The Arby's You Grew Up Going To Looks Way Different Today

As fast food chains go, Arby's isn't really on the A-list. It's nowhere near as iconic as McDonald's or Burger King, and its assortment of roast beef sandwiches and savory sides is somewhat polarizing. But there are doubtlessly some things Arby's has going for it. It offers those delicious curly fries (the absolute best side you can order at Arby's), it keeps Ving Rhames employed, and on "30 Rock" it inspired one of the best line readings of Isabella Rossellini's career. But we can't really say its restaurants are much to look at these days — in marked contrast to the beginning of its existence, where, believe it or not, it was designed to look somewhat upscale.

Arby's was founded in 1964 in Boardman, Ohio by brothers Forrest and Leroy Raffel. (The name comes from "R.B.'s" for "Raffel Brothers.") By that point, fast food chains like McDonald's and Dairy Queen were already spreading across the nation, so the Raffel brothers had to find their own lane. The brothers decided to offer a more refined fast food experience, as reflected by the fact its roast beef sandwiches cost $0.69 as opposed to McDonald's $0.15 hamburgers. (Look at those prices and weep, dear readers.) The first Arby's buildings were likewise designed to look relatively upscale, with sandstone walls and elegant curved ceilings featuring recessed lights.

There were a few other intriguing elements to the design of Arby's restaurants which you won't see as often today. For one thing, many were designed to resemble an old Conestoga covered wagon from the outside. (Close your eyes, imagine the Oregon Trail, and you're likely imagining a Conestoga wagon.) These restaurants were also advertised on the road by truly enormous neon signs shaped like a big cowboy hat, reading "Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich Is Delicious." Not quite as snappy as "We have the meats," but it got the job done for a while.

Nowadays, fast food restaurants aren't nearly as whimsical, and Arby's is no exception. There are no longer any restaurants that still use the covered wagon design, and almost all of the matching cowboy hat signs have gone with them. Today, most of the Arby's restaurants you'll find use the Inspire design; a compact, modern-looking restaurant with plenty of white brick and rather modest sign usage. There are some exceptions, of course, like the world's largest Arby's in Colonial Heights, Virginia, but for the most part you'll enjoy your roast beef sandwiches in a sensible, modern environment.