Why Does Everyone Seem To Hate Arby's? Inside The Fast Food Chain's Controversy

Arby's, owned by Inspire Brands, is one of the largest sandwich chains in the United States. The restaurant opened in 1964, and is well known for items like seasoned curly fries, iconic sauces like Horsey sauce and Arby's Sauce, and, of course, "Premium Angus Beef" – a labeling loophole many restaurants use to trick customers' minds. Although it has over 3,000 restaurants, many of its locations don't have extremely favorable ratings from customers. Comments that range from cold food to poor service to finding hair in their orders are not uncommon feedback from displeased Arby's visitors. Geotagged Twitter data collected by The Daring Kitchen once found that four states, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Arkansas, all claimed Arby's was the "most hated" fast food joint amongst residents (via WFLA). Luckily, the world's largest Arby's location resides in a state further east.

While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, is seems that many share a dislike for Arby's — and the fast food chain's unforgettable Jamocha milkshake doesn't seem to be enough to win people over. But what would make so many people loathe this fast food restaurant? Well, Arby's claims to have the meats, but it also has an abundance of controversies.

In 2025, a New York woman filed a lawsuit alleging that Arby's decreased their portions while keeping the prices the same. The lawyers representing her have accused the chain of shrinkflation — a cost management practice used by companies to avoid raising prices of merchandise. Supposedly, Arby's got rid of its kid-sized beverages and fries and re-labeled them as a small. What was once a small drink and fries became the new medium sized, while the old medium items were now labeled as large. As of the time of publication, this suit is currently ongoing.

A 2020 suit filed in the Eastern district of New York by the Russo Firm also attacked the quality and quantity of Arby's roast beef sandwiches. According to the lawsuit, advertising showed the product piled high with rare meat. However, the plaintiffs claimed that the beef appeared gray and was a much smaller portion than advertised. Clearly, legal battles don't always result in the closure of a business, but it can negatively contribute to public opinion.

In 2004, an Ohio man got shredded lettuce and a bit of thumb in his Arby's sandwich. The customer filed a $50,000 lawsuit after rejecting an offer from the company. It's safe to say that people felt a bit uneasy eating at the fast food chain once word of this discovery got around. 

Then, in 2012, a Michigan teenager discovered a part of a finger inside his Arby sandwich. According to feedback from the local police and Health Department via CBS News, an employee had accidentally sliced off the back of their finger while working. Unaware of the problem, coworkers continued filling orders — resulting in the severed finger present in a sandwich. An Arby's spokesperson claimed that this was an "isolated and unfortunate accident," although historically speaking, that isn't exactly truthful. 

In 2015, a Arby's employee in Florida allegedly denied service to a police officer. Per CBS News, a sergeant pulled into the drive-thru to place an order, but an employee claimed to be too busy with other customers. The manager was called to help out, and that's when things went south. According to the officer, the manager made a comment claiming that they did not want to serve police officers. Later, the worker would claim it was just a joke and not a refusal to serve the cop. 

A national boycott of Arby's was threatened by a local police union. It didn't get that far, however, the wives of the officers did have a protest in front of the restaurant location where the incident occurred. Shortly afterwards, Arby's issued an apology, and then fired the shift manager. By the end of the week, Arby's offered free food for one day to all officers in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The officers had to be in uniform to take advantage of the deal. 

Once again, an unfortunate choice of words caused problems at an Arby's in Minnesota in 2019. People via Audacy reported that management at the Elk River restaurant location posted a sign: "Only well behaved children who can keep their food on their trays and their bottoms on their seats are welcome. If you can't do this you will be asked to leave." Maybe this signage was sparked by misbehaving kids and frustrated patrons. Whatever the cause, it did not go over well amongst customers with children. 

Christine Hemsworth, a mother of three, told KARE-11 News, "I was shocked to find a sign like that ... I always clean up my children's mess anyways, but it was an uncomfortable and stressful meal." Arby's swiftly issued an apology, claiming that the sign was insensitive and "does not reflect our company values and the family-friendly environment." However, it is understandable if parents of young children now think twice before bringing their family to Arby's for dinner.