How Boomers Remember Arby's Before The Roast Beef Was Pre-Packaged

In 1964, amidst the hamburger-dominant fast food scene in America, Arby's was founded in Boardman, Ohio, offering roast beef sandwiches as its specialty. And though the chain, to this day, is still known for many of its original menu items like the OG roast beef sandwich, customers from the Baby Boomer generation have fond memories of the meat being sliced and served differently, way back in "their day." In Facebook groups dedicated to the topic, such stories of yore claim: "In 1969 Arby's had a HUGE hunk o beef hanging on a hook where the employees sliced it and put it on your sandwiches." Another exclaimed, "Yes, in the beginning they sold real roast beef. You could watch them slicing the beef. It was so delicious!"

Over in another Facebook group, similars stories popped up. "In the mid 1960s it was real chunks of beef round ... real unaltered, nothing added to hold it together, roasted for hours then sliced thin," said one former customer. "It was steaming as it was cut and it piled softly on the bun," added another.

Yet, there seems to be some debate on when and if the roast beef at Arby's was ever from a solid piece of beef or some kind of compressed log. "Didn't have it in Michigan in '64 when they first started. By the time it got here it was already processed beef logs," claimed one person. "Was never real meat, always compressed meat products," agreed another past Arby's customer.

A peek at the ingredient list on Arby's website does prove that meat is real. Beef, water, salt, and sodium phosphates are the only ingredients. Because it is pre-packed and shipped to locations, though, it is technically a processed product. According to a post by a self-proclaimed employee on Reddit: "It's precooked and shipped to us [...] the roast beef is slow roasted in house though." Another corroborates this claim saying, "The beef comes in a brine bag that's slow cooked in an oven, and then we slice it fresh."

Another reported employee says at their specific Arby's, "The meat is cooked, then placed into a holding unit. Then it's sliced, placed into a holding drawer for up to three hours and served on sandwiches." While another person shed some light on the different methods: "This only applies to cook and hold stores. Other stores cook beef for the next 4-6 hours at a time and slice fresh upon order."

Regardless of whether the beef was ever brought in and cooked whole (we may never know), the texture of the roast beef in this vintage ad shared in another Facebook post surely shows a big difference compared to Arby's website today. Not to worry, Classic Beef 'N Cheddar lovers, your favorite is still at the top of the chain's 12 sandwiches ranked from worst to best. Luckily for Boomers, there are still items from the original menu you can get today.