Arby's 3 with Larry Fong

"Arby's 3 with Larry Fong" is Episode 304 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Arby's 3 with Larry Fong" was released on June 10, 2021.

## Synopsis

Larry Fong (*300*, *Lost*, *Kong: Skull Island*, *The Tomorrow War*) joins the 'boys and talks music videos and his history with fast food before a review of Arby's. Plus, the gang drafts their favorite time travelers.

## Nick's intro

The second largest restaurant company in the US is, in all likelihood, a company you've never even heard of: Inspire Brands.

Inspire's brands include such iconic chains as Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin' Donuts, Jimmy John's, and Sonic. And in the matryoshka doll of modern capitalism, Inspire Brands itself is majority-owned by Roark Capital, a private-equity firm groan-inducingly named for an Ayn Rand protagonist, whose holdings include The Cheesecake Factory, Carl's Jr./Hardee's, and Focus Brands - another umbrella company that owns Auntie Anne's, Cinnabon, and Moe's, among others.

It speaks to the mind-boggling corporate consolidation in all sectors that one of the dominant forces in American eating is now a faceless, generic-sounding megalith that's only existed since 2018. But the inspiration for Inspire Brands was straight-forward: the acquisition of the aforementioned Buffalo Wild Wings by the second largest sandwich chain in America.

First opened in Boardman, Ohio, in 1964, and named for the initials of its founders, the Raffel Brothers (RB), the chain stood out among the burger slingers of its era, by centering its concept on roast-beef sandwiches. It gained popularity nationwide in the '70s and '80s with the introduction of favorites like the Beef 'N Cheddar and Curly Fries and then, after becoming a well-worn pop-culture punchline in the '90s and '00s, referenced on shows like *The Simpsons*, *Seinfeld*, and the John Stewart *Daily Show*, the company savvily leaned in to its own gimmick, employing actor Ving Rhames as the voice of its commercials, with self-aware campaigns centered on the slogan "We Have The Meats."

And as the progenitor of the second largest restaurant company in the country, this frequently mocked Horsey Sauce purveyor is who had the last laugh.

This week on *Doughboys*, we return once again to Arby's.

## Fork rating

The first time the Doughboys reviewed Arby's was way back in 2015, when Nick rated it 4 forks and Mitch 3.5. A couple years later, they returned; Nick and Mitch each dropped their score to 3 forks.

The Doughboys also did a Double episode in which they tried Arby's Gyro menu (to mixed results).

	+ no bacon
* Mozzarella Sticks
* Jalapeno Bites
* Side Salad
* Classic Beef 'N Cheddar [Natalie's order]
* Curly Fries [Natalie's order]
 Mike Mitchell
* Diet Coke
* Diet Dr. Pepper
* Pizza Slider
* Classic Beef 'N Cheddar
* Smokehouse Brisket
* Buffalo Crispy Chicken Sandwich
* Classic French Dip & Swiss
* Spicy Greek Gyro
* Greek Gyro
* Corned Beef Reuben
* Curly Fries
* Crinkle Fries
* Jalapeno Bites
* Orange Cream Shake
 Larry Fong
* Smokehouse Brisket
* Buffalo Crispy Chicken Sandwich
* Curly Fries
* Vanilla Shake

- \*Nick's score is asterisked because he dipped his items in some Ranch that he had at home.

## À La Mode Drafthouse: Time Travelers

The Doughboys next jump into their segment where they draft their favorite items or things. They've done this many times over the years, but today it is officially formalized as À La Mode Drafthouse. (*They never mention this name again.* - ed.)

For this episode, they have a draft of their favorite time travelers. Larry Fong had to leave, so Emma Erdbrink joins them for the segment. Emma picks first, Nick second, and they do a snake-style draft.

Mitch also gets Cowan from *The Tomorrow War* and Doc Brown's dog, Einstein.

## The Feedbag: #BrewChew 🍻

 Nick Wiger
 Mike Mitchell
 Emma Erdbrink

## Quotes

**Nick**: Nice countin', Mitch.

## #hashtags

* #JackInTime
* #HackInTime
* #BackInTime
* #BrewChew

## Photos

Loaded Curly FriesMozzarella SticksJalapeno BitesSide SaladJalapeno Bites, Crinkle Fries, Curly FriesBuffalo Crispy Chicken SandwichPizza SliderGreek GyroFrench Dip & SwissSmokehouse BrisketCorned Beef ReubenClassic Beef 'N Cheddar