"Arby's has the meats, or so it's been telling us for years. Despite being the butt of many jokes, the chain perseveres in the fast food landscape. Back in the early 2010s, Arby's was considered one of the worst restaurants in modern history from a financial standpoint. Things were looking grim. Under new leadership over the past decade, the company has ramped up innovation in a bid to turn things around. One of those innovations was a burger with ingredients including elk and venison."
"In 2023, Arby's introduced the Big Game Burger, which combined 34% venison with 33% elk and 33% beef. Aside from the meat trio, it was topped with crispy onions, Swiss cheese, pickles, and a dark cherry sauce. Arby's had already experimented with game meat years before. In 2016, the chain debuted a venison sandwich featuring a steak with crispy onions and a berry sauce. It was only available in select locations, but it sold out in Minnesota in 15 minutes."
"In 2017, the Montana Wildlife Federation criticized Arby's over the ethics of using game meat. They argued that these animals should remain wild and be protected through conservation efforts rather than farmed for food. This isn't the only ethical complaint Arby's has faced, either. Arby's told NPR the meat wasn't even from the United States and came from a New Zealand game farm."
Arby's shifted strategy under new leadership to pursue menu innovation and boost financial performance. The chain introduced game-meat offerings, including a 2016 venison sandwich and a 2017 elk sandwich, with limited regional availability. In 2023 Arby's launched the Big Game Burger combining 34% venison, 33% elk, and 33% beef, topped with crispy onions, Swiss cheese, pickles, and a dark cherry sauce. The earlier venison product sold out in Minnesota within 15 minutes. The meats were farm-raised and sourced from a New Zealand game farm. Conservation groups criticized the use of farmed game animals and raised ethical concerns.
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