5 Ordering Tips For The Best Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich

Arby's has sold billions of roast beef sandwiches since the chain first opened in 1964. With that many sandwiches sold, it's no surprise that some customers like to shake their order up a little bit to get the best possible roast beef sandwich they can. That's not to say there's anything wrong with the sandwich the way it comes, but variety is the spice of life.

Part of the reason that Arby's' roast beef sandwich is so popular is that it's a simple menu item: It's just shaved roast beef and a bun. That's about as simple a fast food item as you can get. Even a hamburger from Burger King or McDonald's has onions, ketchup, and pickles on top, at a minimum. Arby's keeps it simple and, whether it intended to or not, created a great canvas to build layers of flavor.

You can use many of Arby's other menu items to elevate a traditional roast beef sandwich into something with more texture and flavor. You may have to pay a little more to get the extras here, and some of these can get pretty elaborate, but we think these are the best menu hacks to take the standard roast beef sandwich to the next level.

Shaved roast beef, while savory, can be pretty one-note. The sesame bun adds stability, but not a lot of flavor or much textural contrast. There are sauces you can add, such as Arby's tangy Red Ranch sauce, which has some French dressing and barbecue sauce notes, but that's very basic. To try something new, take inspiration from a classic French onion soup.

Arby's has a French dip on the menu served on a sub roll with Swiss cheese and a side of au jus. For a French Onion Dip, stick with the Classic Roast Beef or upgrade to the Classic French Dip & Swiss. You still want the Swiss cheese and a side of au jus, but add crispy onions, or red onions if you prefer a sharper, fresher taste. There's also the Angus Cheesesteak, which comes with caramelized onions; you could add those to the sandwich for a more authentic French onion taste.

The au jus works great as a dip, but if you don't mind a messier sandwich, you get the best flavor by using it as a sauce. Just be careful pouring it over the meat, and let it soak into the bun a little. Not too much (you don't want it to fall apart), but just enough to get that French onion soup flavor in each bite.

Bacon Cheddar BBQ Beef just sounds indulgent. This sandwich takes advantage of what Arby's has on the menu to turn a traditional roast beef into something with a lot more flavor. The Classic Roast Beef is your base, but you can go double roast beef on any sandwich, or even the full ½ pound if you want to kick it into high gear. Add bacon, which is available on any sandwich at an additional cost. Arby's has several cheese options, but for this sandwich, double down with both natural cheddar slices and the creamy cheddar sauce. That gives you both a sharp cheddar flavor and a creamy contrast to the salty, crunchy bacon.

The final element is BBQ dip. This is usually served with chicken tenders, but when it's added to the sandwich, it brings a tangy, smoky element that balances all of the salty, savory notes already in play. You can also add a bit of Buffalo dip if you want some heat to wake the whole sandwich up. The sauce is what brings the sandwich together, so be liberal with it, especially if you like that BBQ flavor. Spread it on the bun for a hint of smoky taste, but if you pour it directly onto the roast beef, it's even better.

Loaded Roast Beef Curly Fries is a "thinking outside the box" idea that's both delicious and unexpected. You can use a Classic Roast Beef sandwich as the base for this, with one specific tweak: you don't need the bun. Order just the beef (consider doubling the meat to make it more substantial), and have it served in the box the sandwich normally comes in. Add an order of curly fries, a side of cheddar sauce, and red onions.

Use a fork or knife to chop up the sliced beef and onion into bite-sized bits, then add a small order of fries to the other side of the box. Close the box to dump the beef and onion mix on the fries, then scoop the cheddar cheese sauce over the top. As is, this makes a solid Loaded Roast Beef Curly Fries, but you can still add more. If you like it saucy, some Arby's Sauce and Horsey Sauce add a little tang and creaminess, so use about a half packet of each on top.

You could make your loaded fries even more stacked with a few extra tweaks, such as bacon, chicken tenders, or even Arby's' White Cheddar Mac 'n Cheese. Make it a spicy version with Buffalo sauce, or add a fresher element with tomato and lettuce. If you still want a sandwich, adding curly fries to a Classic Roast Beef is always an option.

Arby's has discontinued a few items over the years that fans still seem to love, and the Super Roast Beef is one of them. The sandwich was fairly simple, consisting of roast beef, lettuce, and tomato. Most versions mentioned online these days also include Arby's Red Ranch sauce. The Super Roast Beef with Onion simply includes red onions for more freshness, and a little extra crunch, while taking full advantage of all the vegetables Arby's has to offer.

It's a simple hack to add vegetables to a sandwich. Arby's gives you the option on its website (and in-store) to easily add tomato, lettuce, and onion to any sandwich, but just because it's an option doesn't mean most people take advantage of it, or even realize it's a possibility. You can find comments from people on Reddit who said, "That isn't available in my area." Status quo bias is a real psychological phenomenon that causes people to stick with what's familiar more often than not, so even a simple hack like this isn't commonly ordered because it isn't presented as a standard option. Any Arby's can make you a Super Roast Beef if you find a sandwich loaded with nothing but meat and bread too heavy, and want something that feels lighter and closer to a complete meal.

Even if you love a Classic Roast Beef sandwich from Arby's, one of the most noticeable weaknesses is the lack of texture. Bread and shaved roast beef is soft on soft. Any of the sauces you add, or any cheese, is just more of the same. But Arby's' menu has enough items to add a serious texture boost, along with complementary flavors that take your roast beef sandwich in an unexpected direction. This version works almost like a marriage between Italian beef and veal Parmigiana.

Order a Classic Roast Beef with crispy onions, get a side of mozzarella sticks and marinara sauce, add the mozza sticks to the sandwich, and top the whole thing with the marinara sauce. Both the onions and mozzarella sticks add a crunchy element while the marinara sauce brings a rich, savory flavor that ties everything together. Adding caramelized onions makes it richer and boosts the umami. If you prefer a spicy twist, swap the mozzarella sticks for Jalapeño Bites. Get a side of ranch dip to temper the heat, and you have the same crunch — but with a kick this time.