The Discontinued Arby's Sandwich That's Back By Popular Demand

Arby's has clearly been rummaging through its meat archives, because it's just revived a long-lost fan favorite: the Loaded Italian Sandwich. This deli-inspired number, layered with ham, pepperoni, and salami, is dressed with Swiss cheese, banana peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, and red onions. It's glued together with Arby's new garlic aioli, and is all put together in a toasted sub roll (those of you keeping tabs might notice that the old version used to have a red wine vinaigrette in it, however).

It was originally discontinued in 2021 (along with the potato cakes), but it's now back for a limited time. Arby's has also teamed up with two reality TV show stars, Nicole Polizzi, otherwise known as "Snooki," and Jenni Farley, more commonly known as "JWoww," (from MTV's "Jersey Shore") to run a digital advertising campaign for the sandwich. I won't say too much in case you're a fan of the show, but the duo recreates a particular scene in unmistakable Arby's style. When I woke up this morning I never imagine I'd be writing about Snooki, JWoww, and Arby's, all in the same breath, but life is a rich tapestry sometimes, isn't it?

When Arby's initially discontinued the Loaded Italian Sandwich four years ago, superfans were clearly dismayed. They even started a Change.org petition, begging to have the chain bring it back. While some petitioners wrote innocuous comments like, "I love aandwich [sic]," others were more impassioned. 

One wrote, somewhat poetically, "This sandwich was my bread and butter My heaven on earth Im telling you if you havent tried it this sandwich is perfect it has the perfect type of meats the beautiful banana peppers and the fact they even cut it in half for you i am salivating as we speak."

Looks like those people got what they wanted, at least temporarily. As to whether or not it'll ever come back permanently, it's hard to say. But the potato cakes, which were 86'd at the same time as the Loaded Italian Sandwich initially was, did make a permanent comeback earlier this year. And you know what they say about a squeaky wheel, right? Maybe if you squeak even louder, your grease will come back in the form of a cured meat sandwich at Arby's (I will not, however, be begging for Arby's vodka to return).