On Monday, Arby’s announced that it would be serving a wagyu burger for a limited time — the first time in company history that it has served a burger. The fast-food chain claimed that it is the “highest quality burger the market has seen yet.”
On the internet, customers seemed to be mostly pleased with the Wagyu Steakhouse Burger.
Reporters at Yahoo Finance decided to give it a try, saying it was “worth the hype.”
.@alliecanal8193 taste tests Arby’s new ‘Wagyu Steakhouse Burger’: “This is really good.” pic.twitter.com/qNGfOb5w0P
— Yahoo Finance (@YahooFinance) May 23, 2022
Another customer claimed that the burger was “10x tastier than in-n-out.”
.@Arbys is the most underrated institution in America. It’s been the highest quality fast food restaurant for almost a decade. The new burger that debuted today is no different. It’s 10x tastier than in-n-out, while being much less greasy than five guys or shake shack #arbys pic.twitter.com/qFMtSzEnU2
— Sam Riber (@samriber) May 24, 2022
However, not everyone was impressed. Another customer on Twitter said the burger is “100% wack.”
Hey @Arbys that new "wagyu burger" is 100% wack. Tastes gamy and freezer-burnt, definitely not like an $11.43-with-fries-and-soda value. pic.twitter.com/b2k8rJKtKs
— Jim Salter (@jrssnet) May 23, 2022
My review: After reading so much about the burger, I figured it was only fair that I try it. By no means am I claiming to be a burger expert. I have the occasional burger when I’m out with friends or at a barbecue, but it’s usually not my first choice when going out to eat. Arby’s isn’t usually my first choice of restaurant, either.
I decided to take a trip to my local Arby’s to give this new menu item a shot. I ordered the regular deluxe burger, with a small fry and shake, totaling $10.81.
Arby’s Wagyu Steakhouse Burger, which is available for a limited time.
Ashley Nash
To my untrained eye, the burger looked fine, but not remarkable. It’s a big, reportedly 50% larger than McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. The edges of the patty were crispy, like promised, the bun wasn’t soggy or deflated, and the vegetables looked presentable and fresh.
As for the taste, it wasn’t bad, nor life-changing. The patty is thick, thicker than what you’d get at In-N-Out or McDonald’s. It was crispy, but not threateningly pink in the middle — in my opinion, it could have been a little more rare. Usually I’m deterred from fast-food burgers because they’re too greasy or salty, but this was neither.
The sauce was good, but again, nothing to write home about. I think it nicely complemented the pickles and onions that came with the sandwich. The burger wasn’t too dry, but wasn’t unmanageably juicy, either. As someone who is sensitive to fast food, the Arby’s burger didn’t leave me feeling groggy afterwards, as other fast-food places sometimes do.
Overall, it wasn’t my favorite fast-food burger ever, but if I had to eat it again I wouldn’t be opposed. I would prefer it over a McDonald’s burger by a long shot, but I wouldn’t take it over something from a sit-down restaurant that specializes in the food item.
Bottom line: I was pleasantly surprised. To be honest, I didn’t have high expectations for Arby’s, but this burger exceeded them.