Fast Food Review: The Original Roast Beef Sandwich from Roy Rogers
The Roy Rogers Roast Beef Sandwich is a simple sandwich. It is basically sliced roast beef on a soft bun. I have had this sandwich several times and the only complaint is that the consistency of the meat changes. For the most part the meat is tender and juicy, but at times, it may be chewy and a little more fatty. This is due to the fact that they use “real” roast beef rather than processed like other restaurants. If getting it “to go”, I usually order a “fixins” cup (fresh lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles) and a pack of mayo just in case the sandwich is a little on the dry side, which does happen on occasion. If I am eating in, I’ll create my masterpiece myself at the “fixins” bar. Definitely an advantage over Arby’s right there.
I really like it when the juices from the meat absorb into the roll. With that going on, the condiments aren’t really needed as much. It’s nice to just savor the sandwich as is and take in the flavors of the roast beef. As with most sandwiches, you do have the option to add a slice of American cheese. I chose not to this time, to cut down on the fat and calories. As big as this sandwich is, weighing 192g, its a good alternative for a healthier meal choice. This sandwich only has 320 calories and 10 grams of fat. Add a side salad or fresh fruit cup and you have a pretty healthy lunch. Sure, new products will come and go (read our Roy Rogers BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich review), but items that take up residence on the Roy Rogers menu board stay up there for a reason. The customers keep buying them and it helps that there’s not a lot of fast food roast beef choices to choose from. If you’re near a Roy’s, it’s worth a try.
- Pros: Real roast beef has a good flavor. Pretty hearty sandwich for the price. Healthier sandwich option.
- Cons: Inconsistency in the quality of the beef regarding fat and dryness.
Taste: 8.75/10
Value: 7.00/10
Grubbing on the Go: 9.00/10
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GrubGrade: 8.50/10 (Very Good)
(Overall GrubGrade is not an average)
Price: $4.19
Nutrition Facts – Original Roast Beef Sandwich
Calories – 320
Total Fat – 10 grams
Saturated Fat – 3 grams
Cholesterol – 62 milligrams
Sodium – 875 milligrams
Carbs – 29 grams
Fiber – 3 grams
Protein – 31 grams
I used to love, love, love me some Roy Rogers, but sadly, there are none handy to me any more.
1Is it real roast beef or “real” roast beef? and what’s the difference? I hate when companies use terms like this…..like cheddar “taste” rather than just …..cheddar. or smoke “flavor”….bastards! There is some chemist somewhere that’s is totally loaded off these fast food joints. Roy Rogers sounds cool though….not near me
2Looks better than Arbys! Unfortunatly I don’t often run accross RR’s in my area either…
3I like how their website is designed, very sparse, it makes a statement.
4Man, Roy Rogers brings back some seriously fond memories of driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
I always appreciated the fact that they had bacon on their burgers well before BK and McDonalds and they gave their fixins and especially barbecue sauce away for free.
Do they still offer ice milk?
5Looks good. So if you have to choose, Arby’s or RR, what would you pick? I wonder what the serving size is as well. Arby’s skimps on the roast beef if you get the smallest size and it looks like RR might have them beat.
6When I worked at Roys 25 years ago (God I’m old!) we roasted the beef every day, all day. Coat the suckers with a salty seasoning and roast. The juices were added to the au jus mixture. Every sandwich was sliced to order, steamed if they wanted it more well done and extra au jus added when asked. The roast beef sandwiches were so good nothing compared to Arby’s. Unfortunately they were sold to Hardees and disappeared. I wonder if the few remaining on the turnpike still have the quality stardard that Roys (which was owned by Marriott at the time) use to have.
7I haven’t ate at a Roy Rodgers since I was a kid. That roast beef does look better than the “loaf” the competition serves. I like the ideas of getting your own fixins cup. Hardee’s used to offer the same some time back. I prefer having controle over what goes on my sandwiches, instead of trusting some kid gooping things on haphazardly.
One thing I must say. Mayo on a roast beef sandwich? Sure, I can’t stand that putrid stuff myself, but despite that fact, it just sounds completely wrong. Even worse than it being spread on a good burger. Yuk!
8@ Raiders757 … Haha, yeah I’m thinking the same thing about the mayo comment. If anything, I’ll put some Horseradish of BBQ sauce. No mayo though.
9I detect a lack of horseradish sauce.
I have the last Roy Rogers left on Long Island within a 10 minute drive of me (in a town with McD’s, BK, Wendy’s, Subway, Blimpie, KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Boston Market, Taco Bell, Nathan’s, Checkers and Domino’s) and they are amazing. Gold Rush chicken sandwiches and a holster of fries? Yes sir. Plus the fixins bar is the greatest thing in all of fast food.
However, they don’t have the menu of the Plamondon Roy Rogers and there’s some notable omissions (Double R Bar Burger and some of the newer items)
10Roy Rogers blows away Arbys when it comes to roast beef flavor. Arby’s beef sandwiches taste like chemicals. Ugh. In its hayday, I used to order all my Roy’s sandwiches with their incredibly good tasting french fries unlike those gov’t mandated fries they try to push on us nowdays. Talk about loss of liberty! Can you say “loss of business”? Everything I order these days is without fries. They also had great tasting flaky apple turnovers unlike those deep fried greasy ones. Some corporate geniuses have managed to destroy a great fast food chain. What a shame.
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