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Arby's Meat Mountain Has Some Stiff Competition

by Lulu Chang

Vegetarians, look away — Arby's just put a carnivore's dream on their menu. Well, kind of. Arby's now features the Meat Mountain on their secret menu, and it's exactly what it sounds like — the culinary equivalent of a meat lover's Mount Everest.

The sandwich, if it even still qualifies as one, boasts no fewer than eight different kinds of meat and two different kinds of cheese. There are no vegetables included on the sandwich because that would clearly detract from this otherwise religious experience.

Clocking in at a whopping $10, the Meat Mountain is Arby's most expensive item, but come on guys, you're paying for quantity here. After all, how often do you get to eat a sandwich that must weigh close to a pound?

Here's a breakdown of the sandwich's ingredients:

  • 2 chicken tenders
  • 1.5 oz. of roast turkey
  • 1.5 oz. of ham
  • 1 slice of Swiss cheese
  • 1.5 oz. of corned beef
  • 1.5 oz. brisket
  • 1.5 oz. of Angus steak
  • 1 slice of cheddar cheese
  • 1.5 oz. roast beef
  • 3 half strips of bacon

And of course, it's bookended by a sesame seed bun, because Arby's isn't Kentucky Fried Chicken, and knows that as tempting as it is, you just can't used fried chicken as a bread replacement.

According to Arby's spokesman Jason Rollins, "The sandwich is too big for a clam-shell box/packaging, so it will be wrapped in sandwich paper." And that's when you know that you're about to eat a serious sandwich, ladies and gentlemen, when it doesn't even fit in a box.

Quite honestly, embarking upon the Meat Mountain adventure seems like quite a challenge — unhinging your jaw to get a full bite seems like the first obstacle you'd have to overcome. But many brave souls have tested the waters and reported back to The Consumerist, which invited those who tried to sandwich to share their stories.

"Joe from San Antonio" told The Consumerist,

The trickiest part was trying to keep the chicken fingers on there while eating it. That being said, it could be done if you just compressed it a little bit. With the amount of meat you’re getting, it seemed easily worth the $10.

But logistics and pricing aside, Joe, how did it taste?

As far as taste goes, it was like a big mouthful of ‘Murica/Freedom. Getting a bit of a headache, but 10/10 would order again.

I've never tasted freedom (and as a vegetarian, probably never will), but this sounds like a pretty solid endorsement.

Why did Arby's choose to make such a monstrosity, I mean, mountain of a sandwich? Apparently, as the Washington Post reports, it was because they were tired of being known as the chain that only served roast beef. Arby's is a multidimensional institution, people, and they want you to know it!

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images News/Getty Images

But as monumental as the Meat Mountain is, Arby's certainly isn't the only restaurant to have dreamt up a rather strange food concoction. Here are a few other surprising inventions that have graced the culinary world with their presence.

KFC Double Down

"Bacon, Monterey Jack cheese and Colonel’s sauce sandwiched between two 100 percent white meat Original Recipe® filets. And of course, no bun."

Because when you're this into chicken, the bread is really just in the way.

The Donut Burger

"100 percent Angus beef burger, topped with American cheese, bacon and a fried egg, is served on a glazed doughnut."

Because sometimes, you just can't decide whether it's time for breakfast or dinner.

Pizza Hut Cone Crust Pizza

Pizza surrounded by "Parmesan encrusted cones filled with Philadelphia cream cheese and chicken."

Because you shouldn't have to choose between pizza and chicken, like, ever.

Pizza Hut Cheeseburger + Chicken Nuggets Stuffed Crust Pizza

Because why not.

Denny's Fried Cheese Melt

Mozzarella sticks surrounded by cheese that is then melted between two slices of buttered bread.

Because the only thing better than grilled cheese is grilled cheese with fried cheese.

McDonalds McLobster

Because everyone knows that McDonalds is where you go to get your prime seafood dinners.

World, this is the future of your food. Be afraid.

Images: Arby's; Kentucky Fried Chicken; John Dodge, Staguar, First We Feast, Food & Drink, Food Network UK, Victoria McMahon, CNNMoney/Twitter; Pizza Hut Middle East/YouTube; Getty Images