6 Discontinued Arby's Items We'll Probably Never Eat Again

Arby's might be known specifically for its roast beef sandwiches, but this fast food chain's menu is actually a lot more extensive than you may expect it to be if you don't visit on a frequent basis. From burgers to chicken sandwiches to even gyros, there's a lot to explore on Arby's menu. What you won't find, though, is a long list of the chain's discontinued menu items, ranging from main courses to memorable sides. Although there's always a chance some of these menu items could come back onto the Arby's scene at some point, now that they're off the menu, we just have to accept that we may never see them again.

We've compiled this list of some of those menu items, including dishes that we miss and others that we're not particularly concerned about whether they ever make a reappearance or not. Maybe this list will remind you of some old favorites, or perhaps it will leave you with a longing for an Arby's dish that you'll never get to try. Perhaps you can satisfy a craving with our ranking of Arby's best sandwiches.

If you're like us, when you think of Arby's, you probably don't think of seafood, especially considering the company's slogan is "We Have the Meats." But just a few years ago, Arby's really leaned into the whole seafood thing, introducing its hushpuppy breaded fish strips. Yes, it's just what it sounds like: fish strips with a hushpuppy-seasoned breading, bringing together two classic comfort foods. It was released alongside a Cajun fish wrap, both of which were served with tartar sauce.

Although this doesn't exactly seem like a conventional side dish for Arby's, these odd fish strips got generally good reviews. However, when they were released in 2022, they were designated as a limited-time offering, so it's no surprise that they're no longer on the menu years later. We can still hold out hope, though, that the hushpuppy breaded fish strips come back, at least for another limited-time run.

Who doesn't love a slider? (We've even rounded up some of our favorite slider recipes.) Sliders are basically the only way to eat several sandwiches at once without feeling horribly bloated and uncomfortable the next day. Plus, it's fun to eat miniature-sized anything. Perhaps that's why Arby's has introduced a variety of sliders to its menu. Admittedly, the pizza slider wasn't exactly a culinary marvel. It was stacked with both pepperoni and salami, which was complemented by a garlic marinara sauce and some provolone. Essentially, it seemed like a super simple sandwich that would be quite easy to make at home.

Still, though, it stayed on the menu for several years, so it must have been at least somewhat popular with customers. Originally, it made its debut on Arby's menu in 2017. It wasn't until July of 2021 that it made its quiet exit. Our advice? Make your own salami and pepperoni sandwich at home, and grab something a bit more substantial at Arby's the next time you go.

You can always snag a standard roast beef sandwich from your local Arby's, but if you're feeling extra hungry and want even more sandwich than usual, you should check out the chain's subs. One of the best subs that has ever appeared on the menu is the Angus three-cheese and bacon. The thinly sliced beef was only part of what made this sandwich shine. It also contained layers of Swiss and cheddar cheese for a bold creaminess, along with Parmesan peppercorn ranch sauce. It was all finished off with peppery bacon, which added just the right amount of saltiness and fattiness.

These days, though, you're not going to find this super-cheesy sub on the menu. Fans of the sandwich have taken to Reddit to express how much they miss it, with some claiming that it was once the best item on the menu. There are a few other subs to choose from on the menu these days, but we're afraid that they can't compare to this sandwich.

Most fast food restaurants offer fries, some have tater tots, but very few seem to offer onion rings. That's why we loved Arby's for selling its steakhouse onion rings, which first appeared on the chain's menu in 2010. Previously, Arby's was selling onion petals, but it decided to switch to the more classic shape of the dish. However, the O-shaped rings were apparently more time-consuming to make than other fried sides. Additionally, sales of the item reportedly weren't very high. When you consider that most people are used to getting fries at fast food restaurants, it only makes sense that onion rings would kind of be an afterthought.

Even though the steakhouse onion rings weren't a super popular menu item, they nonetheless remained on the menu for an entire decade, all the way until 2020. At least you can still get two types of fries, potato cakes, or mac and cheese as side dishes.

Go to most fast food restaurants, and you'll find plain old straight fries. Sure, some may be thicker than others, and you may even come across a stray steak fry or two. But curly fries? They're less commonly found. Arby's is different, though — the chain is known for its curly fries, which have just the right thickness and are exceptionally well-seasoned. You can still snag those fries — they're ostensibly a permanent menu item, given their ubiquity — but in days past, you could also get loaded curly fries. Unfortunately, though, they've since lapsed from the menu.

In 2021, the chain decided to discontinue the dish, apparently because they were "slower-moving" compared to the other items on the menu. When they were still available at the restaurant, the fries were topped with bacon, cheese sauce, and ranch. Chances are, they won't make a reappearance on the menu, but we can still hope.

Sourdough bread may have reached a peak of popularity during the pandemic, but Arby's was on the sourdough grind before you even knew how to make your own starter. Arby's sourdough melts were an early 2000s fast food classic that offered a shift away from the traditional burger or chicken sandwich on a bun. The sourdough melts came in two varieties: ham and cheese, and beef and Thousand Island dressing, all served on two slices of sourdough. If you think that sounds pretty bland, you're not alone.

As it turns out, these sourdough melts weren't particularly popular. Some customers complained about the size of the sandwiches, claiming that they didn't contain enough meat. Plus, meat and sauce alone do not a good sandwich make. By the middle of the 2000s, they were already off the menu, banished to the annals of fast food history. This is one discontinued Arby's dish we weren't too sad to see go. You can always grab some sourdough bread and make your own sourdough melt at home.