How Does the Arby's Slicer Work (And Is the Meat Real)?

Arby’s entire marketing campaign is “We Have The Meats.” But there is a persistent internet rumor that Arby’s roast beef arrives at the store as a weird, liquid paste that is poured into a mold.

If you work at Arby’s, you know this is a myth. But the reality of how the meat is prepared and sliced is actually fascinating—and operating the slicer is the most highly regulated job in the store.

Is the Meat Real?

Yes, it is real beef. It does not arrive as a liquid.

The roast beef arrives at the store completely raw, vacuum-sealed in heavy plastic bags, submerged in a salty beef broth marinade.

Every morning, the prep team places these massive, 10-pound raw beef roasts into a slow-cooking oven. They roast for approximately 3 to 4 hours. Once the internal temperature hits the corporate safety standard, the roasts are moved into a specialized holding oven where they rest and stay hot all day.

The Deli Slicer Station

Arby’s does not pre-slice their meat. The meat is sliced to order, paper-thin, using a massive, commercial-grade deli slicer located right on the assembly line.

If you are assigned to the Slicer station, you are usually a manager or a highly trusted adult employee.

• The Technique: The hot roast beef is placed onto the slicer carriage. You turn the machine on, and rapidly slide the carriage back and forth across the spinning blade. The paper-thin slices fall onto a scale.
• The Weight: Every single Arby’s sandwich has a strict weight requirement. A Classic Roast Beef must have exactly 3 ounces of meat. You slice the meat until the digital scale hits exactly 3.0, and then you use tongs to place the hot meat onto the bun.

The Safety Gear

Commercial slicers are incredibly dangerous. If you are cleaning the slicer at the end of the night, you are required to unplug the machine and wear a thick Kevlar mesh glove. One slip without the glove, and the blade will easily take the tip of a finger off. Because of this hazard, employees under the age of 18 are legally prohibited from operating or cleaning the slicer in almost every state.