A History of Fast Food Chains in the US
The term “fast food” was first coined back in the mid-20th century as a part of a magazine title. Eventually, more and more people started to invest in the concept of serving fast food, that is, food which are easily cooked and are easily served. Because more food can be served in any given time, entrepreneurs figured that it would dramatically increase their sales. continue reading…
Arby’s *New* Egg Rolls… They’re Mini. They’re Southwest. They’re Mediocre.
I really enjoy cheap eats at fast food places. Sure I’ll get a sandwich/drink combo meal that costs 7-8 dollars from time to time, but I’d rather take that money and try a bunch of different items costing a buck each. When I pulled into the drive thru of Arby’s to purchase their new Southwest Mini Egg Rolls, I was surprised to see the small order (4 pieces) cost $2.99. I thought they would be cheaper, $2 at the most. The extra dollar might not seem like much, but since these are part of their “Sides and Sidekickers” menu, and most people will also be purchasing a sandwich or other main course, the numbers really start to add up. The cashier told me I would love these egg rolls. She said they were great. Unfortunately, after trying them for myself, I did not agree.
I took the first egg roll out of the bag… it was sweaty with grease, but it had a nice looking shell. It reminded me of my late nights in college, ordering Chinese food at 3 am, and it tasted just like the egg roll shells from those late nights. Arby’s website describes the contents as “100% natural chicken” and while the small pieces inside may be 100% natural, they don’t come across as high quality chicken meat, but more like the stuff found in $1 frozen burritos from the grocery store. Not impressed.
Besides the unsatisfying chicken, ingredients include bell peppers, corn, black beans, jalapeno peppers, southwest seasoning and a blend of Monterey jack and cheddar cheese. The beans and corn both had good flavor and texture, however the cheese ’sauce’ was disappointing. It wasn’t very cheesy, didn’t have much flavor, and was nothing like a mix of real shredded cheese. The rolls do have a small spicy kick, but it’s not much. You certainly won’t be overwhelmed with heat or spiciness. For the most part, I struggled to even notice the bell peppers and jalapenos in most bites.
The egg rolls are served with a container of Chile-Lime Ranch sauce, which sounds a lot more interesting than it tastes. I couldn’t detect any lime flavor, and it seems just a hint of chile seasoning was added to a regular Ranch sauce. If Arby’s increased the amount of chile and lime flavors to adjust the balance of ingredients, this might be a great dipping sauce, but right now… it’s just another ranch with a deluxe name.
With so many different ingredients and flavors, there’s quite a lot going on inside such a small snack. Each roll is only two small bites or one big mouthful. They’re not very filling, and a 4-piece order barely touched my hunger. There is room for improvement with these egg rolls in the future, but right now the main problem is price. If they are going to taste like a frozen dollar burrito, they should be priced accordingly. If they contained some solid chunks of better chicken, and real shredded cheese instead of cheese-sauce, they would probably be worth every penny of the asking price.
They get a C because the price is too high and the overall quality is ‘average’. Not bad, but still a long way from the “great” experience the cashier described. With a couple improvements, they would indeed make a terrific snack item. But without those changes, or at least a lower price, they don’t. Perhaps this is an example of what Tim said in his most recent review… “makes a person wonder if some fast-food menus are too crowded, with the focus and resources of the companies spread too thin.”
Price: $2.99 (4 piece) / Website: Arbys.com
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Nutrition Facts - Arby’s, Southwest Mini Egg Rolls (4 piece).
Calories - 225
Calories from Fat - 65
Total Fat - 7 grams
Carbs - 29 grams
Saturated Fat - 2 grams
Trans Fat - 2 grams
Cholesterol - 27 milligrams
Sodium - 387 milligrams
Protein - 11 grams
The roast beef icon also serves good chicken sandwiches.
If you remember my review of the Crispy Chicken Bacon and Swiss Sandwich from Arby’s, you know it made a great impression on me. The chicken filet is tender, juicy and well seasoned, topped with delicious thick-cut peppered bacon, Swiss cheese and honey mustard. On a good day, with everything fresh and cooked just right… it’s one of the few chicken sandwiches that can approach the same level of satisfaction as my beloved Chick-fil-A. If you have an Arby’s close to you, drop by and try it.
And, if you like the Crispy Chicken Bacon and Swiss, you’re probably also going to like this Chicken Cordon Bleu. There’s two differences: the bacon is replaced by slices of ham, and the honey mustard is replaced by mayonnaise. The chicken filet, Swiss cheese and bun remain the same. Although the two items share the same base ingredients, the different ’secondary’ meats and sauces do a good job of creating fairly distinct sandwiches. In the end, the chicken breast filet is juicy and delicious on both, and I think ‘total’ satisfaction depends on your preference of bacon or ham.
I would say the taste and texture of Arby’s ham puts it in the same ‘class’ of meat as their roast beef. You won’t mistake it for a top quality freshly baked honey ham, but it’s on par with many packaged processed meats at the supermarket. The Swiss cheese has a smooth subtle flavor and provides a healthy amount of real cheese goodness. The chicken breast is moist and flavorful inside, with a light crunchy breading outside. A hunk of real breast meat with natural layers that tear away with each bite.
I rate the Ham/Swiss combination slightly lower than the Bacon/Swiss, because I feel Arby’s peppered bacon makes a bigger, better impact than their ham. That being said, the ham tastes fine. It has a decent flavor, slightly sweet, it’s tender and sliced very thin. The classic combination of Ham and Swiss is usually a winner, and it doesn’t disappoint here. The mayonnaise is certainly not a problem, but after several times eating the Cordon Bleu I decided to try ordering it with honey mustard instead, and they were happy to oblige. It was excellent — an improvement in my opinion.
On the whole, from store to store, I’ve found Arby’s quality control and consistency to be above average compared to industry competition, but you’re still more likely to get a bad sandwich there than a place like Chick-fil-A. Of course Arby’s has a bigger menu to maintain, including over 20 different sandwiches. Chick-fil-A has only 3 sandwiches. Considering the exceptional success and high quality of CFA, it makes a person wonder if some fast-food menus are too crowded, with the focus and resources of the companies spread too thin. Oh well, that’s another topic for another time.
The Chicken Cordon Bleu from Arby’s is a very good sandwich. Arby’s is best known for their Roast Beef sandwiches, but their current line of chicken products are worthy of sharing space alongside offerings from traditional chicken kings like Chick-fil-A, KFC, Popeyes and Church’s. Depending on what part of the country you’re located, Arby’s may also offer a “Grilled” version of this sandwich with less fat and calories.
Price: $3.19 / Website: Arbys.com
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Nutrition Facts - Arby’s, Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich (Crispy).
Calories - 590
Calories from Fat - 232
Total Fat - 25 grams
Carbs - 48 grams
Saturated Fat - 5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 76 milligrams
Sodium - 1986 milligrams
Protein - 37 grams
Sweet, creamy and satisfying — no matter what time of year.
If you’re like me and living on the East Coast, you may wonder why I’m reviewing a milkshake when it’s currently 31 degrees outside. Easy answer… while it’s indeed the perfect treat on a warm summer’s day, Arby’s Jamocha Shake is pure satisfaction on most ANY day, regardless of season or temperature. And though the company recently introduced new varieties like Mint Chocolate Swirl, Orange Creme and (the atrocious) Strawberry Banana Shakes, the Jamocha still reigns as the shake supreme.
Arby’s first started serving the Jamocha Shake back in 1964, and it’s been selling well ever since. It’s a chocolate and coffee shake with a mix of ingredients and blend of flavors that’s both refreshing and satisfying. It’s far better than one of those frozen or iced coffee drinks that you’d find in a place like Starbucks, Dairy Queen or Dunkin’ Donuts. That being said, don’t be afraid if you aren’t a big coffee drinker. This is still a milkshake through-and-through, and it won’t overwhelm you with a strong coffee flavor. It’s a delicious balance of chocolate, coffee, sugar, vanilla and cream.
It has a nice smooth consistency, not too thick, not thin or watery… just right. This creamy sweet frozen treat is excellent alone, and also great with your favorite Arby’s food. (seasoned curly fries and popcorn chicken perhaps?) The Jamocha shake will even provide you a little kick of caffeine if you need it, as it contains a small amount of instant coffee. Come to think of it, after a big fast food meal your body may go into a carb-coma, so don’t expect the Jamocha Shake to help you much if you’ve just eaten a bag full. A small shake will run you $1.99, regular $2.29 and a large $2.99.
While most fast food establishments feature the standard chocolate, vanilla and strawberry frozen treats, Arby’s hits a homerun with the unique flavor of the Jamocha Shake. With America’s addiction to coffee, I’m surprised there aren’t more copy cats of this product. Last year, Chick-fil-A came out with a Coffee Caramel shake that was stellar, but sadly it’s gone now and was only available for a very limited time. (Bring it back CFA!!!) It’s good to know the Jamocha Shake from Arby’s has been around for decades, and there’s no sign it’s going anywhere soon, except into the happy stomachs of Arby’s customers nationwide. You owe it to yourself to break free of the same old Choco-Nilla-Berry shake prison, and grab an Arby’s Jamocha Shake. It’s one of my personal fast-food favorites, and was long overdue for a FFC review.
Price: $1.99 - $2.99 / Website: Arbys.com
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Nutrition Facts - Arby’s, Jamocha Shake (regular size).
Calories - 498
Calories from Fat - 121
Total Fat - 13 grams
Carbs - 81 grams
Saturated Fat - 8 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 34 milligrams
Sodium - 393 milligrams
Protein - 13 grams
The commercials and PR photos for Arby’s new “Mac & Cheezers” looked very much like the item released by Jack in the Box not long ago, but I was hopeful they would be an improvement. Unfortunately, they are not. The Arby’s version has a slightly crisper coating with more bumps, ridges and crumbs, but otherwise they look, smell and taste almost identical to Jack’s. In fact, these two items are so similar that it wouldn’t surprise me if both fast food chains are being supplied by the same source.
If you remember my recent review of the Cheesy Bites from Jack in the Box, then you understand why I’m disappointed. It’s not that they’re ‘bad’… they’re just not very good. They failed to capture the real flavor of the classic macaroni and cheese dish that I’ve loved (and you too, probably) for many years. Arby’s version is the same as Jack’s. It simply tastes flat and dull. The crust overpowers the noodles and cheese packed inside, and the cheese sauce doesn’t have much flavor to begin with. It’s actually a nice crunchy shell, and Arby’s is better than Jack’s, but it’s still too much. The focus should be on the macaroni and cheese filling, not the battered coating. This is like eating a spoonful of pasta on plain toast. It’s overkill… too bland and starchy.
Deep fried mac and cheese sounds awesome, but the concept still needs work. I’m worried it might not be possible to achieve enough cheesy goodness without either making the crust lighter and thinner, or loading up more pasta and cheese inside, creating pieces that are bigger and thicker. But those changes might just create other problems, like increased cooking times, or the breading and batter not being strong enough to hold things together properly. Hopefully somebody will figure it out.
I can only recommend Arby’s Mac & Cheezers to those desperate for something new. Like I said before, they’re not ‘bad’… they are just bland and boring. You will eat them once, and probably never order them again. And if you’ve already tried the version from Jack in the Box, you can skip these completely because they’re the same thing.
Price: $2.79 (5 piece), $4.94 (10 piece) / Website: Arbys.com
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Nutrition Facts - Arby’s Mac & Cheezers (5 piece).
Calories - 390
Calories from Fat - 158
Total Fat - 18 grams
Carbs - 50 grams
Saturated Fat - 8 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 15 milligrams
Sodium - 805 milligrams
Protein - 10 grams
I’ve never been big on the roast beef sandwiches at Arby’s. Nothing personal against Arby’s, roast beef just isn’t really my thing. Put some chicken nuggets in front of me and that’s another story. They’re a simple, tasty item, sure to please most fast food eaters. Another factor in their favor… it’s hard to mess up a chicken nugget.
Arby’s recently introduced their Popcorn Chicken Shakers. It’s basically breaded and fried morsels of chicken served in a cup. Dump your favorite sauce inside… place the lid on and shake it up. There’s barbeque sauce and buffalo sauce to choose from, but you can ask for honey mustard instead, which is usually reserved for the chicken strips. I prefer the barbeque sauce. I’ve had the popcorn chicken a number of times now, and only once did I actually do the shake-up routine. I guess Arby’s was trying to create a fun new way of enjoying their bite-sized portable food with the whole “shaker” thing but honestly, why bother? I’m a dunker. I’m not into the shaking… and besides that, I want to have more control over the amount of sauce on each nugget.
Sizing the cup to fit your vehicle’s cup holder (photo above) was a stroke of genius. Ok, maybe that’s a bit of a superlative but it sure comes in handy when you are grubbing on the go. The nuggets have a nice strong crust and each morsel is a good size for being classified as ‘popcorn’. They’re a little on the dry side but you won’t notice once you add sauce. I think the dryness comes from having a fairly thick breading. I also feel the breading leaves a bit of aftertaste. The chicken tastes fine, and isn’t overly greasy, which is a plus, but if you were making a list of nuggets that taste great even without sauce, these probably wouldn’t be on it. Trust me, add your favorite sauce!
If you’ve tried KFC’s popcorn chicken, you’ve likely spent time scavenging through fried crust to find the meaty morsels. Not so with Arby’s variety. It’s more like an array of different sized nuggets but all are decent sized. You’ll get about 8-10 nuggets in a regular order ($2.99), whereas you’ll get more tiny bits with the KFC version.
Arby’s popcorn chicken is tasty and filling. Coming in regular and large sizes, it’s a welcome addition to the menu. It’s good to see Arby’s continuing to branch out beyond roast beef. Within the past year or so, their toasted subs and new chicken choices have made me a fan. If you’re on-the-go and need a quick snack, I recommend giving the popcorn chicken shakers a try. The real question - to shake or not to shake?
Price: $2.99 (regular) / Website: Arbys.com
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Nutrition Facts - Arby’s, Popcorn Chicken (regular order).
Calories - 363
Calories from Fat - 147
Total Fat - 16 grams
Carbs - 27 grams
Saturated Fat - 3 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 54 milligrams
Sodium - 930 milligrams
Protein - 24 gramsNOTE: These nutrition facts are for the popcorn chicken alone, without sauce. Each flavor of sauce has different nutritional values, and depending on the amount used (1 or 2 packets, etc.) can vary quite a bit.
Editor’s Note: During this week’s update to the FFC website and server, there were a couple files found to be corrupted, which had been causing problems. In the process of deleting those files, 2 reviews accidently got trashed. Both reviews (Arby’s / Hardee’s) have been recovered, and are being re-posted below.
I really wasn’t sure what to expect since Arby’s is primarily known for their Roast Beef sandwiches, and my past experiences with their chicken products was hit and miss. But I’m pleased to report they hit the nail on the head with this one. It’s excellent.
The heart of the sandwich is pure white-meat 100% natural chicken breast filet. It’s not a very large sandwich to begin with, but it’s a nice size chunk of chicken. And it was cooked just right, with a thin crispy crust and a tender moist center. The crust has a light coating of black pepper. As soon as I took a bite, I rejoiced in the wonderful texture of natural chicken meat flaking away in layers. No formed or pressed mystery-meat inside. This is a very tasty piece of chicken for a fast food place, and dare I say a little similar to a Chick-fil-A, which is a big compliment in my opinion.
Sitting atop the chicken are two thick pieces of peppered bacon (3 if you’re lucky). They are cooked well-done, crispy and delicious. The bacon adds as much flavor to the sandwich as the chicken. Bacon lovers will be very happy, though hard-core eaters will find themselves disappointed if they only get 2 strips. Next is a slice of Swiss cheese, which unlike many fast-food products, actually tastes like real cheese. It’s a great anchor of subtle, mild cheesy flavor for the bacon and chicken to build on.
Finish off with a little honey mustard for a smooth kick, and pack it all into a warm toasted sesame seed bun that compliments the goodies inside without masking their flavor. The bun appears thick, but it’s soft and fluffy, compressing into the perfect size once you grab it and take a bite. The lack of lettuce or other veggies results in a rather plain looking sandwich, but that won’t matter once you have your first taste.
I should state that I’m a big fan of Chick-fil-A. In my mind, it’s been the Gold Standard for years. To find another sandwich I enjoy this much is rare. Today it happened.
The $4 price tag is not cheap in the world of fast food, but it’s worth every penny. And you won’t need to eat a whole bag of these to be satisfied. Next time you want a fast food meal, look past all those $1 menus and treat yourself to something better.
The Crispy Chicken Bacon and Swiss Sandwich from Arby’s is delicious. It has a wonderful combination of flavors, and each component is tasty on it’s own. It’s made from quality ingredients, a cut above the average. I look forward to having it again.
Price: $3.99 / Website: Arbys.com
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Nutrition Facts - Arby’s Crispy Chicken Bacon and Swiss Sandwich.
Calories - 556
Calories from Fat - 212
Total Fat - 23 grams
Carbs - 51 grams
Saturated Fat - 5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 68 milligrams
Sodium - 1683 milligrams
Protein - 33 grams
Arby’s has just introduced their own version of deep fried macaroni and cheese, called “Mac & Cheezers”. You might recall Jack in the Box’s similar item that came on the market a couple months ago. I reviewed those back in July, but despite being a big fan of the classic cheesy noodle dish, and loving all things deep fried, they failed to excite me. I’m hoping Arby’s has a different recipe which better captures the flavor of the real thing. Deep fried mac ‘n cheese sounds great on paper, but it’s not that easy.
Due to prior commitments I won’t get a chance to try these for a few days. I wonder if any FFC readers might beat me to it? Please post here and let us know.
The Arby-Q has returned, although for a limited time. This was actually the first time I’ve tried the sandwich, and after sampling it on 3 different occasions, I think Timothy had it right when he said they were… “Good” …but… “Won’t knock your socks off.”
Of course I was drawn to the sandwich mostly because it’s cheap (only 99 cents) but also because it’s BBQ, which is something I usually love. After seeing the recent commercials for the Arby-Q, I expected them to be ‘smothered’ with sauce, which it was not, but the roast beef did have a nice coating. That’s fine, because if they actually did ‘smother’ the meat with sauce, I feel some of the beef flavor would be lost.
The sandwich is simple: sesame seed bun, roast beef and bbq sauce. The roast beef is sliced and chopped very thin and tastes quite nice. Be prepared, the meat and sauce mixture has a way of making you very thirsty, so make sure to have something to drink on hand. The BBQ sauce itself reminded me of Kraft’s regular variety. Arby’s calls it a ‘tangy’ sauce, which I’ll give them, but they also mention the bun is toasted, which wasn’t true in my case. On all three occasions, the buns were not toasted.
Overall, it still tastes pretty darn good, and it’s totally worth the 99 cent price. I’m giving it a score of ‘B’… not quite great, but still very solid, and definitely above average.
Price: $.99 / Website: Arbys.com
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Nutrition Facts - Arby-Q Sandwich from Arby’s.
Calories - 341
Calories from Fat - 98
Total Fat - 11 grams
Carbs - 49 grams
Saturated Fat - 4 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 31 milligrams
Sodium - 1089 milligrams
Protein - 16 grams
FAST FOOD ALERT: Arby’s has just brought back the Arby-Q Sandwich, starting now until October 5th, and it’s only 99 cents. It’s Arby’s thin sliced roast beef, smothered in barbecue sauce on a sesame bun. Nothing fancy, but still a good little sandwich. Simple, filling and cheap. I’ve eaten enough of these in my time to say their very satisfying weekend munchies, and at this price you can grab a whole bagful and feed your entire posse for less than 10 bucks. For Arby’s this would be the equivalent of when McDonald’s brings back the McRib. It’s a limited time opportunity that should not be missed for those die-hard fans of the sandwich, and a worthy trip for Arby’s newbies to try this simple, classic, fast food favorite bargain. They won’t knock your socks off, but it’s real beef, tasty BBQ sauce, a decent roll, and a couple of these will keep your stomach, and your wallet, happy.