It's a typical menu item on many quick-serve restaurants around the country but a hamburger is not something that Arby's has served in its 60-year history, until now.
The fast-food restaurant known for its roast beef sandwiches has decided to try adding a "Wagyu Steakhouse Burger" to its menu. According toTechnomic, Arby's has at least 3,400 restaurants around the U.S., so the historically new menu item could be easier to roll out than larger competitors, like Mcdonald's, which according to CNN, operates some 14,000 locations.
Historic price increases on living expenses caused by inflation is having at least some effect on the restaurant choices Americans are making. Arby's hamburger is expected to cost $5.99, and will only be available for a limited time, ceasing to be on the menu on July 31, according to reports.
Arby's claims that its new burger will be the "highest-quality burger the market has seen yet." And Arby's made a direct challenge to Mcdonald's by claiming that its new burger will be 50% larger than a McDonald's Quarter Pounder, and with "special burger sauce."
In a statement, Patrick Schwing, Arby's chief marketing officer said, "Instead of focusing on making billions of mediocre burgers, we're taking a stance on high-quality meat that deserves to be cooked properly."
It's unclear why Arby's has decided to try what many would see as an off-brand menu item now, after reporting profit increases year-over-year through a pandemic. Inspire Brands, Arby's parent company, said that Arby's "achieved record performance results" in 2021.
