Arbys Roast Beef Restaurant Locations Locator Map and Directory

Background

Arby's is a fast food restaurant franchise in the United States and Canada that is primarily known for selling roast beef sandwiches, potato cakes, curly fries and Jamocha milkshakes and spicy chicken strips. The company's target market attempts to be more adult-oriented than other fast food restaurants. The Arby's menu also includes appetizers, chicken tenders, salads, Market Fresh (deli-style) sandwiches and wraps. However, their focus has always been roast beef.

History

Arby's was founded by brothers Forrest and Leroy Raffel, who were determined to open a fast food franchise based on a food other than hamburgers. The name "Arby's" came as a result of the brothers' inability to use their preferred name of "Big Tex," which was already being used by an Akron businessman. They eventually decided on the Arby's moniker, based on R.B., the initials of the Raffel Brothers. (By coincidence, R.B. can also be short for roast beef, the company's main product, a point which was used when the backronym "America's Roast Beef, Yes Sir" was used as an advertising campaign in the 1980s.)

The Raffel brothers opened their first restaurant in Boardman, Ohio (located just outside of Youngstown) on July 23, 1964, where they initially served only roast beef sandwiches, potato chips and rootbeer. A year later, the first Arby's licensee opened a restaurant in Akron, Ohio. Expansion to other states began in 1968. Triarc Companies, Inc. purchased Arby’s in 1993. As of 2006, there are over 3500 restaurants. Around that time, More Arby's franchises were operated by Atlanta-based RTM Restaurant Group than the franchisor, New York based Triarc.