"If you couldn't tell by those "We Have the Meats" commercials, Arby's is a true carnivore's paradise. Between all the roast beef sandwiches and steak nuggets, the chain has continually reinforced its identity as the nation's arbiter of meat-first fast food. Judging by former President Rob Lynch's past comments, that's also probably a big reason why we haven't seen a plant-based roast beef option come out of the fast food chain's kitchens just yet."
"In an interview with Fortune in 2019, Lynch - who was at Arby's between 2013 and 2019 - responded to rumors about Arby's and Impossible Foods discussing a meatless offering by saying, "It won't happen on my watch." Adding that "the only way [it would happen was] if I got fired for some reason," Lynch went on to explain that going plant-based would mess with the restaurant's meat-centric image."
"This attitude probably influenced some of the anti-vegetarian marketing stunts rolled out during his tenure, including a "Vegetarian Support Hotline" for those craving Arby's brown sugar-glazed pepper bacon, as well as the infamous "Marrot," which was a "carrot" made from turkey. But perhaps the most pointed jab was the restaurant's Leap Day "vegetarian" menu that simply removed meat from their sandwiches, leaving poor vegetarians with nothing but the bun and some toppings."
Arby's has cultivated a meat-first identity centered on roast beef sandwiches and steak nuggets, positioning the chain as a carnivore-focused fast food brand. Leadership publicly rejected collaborations with plant-based companies, arguing that plant-based offerings would undermine the brand's meat-centric image and core DNA. Marketing under that leadership included anti-vegetarian stunts such as a Vegetarian Support Hotline, a turkey "Marrot," and a Leap Day "vegetarian" menu that removed meat from sandwiches. The roast beef sandwich remains a signature, best-selling item, which keeps plant-based roast beef options unlikely while the meat-focused positioning is maintained.
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