The Most Basic Arby's Order Is A Solid Source Of Protein

The new (and very different looking) food pyramid released in January 2026 included some fairly surprising tweaks to the dietary guidelines for all Americans. In fact, the increased emphasis on protein and the use of animal fat when cooking (in lieu of seed oils) might have sent some consumers running to the nearest Arby's. Now, we're not encouraging anyone to make the fast food chain a centerpiece of their diet. But if you're hoping to boost your protein intake to match the latest nutritional recommendations when visiting the restaurant, you don't need to search the menu to find a substantial serving.

The classic Arby's Roast Beef sandwich contains 27 grams of protein in total, a hefty serving for anyone trying to reach their daily recommended intake (which roughly doubled from the previous recommendation). More than that, the classic roast beef comes with far more protein than standard menu items found at other popular fast food chains.

Arby's most famous sandwich comes with more than double the amount of protein found in the classic hamburger from McDonald's, for instance (which offers 12 grams). And the 16 grams offered by the Jr. Jumbo Jack cheeseburger from Jack in the Box seems lacking by comparison — and furthers our belief that it's the worst American burger chain.

If you'd like your Arby's order to boost your protein intake even further, there's ample opportunities to do so. After all, when we previously ranked 12 Arby's sandwiches, each of the three menu items that ranked higher than the classic roast beef packed more protein between the bread.

The top-ranked classic Beef N' Cheddar comes with 33 grams of protein, for example. The corned beef Reuben contains 35 grams, which is also the amount found in the French dip and Swiss. Of course, if you're willing to spend a little more than what you'd pay for an Arby's classic roast beef sandwich, you can also walk away with a sandwich containing twice as much protein. The chain's half-pound French dip and Swiss packs 54 grams of protein, while the half-pound Beef N' Cheddar has a whopping 56 grams inside.

Perhaps the plethora of protein-heavy options offered by Arby's shouldn't surprise anyone, given the bevy of meaty options. Yet even if you want to keep things basic, you can still ensure your protein ingestion is sufficient at Arby's with the tried and true classic roast beef sandwich.