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

Fast Food Critic Score: C

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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