* Arby’s Releases First Hamburger in Company History.

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From qsrmagazine.com

Arby’s Releases First Hamburger in Company History

The innovation is 50 percent larger than McDonald’s Quarter Pounder, Arby’s says.
FAST FOOD | MAY 23, 2022 | BEN COLEY

ARBY’S

The burger is 6.4 ounces, or 40 percent of a pound.

Arby’s coined catch phrase “We have the Meats” is taking on a new meaning.

On Monday, the country’s second-largest sandwich chain (in terms of footprint) released the premium Wagyu Steakhouse Burger, its first hamburger.

Roughly 52 percent of the meat is American Wagyu, which is a blend of Japanese Wagyu and high-quality continental breeds of cattle, the company said. The remaining 48 percent is ground beef. It’s is topped with American cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onion, and a special burger sauce on a toasted buttery brioche bun. Customers are able to add bacon and ranch to add even more flavor. The menu innovation is cooked using sous vide style, which “locks in juices and rich flavor, producing a juicy, tender burger with a slightly pink center.”

“Premium Wagyu is normally reserved for the finest steakhouses, but the meat experts at Arby’s are now bringing it to the masses,” the company said in a statement.

The burger is 6.4 ounces, or 40 percent of a pound, making it more than 50 percent larger than McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. Starting at $5.99, it will be available from May 23 to July 31.

“Boring Burgers are a fast-food staple, so Arby’s felt compelled to raise the bar with a Wagyu Steakhouse Burger. “Instead of focusing on making billions of mediocre burgers, we’re taking a stance on high-quality meat that deserves to be cooked properly,” CMO Patrick Schwing said in a statement. “As the meat experts, we’ve spent over two years of dedicated research and development to deliver a premium burger that redefines what’s possible from a drive thru. Overdone burgers are over and done.”

The Wagyu Steakhouse Burger is the latest example of Arby’s innovating outside the sandwich space. In March 2021, the chain added crinkle fries as a permanent menu item to go alongside its classic curly fries. Later in the year, the fast-food chain launched six-piece boneless wings available in a Classic Buffalo Sauce and Hot Honey Sauce.

Arby’s is coming off a successful 2021 in which U.S. same-store sales rose 5.2 percent year-over-year and 11.7 percent on a two-year stack. Parent company Inspire Brands, which also owns, Dunkin’, Baskin-Robbins, Sonic Drive-In, Jimmy John’s, Rusty Taco, and Buffalo Wild Wings, grew domestic digital sales more than 35 percent to $6 billion-plus and increased its loyalty user base to almost 50 million members. The company opened more than 1,400 restaurants in 2021, including more than 500 franchise-led stores in the U.S.