How Arby's Instigated A Years-Long Feud With Vegetarians

The term vegan was coined in 1944, but there have likely been vegetarians in the world for as long as there have been humans. More than one in five people on earth today are vegetarian either by choice or necessity. It's a way of eating that everyone is aware of, yet it is still the object of mockery by some, especially in the West. For a clear and unusual example of this, look no further than the restaurant chain Arby's, which has a history of openly taunting vegetarians.

Research has been conducted on why some people dislike vegans and vegetarians, with reasons ranging from perceived threats to moral self image to beliefs that vegans see themselves as superior. Because Arby's is a sandwich chain that has leaned heavily into advertising its use of meat, as seen in the slogan "we have the meats," its identity is at odds with vegan or vegetarian philosophies. While many fast food chains seek to accommodate potential vegan customers with meat-free options, Arby's chose to make fun of vegetarians.

We covered some interesting facts about Arby's in the past, and its vegan antagonism was one of the points we brought up. In 2015, as a PR move, the chain published an open letter to vegetarians. The tone is mocking throughout, presenting a faux-supportive missive to vegetarians who might be tempted by the chain's brown sugar bacon. It included a satirical hotline number for vegetarians supposedly in distress.

In 2014, Arby's published ads showing meat-filled sandwiches with the caption "Don't worry, vegetarians, we also have turkey and chicken." These were met with equal parts scorn and confusion as many commenters were unsure what the restaurant was trying to say.

In 2016, Arby's introduced a joke vegetarian menu. Available only on February 29, Leap Day, it was a once every four years deal. One of the vegetarian offerings was a bun with nothing in it. Later, in 2017, Redditors brought up how rude Arby's anti-vegetarian Spotify ads were. Then, in 2019, as the Impossible Burger was gaining popularity, Arby's joked about Megetables, vegetables made entirely from meat, including a carrot made from turkey.

A review of social media history shows that Arby's was at least polite to vegetarians in 2011 and 2012. When people on X (formerly Twitter) asked about vegetarian options, the official reply was that they didn't have any but could customize selections. By 2014, the official account was tweeting things like, "For every vegetarian there is an equal but opposite person. Be that person."

The anti-vegetarian sentiment from Arby's has died down a bit over the last few years but hasn't vanished completely. The chain still takes digs on social media and often appears to instigate the problem. Vegetarians, understandably, have never been amused by the jokes. Arby's has been accused of just craving attention and trying to garner clicks for its website, not by appealing to its customers but by provoking aggrieved vegetarians and amused meat eaters. The strategy also seemed to pay off with increased sales. If you're a non-vegan yourself, feel free to check out our rankings of Arby's sandwiches before your next visit.