QSR Magazine: Did Arby’s Venison Sandwich Start a Movement?

While many were unsure of how Arby’s new venison sandwich would perform, it sold out in one day in its first test market of Nashville, Tennessee. According to a recent QSR Magazine article, the brand unveiled the new menu item to align with the beginning of hunting season to connect with 20 million hunters throughout the country.

Hunters have certainly approved of the familiar meat, while those who are new to the game have also been impressed with the meat’s tenderness, says Luke DeRouen, director of brand communications and content at Arby’s.

"The Venison Sandwich sets us apart from the competition in the same way our Pork Belly Sandwich did—you simply can’t get anything like it anywhere else," DeRouen says.

While quick-service brands start to test out alternative proteins, other brands focus on it. New-Orleans-based Dat Dog sells exotic meats including alligator, duck and crawfish sandwiches, which comprise 23 percent of the brand’s food sales.