Stop Settling for Basic: Master Arby's Secret Ordering System in 10 Minutes
Difficulty: Novice
Time: 10 minutes (once you know what to ask for)
Cost: Varies by location and customization
Ready to turn your next Arby's visit into a masterpiece? Most people stick to whatever's on those bright menu boards. You can do better. Arby's has quietly built one of the most customization-friendly setups in fast food, a playground for anyone who likes to tweak. Since the Raffel brothers started slicing roast beef back in 1964, Arby's has expanded to more than 3,600 locations across the globe, which means your creative combos have room to roam.
The beauty of Arby's secret ordering is not just getting something different. It is building a repeatable system that nets more value, smarter flavor pairings, and exactly what you crave, every time.
What You'll Need to Know
Key Information
- Secret menu item names (Meat Mountain, French Dip Max, etc.)
- Standard menu items that can be customized
- Free add-ons available at most locations
Ordering Tools
- Confidence to ask for modifications
- Willingness to explain what you want if staff isn't familiar
- Patience for custom preparation
Safety First
- Check for food allergies, especially with multi-meat items like the Meat Mountain
- Ask about cross-contamination if you have severe allergies
- Verify pricing before ordering, as costs vary significantly by location
Master the Secret Menu Classics
1. Order the Legendary Meat Mountain
Here's the crown jewel that started the secret menu revolution. Created in 2014, the Meat Mountain was the combined result of hungry customers and a marketing strategy going off the tracks in the best way. The layers include three half-strips of bacon, two chicken tenders, and 1.5 ounces each of roast beef, angus steak, brisket, corned beef, ham, and roast turkey, as well two slices of cheese: one cheddar and one Swiss. It is a stack, and then some.
The pricing has evolved over the decade. Over a decade later, the sandwich is still an option, albeit a little pricier, ranging around $20 for the sandwich alone, though exact cost may vary by location.
How to order: Simply ask for "the Meat Mountain" by name. Most staff recognize it since it's been around for a decade now.
Pro optimization strategy: Transform this massive sandwich from dry to delicious with two key requests. First, ask for the entire sandwich to be warmed, so that the temperature is consistent and the cheese becomes melty. Then consider ordering condiments like BBQ sauce, Horsey sauce, Arby's Sauce, or cheddar cheese sauce to add some flavor and moisture to the sandwich. Suddenly it eats like a real sandwich, not just a dare.
2. Upgrade to French Dip Max
Use the same "more where it counts" mindset. The standard French Dip & Swiss comes with around 3.5 ounces of roast beef, but the French Dip Max doubles the meat to 7 ounces, with two slices of Swiss cheese. Doubling portions often costs less than buying two sandwiches, and you still get that au jus for dunking until the cup runs dry.
How to order: Ask for "French Dip Max" by name, or request double meat on your French Dip & Swiss.
3. Build the Ultimate BLT
This is where secret menu thinking spawns a new lane. The original Ultimate BLT came with 5 strips of bacon, but the secret menu version comes with 8, served on honey wheat topped with extra lettuce, tomato and mayo. Not just more bacon, a better BLT rhythm: crisp, salty, juicy, then creamy.
How to order: Ask for the "Ultimate BLT" or request 8 strips of bacon on honey wheat with lettuce, tomato, and mayo.
Hack Your Regular Orders
4. Create an Arby's Melt
Move from legends to simple, repeatable tweaks. The Arby's Melt is an off-menu item that can be ordered by requesting a Classic Roast Beef with cheddar cheese sauce. Translation, any sandwich plus any sauce can be a new creation.
How to order: Ask for a Classic Roast Beef sandwich and add cheddar cheese sauce.
5. Double Up Your Reuben
Apply the French Dip Max logic to deli favorites. You can request a double meat Reuben at Arby's, which transforms the standard into a more substantial meal. The Double Stacked Reuben features double the corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing on toasted rye bread. Bigger bite, same build.
How to order: Ask for double meat on your Reuben, or request the "Double Stacked Reuben."
6. Add Bacon to Your Beef 'n Cheddar
Small add, big payoff. Arby's Beef 'n Cheddar is a fan favorite—but some say adding bacon makes it even better. That crispy, smoky hit locks in the "protein stacking" idea that powers most Arby's hacks.
How to order: Ask to add bacon to any Beef 'n Cheddar sandwich.
Use Free Customizations Like a Pro
7. Switch Your Bread for Free
Here's where strategic thinking really pays off. You can switch the bread used on any sandwich for any other bread that they carry at Arby's without any upcharge. Switch up the bread on any sandwich (regular or secret) for free! Choose from a sesame seed bun, onion roll, sub roll, rye, brioche, or honey wheat bread. A simple swap can make a six-dollar sandwich feel premium.
How to order: Simply ask to substitute any bread type when ordering your sandwich.
8. Master the Free Add-On System
This is where you stack value. Most Arby's locations can accommodate custom requests such as swapping bread varieties, adding sauces, onion tanglers, or extra toppings, often without extra charge. Any Arbys sauce, with the exception of Cheese sauce, can be added to any sandwich without an added charge.
Free additions include:
- Any Arby's sauce (except cheese sauce)
- Onion tanglers
- Red ranch sauce
- Au jus on the side
Strategic ordering: Combine these free additions with bread swaps and paid modifications to build a custom lineup that eats like restaurant fare for fast-food money.
9. Build Off-Menu Combinations
Think like a cook using what is already in the kitchen. Even though it's not explicitly on the menu, the restaurant has all of the ingredients for a BLT or grilled cheese. You can upgrade the chain's mac and cheese by adding bacon.
Advanced combinations:
- Ham and Swiss sandwich using deli components
- Bacon mac and cheese for a loaded side
- Chicago-style beef dip with banana peppers and Italian seasoning added to the French Dip & Swiss
Troubleshooting Your Orders
Problem: Staff doesn't recognize secret menu names → Fix: Explain the ingredients instead. Most items are creative combinations of existing ingredients, so describing what you want usually works.
Problem: Location says they can't make modifications → Fix: Start with free add-ons, then ask for simple tweaks. Corporate-owned stores tend to be more flexible than franchises.
Problem: Price seems too high for modifications → Fix: Ask for pricing before ordering and lean on free customizations first. Build around no-charge additions, then add paid upgrades if you still want them.
Why These Hacks Work
Why it works: They began slicing turkey right in their restaurants along with their famous roast beef in 2012, which set up a kitchen geared for customization. Most secret menu items are available at all Arby's locations because the infrastructure supports creative combinations; they already have the ingredients, sauces, and equipment to make what you describe.
The chain has built its identity around being accommodating. When you use these approaches, you are playing to their strengths, not fighting them.
You are set. Start with the free customizations to build confidence, then level up to the classics. Stack sauces, swap breads, double the meat when it makes sense. With a little practice, every visit becomes exactly what you want, and your wallet keeps pace with your taste buds.
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