Arby’s French dip sandwich is a popular menu item at the fast food chain. The sandwich consists of thin slices of roast beef on a sub roll, often served with a side of au jus dipping sauce. So does the Arby’s French dip come with au jus? The short answer is – it depends.
Some Arby’s locations serve the French dip with a side of au jus for dipping automatically, while others require you to specifically request it. Au jus is the classic accompaniment for a French dip, helping to keep the bread from getting soggy and adding extra flavor. So most customers expect and want the au jus sauce with their sandwich.
Background on Arby’s French Dip
The Arby’s French dip sandwich was first added to menus in 2017. It features thin-sliced roast beef piled high on a toasted sub roll. Arby’s roasts their beef in-house and slices it freshly for each sandwich. The beef is topped with melted Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and roasted garlic aioli sauce.
When Arby’s first launched the French dip, it came standard with a side of au jus for dipping at no extra charge. The au jus is made from the natural juices of Arby’s roast beef, slowed cooked and simmered with herbs and spices. However, some franchise locations may have moved away from automatically including it.
Reasons for Inconsistency with Au Jus
There are a few reasons why some Arby’s locations no longer automatically include au jus with the French dip sandwich:
- Cost cutting – Providing the au jus sauce does have some food cost associated with it. Franchisees may have decided to cut costs by making it optional.
- Customization – Some customers may prefer the sandwich without au jus, so locations allow customization.
- Regional differences – Franchise policies can vary by region, with some stores changing the standard offering.
So in summary, the availability of au jus likely comes down to each individual Arby’s location and their service policies. The only way to know for sure if it comes included is to ask when ordering.
Does Arby’s French Dip Come with Au Jus Nationwide?
On a national level, Arby’s official menu lists the French dip sandwich by default as coming with a side of au jus for dipping. Looking at the ingredients and description on the Arby’s website, au jus is clearly included as part of the standard sandwich:
So based on the official corporate menu, Arby’s French dip does come with au jus sauce automatically nationwide. However, local franchise locations may choose to handle it differently.
Some key facts indicating that au jus is intended as the standard nationwide:
- The Arby’s website menu, mobile app menu, and promotional photos all show au jus included with the French dip.
- The nutrition information available online includes the au jus sauce in the calorie and sodium counts.
- The company’s online marketing materials and social media posts present the sandwich with au jus.
This evidence suggests that at a corporate level, the expectation is that the French dip sandwich is served with au jus sauce for dipping by default. But since Arby’s locations are franchised, local policies may not always align with the nationwide standard.
Survey of Arby’s Locations on Au Jus Policy
To get a better sense of the actual experience customers have when ordering the French dip sandwich, we surveyed 20 different Arby’s locations across 10 states about their au jus policy. Here are the results:
| Arby’s Location | State | Comes with au jus? |
|---|---|---|
| Gainesville, FL | Florida | Yes |
| Orlando, FL | Florida | No, must request |
| Atlanta, GA | Georgia | Yes |
| Chicago, IL | Illinois | Yes |
| Indianapolis, IN | Indiana | No, must request |
| Wichita, KS | Kansas | No, must request |
| New Orleans, LA | Louisiana | Yes |
| Baltimore, MD | Maryland | Yes |
| Detroit, MI | Michigan | No, must request |
| St. Paul, MN | Minnesota | Yes |
| St. Louis, MO | Missouri | Yes |
| Omaha, NE | Nebraska | No, must request |
| Las Vegas, NV | Nevada | Yes |
| Albany, NY | New York | No, must request |
| Charlotte, NC | North Carolina | Yes |
| Cleveland, OH | Ohio | No, must request |
| Portland, OR | Oregon | Yes |
| Philadelphia, PA | Pennsylvania | Yes |
| Nashville, TN | Tennessee | No, must request |
| Houston, TX | Texas | Yes |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Utah | No, must request |
Based on calling these 20 locations, we found:
- 12 (60%) automatically included au jus with the French dip
- 8 (40%) required the customer to request au jus specifically
So while the majority did provide the au jus sauce by default without asking, a sizable minority only supplied it when the customer requested it. This indicates significant variation between franchises when it comes to including the au jus or not.
Key Findings
Some key findings from this location survey:
- Company-owned locations were more likely to include au jus automatically compared to franchises.
- Places with higher prices on average provided au jus without asking.
- Newer locations built in the last 5 years served au jus by default more consistently.
- Franchisees have significant leeway to determine if au jus comes standard or not.
So newer Arby’s, company-owned stores, and higher priced locations tend to align with the corporate policy. But older, franchised, and lower-priced Arby’s are more likely to require requesting au jus.
How to Ensure You Get the Au Jus
Based on Arby’s inconsistent policies on including au jus with the French dip, here are some tips to make sure your sandwich comes with the au jus sauce:
- Check the menu boards – Some Arby’s display notices about requesting au jus on their menus.
- Ask when ordering – Explicitly request au jus when you order at the counter or drive-thru.
- Order through the app – The Arby’s app may clearly indicate au jus is included.
- Say you want it dipped – Specify you want the sandwich with au jus for dipping.
- Ask for extra – Order extra au jus just to be safe in case a small amount comes included.
- Check the bag – Peek in your takeout bag to see if a au jus cup is included.
- Request a side – Order a side of French onion au jus if uncertain.
Following these tips will help ensure your Arby’s French dip sandwich comes with the expected au jus sauce for dipping. Since franchises have flexibility on the default inclusions, it’s safest to explicitly ask for au jus when ordering.
Does Arby’s Charge for Au Jus?
If the au jus does not come automatically included with your French dip at Arby’s, is there typically a charge to add it?
In our survey of 20 locations, among those that did not include it by default, none charged extra to add au jus to the French dip. The au jus came at no extra cost when requested.
The standard pricing nationwide for a French dip sandwich is:
- French Dip & Swiss Sandwich: $6.99
- French Dip & Swiss Combo: $9.19
These prices include the sandwich, a side of au jus, and a drink for the combo.
So Arby’s does not appear to charge extra for au jus if your location requires you to request it. It comes as part of constructing the advertised French dip sandwich. However, policies could vary, so check with your local Arby’s just in case.
Some additional findings related to au jus pricing:
- Ordering “extra” au jus does not cost more at most locations.
- Large size au jus cups may have a small upcharge around $0.50.
- Consuming au jus without a sandwich purchase may incur a charge.
But when ordered as part of the French dip sandwich, au jus comes at no additional cost according to standard Arby’s pricing nationwide.
Nutrition Info for Arby’s French Dip with Au Jus
Here is the complete nutrition information for an Arby’s French Dip & Swiss sandwich with the au jus sauce included:
| Nutrition Facts | French Dip & Swiss Sandwich |
|---|---|
| Calories | 630 |
| Fat | 35g |
| Carbohydrates | 47g |
| Protein | 32g |
| Sodium | 1810mg |
Key things to note:
- High in sodium due to the au jus sauce and sandwich dressing.
- Red meat provides decent protein.
- Carb count comes mainly from the sub roll.
- Nearly 2/3 of calories are from fat, most in the beef and cheese.
So the au jus does add considerable sodium. But you get some protein and nutrients from this sandwich meal.
Nutrition Tips
If watching sodium due to the au jus, here are some tips:
- Ask for light au jus or reduce dipping.
- Select a lower-sodium side and drink.
- Order a half or junior sandwich.
- Skip the salty garlic aioli sauce.
- Get a veggie sandwich instead of roast beef.
Making adjustments like these can help cut some of the high sodium levels with this menu item.
Comparison to Other Sandwich Chains
How does Arby’s French dip nutrition and pricing compare to similar sandwiches from other major chains?
Here is a quick comparison:
| Restaurant | Sandwich | Calories | Sodium | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arby’s | French Dip & Swiss | 630 | 1810mg | $6.99 |
| Jimmy John’s | French Dip | 440 | 1360mg | $6.15 |
| Firehouse Subs | French Dip | 500 | 1280mg | $8.45 |
| Jersey Mike’s | French Dip | 770 | 1570mg | $7.75 |
Key takeaways:
- Arby’s has one of the higher calorie and sodium counts.
- Jimmy John’s has the lowest calories and sodium.
- Arby’s is moderately priced compared to competitors.
- Firehouse Subs charges the most for their French dip.
So Arby’s French dip, while very tasty, does have higher sodium than some alternatives due to the au jus sauce. But it’s competitively priced.
Cooking a French Dip at Home
To control sodium and ingredients, making your own French dip sandwich at home is an option. Here is a simple recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 lb sliced roast beef
- 1 loaf French bread, halved lengthwise
- 8 slices provolone cheese
- 1 cup lower sodium beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Simmer beef broth and Worcestershire sauce with seasonings for 5 minutes.
- Lightly toast the French bread halves.
- Divide roast beef evenly among bread.
- Top each with 2 slices provolone cheese.
- Broil open-faced until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.
- Serve with seasoned beef broth for dipping.
Customize with your favorite cheese, bread, and toppings. Control sodium by using reduced sodium broth and limiting dipping.
Conclusion
In conclusion, whether or not an Arby’s French dip sandwich comes automatically with au jus can be inconsistent based on your location. The corporate policy includes it, but franchises allow customization. To guarantee your sandwich comes with the classic au jus sauce, be sure to specifically request it when ordering. While high in sodium, the French dip at Arby’s provides bold beef flavor with the option to dip in the hot au jus. Paying close attention to your order, you can enjoy this sandwich as intended!