Beef & Swiss, Turkey Ranch & Bacon, BLT, Pecan Chicken Salad and Corned Beef Reuben.
Toasted subs - Turkey Bacon Club, Philly Beef, French Dip & Swiss, and Classic Italian.
Roastburger Sandwiches — All American, Bacon Cheddar, Bacon & Bleu, and BBQ Bacon Cheddar..

Fries with that?

Side orders — curly fries, mozzarella sticks, potato bites, with stores given a choice of Jalapeño Bites or onion petals along with the optional potato cakes.
Salads — turkey club, Italian, farmhouse chicken either crispy or grilled.

Kids Meals

Jr Roast Beef or Popcorn Chicken with a side option of either curly fries, or apple sauce
Dessert

Apple and Cherry Turnovers, Chocolate chip cookies.

Arby's breakfast menu


Breakfast Wrap, or Biscuit, Croissant, and Sourdough in either ham, sausage, or bacon with Swiss or American cheese and an egg patty.

Beverages

Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr Pepper, Sierra Mist, Fresh Brewed Iced Tea, and Tropicana Sugar Free Lemonade.
Milkshakes - vanilla, chocolate, jamocha
Fruiteas — Mandarin Peach, Diet Peach, Diet Blackberry, and Passion Fruit.