This Is How Arby's Roast Beef Arrives In The Stores

There may be dozens of fast food burger chains to choose from, but if you want roast beef on the go, you're stopping at Arby's. Founded in 1964 in Ohio, Arby's has carved out a roast beef niche all its own in the American fast-food landscape, and still ranks among the 25 largest chain restaurants in the country. But despite decades of popularity, the chain is often subjected to inexplicable rumors, and sometimes been a cultural punching bag. One of those enduring rumors is that Arby's roast beef comes to the store in liquid form, but that is a totally false allegation that was debunked years ago. The reality is that Arby's roast beef simply comes prepacked in a bag of liquid brine.

The gelatinous liquid may be the source of the enduring rumors about Arby's, but there is nothing particularly sinister about it. It is merely a basting solution meant to keep the meat juicy as it roasts. While the preparation method for different meats at Arby's can vary, the roast beef is slow-cooked in-house and then sliced for your favorite Arby's sandwiches. If you are still concerned, you can see that the ingredients listed for Arby's roast beef in the nutrition facts are quite simple. It's only beef, water, salt, and sodium phosphate, a food additive commonly used in curing and preserving food. As far as fast food and ingredient lists go, that isn't all that bad.

While there is nothing particularly unusual or unsavory about how Arby's roast beef arrives at the store, there is the question of what kind of beef it's made from. Arby's sources its meat from a variety of suppliers and offers little transparency about where it comes from. In fact, consumer watchdogs have repeatedly called out Arby's as one of the fast-food chains least forthcoming about the use of antibiotics in beef. As for the cut of beef used, while any social media claims should be taken with a grain of salt, employees on places like Reddit say it's a variety of beef cuts pressed together to form a brick of meat, which is then roasted in-house and sliced. So while Arby's roast beef is made from real beef and relatively simple ingredients, some people may still be concerned over just what they're eating.

Concerns about fast food products are legitimate, but the misconceptions about Arby's roast beef are also proof that many are just wild rumors. It may not be the freshest, most "authentic" roast beef you've ever had, but if you are one of Arby's many fans, there is not much going on behind the scenes to be worried about either.