The Fast Food Chain That's Actually Good, Despite All The Hate

All fast food chains have detractors: Taco Bell gets teased these days about wanting to be KFC, McDonald's is castigated for high prices, and so on. Yet sometimes it's as though people have a personal vendetta against certain establishments, and there's one fast food chain that seems to be on the receiving end of more animosity than all the others combined. If you're not sure which restaurant it is, here's a clue: It has the meats.

That's right, Arby's, despite being cherished by many, is the butt of plenty of wisecracks and outright hate. Take, for instance, the celebrity who has publicly denounced Arby's roast beef: Jon Stewart. The once full-time host of "The Daily Show" famously chided Arby's for years. Quips like "Arby's: The meal that's a dare for your colon" and "Arby's: It's like shock and awe for your bowels" were part of a running joke about the quality of the fast food chain's fare (via Vimeo).

It's not just Stewart. "The Simpsons" has frequently besmirched Arby's throughout its historic run on primetime, and regular folks on Reddit like to pile on the hate as well. In the subreddit r/fastfood, one person said, "Eh, it's primarily known for its roast beef, and theirs tastes just wrong/artificial." 

But the chain also has plenty of admirers, myself included. I consider Arby's top-notch, and I'm not alone. In the same subreddit, comments like, "Maybe I'm in the minority because I've never had a bad Arby's experience," far outweighed the negativity towards the chain. The billions of dollars it makes annually from its many sublime sandwiches is further proof the haters are overrepresented.

Just because a few raucous naysayers get their kicks by jumping on the Arby's hate bandwagon doesn't mean that's the consensus among the greater population. If it were, the chain wouldn't have enjoyed $4.4 billion in system sales for fiscal year 2025, and it would have no need for the more than 3,500 restaurants throughout the United States (via Inspire Brands). For all the loathing, there sure are a lot of people buying what Arby's is selling.

While best known for its thin-sliced roast beef sandwiches, Arby's also has an abundance of other quality menu items fans adore. Plenty of customers sing praises about the chain's lesser-known gems. "That Reuben is always really good and fresh," one person said (per Reddit). Someone else noted, "Their chicken cordon bleu sandwich is great too." Even side dishes have earned applause. "Not to mention the jalapeño poppers! Arby's is the truth!!" one joyous customer exclaimed.

Still, the chain's claim to fame receives the majority of the fanfare, as does the best side you can order at Arby's. Multiple comments mirrored the admiration one fan expressed: "Beef n Cheddar is unreal and those curly fries hit every time fr." The Classic Beef'n Cheddar is a national treasure. The melt-in-your-mouth sliced roast beef topped with creamy hot cheese sauce nestled between an onion-speckled bun is culinary bliss that deserves a Michelin star for consistency. Haters gonna hate, and that's fine, because it just means more mouthwatering Arby's for those of us who see through the manufactured hostility.