I tried Arby's new Buffalo chicken meal deal. It left me stuffed, and the price surprised me.

Aug 11, 2026 08:10 PM - 1 hour ago 4

arby's nutrient and 3 deal

The Arby's Meat & 3 woody consists of a sandwich, mozzarella sticks, curly fries, a drink, and a peach cobbler. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

If I told you that you could get a three-course meal astatine Arby's for little than $9, would you judge it?

That's precisely what Arby's Meat & 3 woody purports to offer, pinch an appetizer, entrée, side, dessert, and portion each for $7.99 (or $8.99, depending connected wherever you live).

The woody was introduced successful January, but the concatenation has made insignificant tweaks passim the twelvemonth — astir recently, a Buffalo chickenhearted sandwich was added arsenic an entrée action successful August. As a Buffalo chickenhearted fan, I knew I had to effort this multi-course offering for myself.

Arby's, for illustration astir different fast-food chains, has embraced the worth repast in caller years arsenic customers complain astir rising prices.

However, the deals haven't led to automatic wins: McDonald's reported a slowdown successful maturation this year, pinch activity citing the $3 worth menu, which wasn't implemented consistently crossed locations. Some customers person antecedently called its worth paper items "skimpy," while others conscionable didn't deliberation that the food was worthy the price.

Arby's, which is not a publically traded company, hasn't disclosed really its Meat & 3 woody is performing, but the summation of caller items, specified arsenic the Buffalo chickenhearted sandwich, suggests it's leaning into the push for value.

When I tried the Meat & 3, it was clear nary 1 could impeach it of being skimpy — I was veritably stuffed aft eating it. Most importantly, I didn't deliberation I was paying excessively much. The value was right.

Here's what I thought astir the Meat & 3 deal.

The Meat & 3 woody was added to the Arby's paper successful January, primitively pinch 2 entrée options. Now location are four, including the Buffalo chicken.

arby's container and drink

The container was a spot greasy by the clip I arrived astatine home. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Upon its motorboat successful January 2026 — pinch thief from Chrishell Stause and Ryan Serhant — the Meat & 3 woody was marketed arsenic a drink, an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert, each for $7.99.

At first, diners could take betwixt a classical roast beef sandwich and a crispy chickenhearted sandwich. The repast besides included mozzarella sticks pinch marinara dipping sauce, curly fries, peach cobbler, and a portion of choice.

Now, customers tin take betwixt a Buffalo chickenhearted sandwich, a crispy chickenhearted sandwich, aliases a ham-and-Swiss melt. There's besides a much costly action that replaces the sandwiches pinch a Greek gyro for an other dollar.

As a comparatively new (but committed) Arby's fan, erstwhile I heard astir the summation of the caller Buffalo chickenhearted sandwich, I knew I needed to effort it.

After I added food to my sandwich for $1, my repast was $9.99 earlier tax.

arby's nutrient and 3

The full meal. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

You mightiness beryllium thinking, "Wait, if the food was only $1 extra, shouldn't it person been $8.99?"

However, aft looking astatine online menus from various Arby's locations crossed the US, I recovered that immoderate connection the $7.99 deal, while others complaint $8.99.

Arby's did not respond to a petition for remark from Business Insider astir really these value differences are determined.

In my experience, Arby's sandwiches tin beryllium connected the drier side, but not this one.

buffalo chickenhearted sandwich arby's

The interior of the Buffalo chickenhearted sandwich. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

I really enjoyed this sandwich — it had a bully magnitude of chicken, and the Buffalo condiment had a kick, but not excessively much.

I besides enjoyed the ranch dressing, which had a unsocial flavor. At first, I almost thought it was a very mild bluish food sauce, but erstwhile I consulted the menu, I discovered it was, successful fact, ranch.

In erstwhile orders, I've recovered that Arby's sandwiches tin beryllium barren without cheese, truthful I decided to adhd a portion here, but it wasn't necessary. Between the Buffalo and the ranch, this was rather moist.

At first, I was irritated that the repast only came pinch 2 mozzarella sticks, but that ended up being much than enough.

arby's mozzarella sticks

The mozzarella sticks. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Usually, erstwhile you deliberation of a mozzarella stick "appetizer," the bid contains 3 aliases four, truthful I felt somewhat jilted erstwhile I realized location were only two. But aft eating 1 (pretty solid) mozzarella stick, I knew that 2 was much than enough.

I was, however, missing the marinara dipping cup. While I don't for illustration utilizing that type of condiment anyway, it was expected to beryllium portion of the order.

If not ordered arsenic portion of the deal, 4 mozzarella sticks astatine Arby's costs $5.49, aliases astir $1.37 per stick. That would beryllium astir $2.75 for two.

The curly fries, arsenic usual, were the MVP.

arby's curly fries

Arby's curly fries. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Arby's is celebrated for its curly fries, and arsenic usual, they did not disappoint. They are crispy, well-seasoned, and not excessively oily. I would return them complete any different fast-food fries.

A mini bid of fries extracurricular the repast costs $2.99.

Finally, it was clip for the peach cobbler. I'd admit a wider prime of dessert.

arby's peach cobbler

The peach cobbler. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

The peach cobbler is simply a comparatively caller summation to the menu; it debuted successful January on pinch the Meat & 3 deal.

I would've overmuch preferred the prime betwixt a cookie, a brownie, aliases moreover immoderate pome slices, for illustration the ones offered astatine McDonald's. As it stands, the woody includes a batch of fried food.

A two-piece peach cobbler, erstwhile not portion of the deal, is $3.50, truthful each portion is $1.75.

It wasn't bad, but it was very cinnamon-forward.

inside the arby's peach cobbler

Inside the peach cobbler. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

I hardly tasted the peach erstwhile I took a bite. Instead, I was deed pinch a blast of cinnamon that I hadn't expected.

While the cobbler was bully overall, it was my slightest favourite portion of the meal. However, it's imaginable I was already stuffed to the brim and incapable to bask its merits.

For $8.99 (or $9.99, if you're for illustration maine and request cheese), this is an astonishing deal.

arby's nutrient and 3

The Meat & 3 successful each its glory. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

If I had ordered these items separately, the repast would've costs astir $18.47 pre-tax. However, I paid $10.85 total. That's astir half the price, and the magnitude of nutrient is generous.

I would decidedly get this again — particularly if Arby's adds much options — but I request to make judge I person a wholly quiet tummy adjacent clip I order.

Read next

Gabbi Shaw is simply a newsman connected Business Insider's editorial partnerships team. She covers entertainment, travel, food, and manner for Business Insider, and Insider Inc.'s partners, including MSN, Apple News, and Yahoo.She graduated from Tulane University successful 2017 pinch a grade successful nationalist wellness and now lives successful New York City. She tin beryllium reached connected X aliases LinkedIn.Please nonstop each inquiries, comments, aliases tips to [email protected].Selected stories:

  • I traveled from New York City to Disney World and backmost successful 24 hours. It was exhausting, but I saved hundreds of dollars.
  • I tried $5 worth meals from McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's. They're the cleanable measurement for chains to lure customers.
  • Hannah Brown says her post-'Bachelor' hookup pinch Peter Weber 'wasn't good' and ended pinch him leaving her pinch his parents and a $100 bill
  • A billionaire heir built 1 of America's largest homes. His bitter divorcement intends his $195 cardinal mansion is for sale.
  • Every movie and TV show successful Marvel's Phase 5, ranked
  • I shopped for vacation decor astatine Five Below and Dollar Tree. Both impressed me, but only 1 is catering to Gen Z.
  • Apple TV+ is the astir underrated streaming service. Here are the 24 champion shows to watch.
  • See wrong Oheka Castle, the 127-room Long Island property that inspired 'The Great Gatsby'
  • I went to Arby's for the first time. I paid $38 for a delicious, meat-filled feast that easy could've fed 3 people.
  • After a summertime of turmoil, 'The Bachelorette' yet fto reality in, and it points to a promising early for the show
More