"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.
"Tomorrow… with Larry Fong"
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.
matryoshka dolls
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 Jon 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).
| guest / host | ordered | rating |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Wiger |
|
4 forks* |
| Mike Mitchell |
|
4 forks |
| Larry Fong |
|
3.5 forks |
*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 in this episode, it is officially formalized as À La Mode Drafthouse. (They never mention this name again in any episode. - ed.)
For this episode, they draft 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.
| Nick Wiger | #HackInTime | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Mitchell | #JackInTime | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Emma Erdbrink | #BackInTime | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Mitch also gets Cowan from The Tomorrow War and Doc Brown's dog, Einstein.
The Feedbag: #BrewChew 🍻[]
| What is your favorite food from a brewery? What is your favorite food to consume along with a brewdog? (-Rachel) | |
|---|---|
| guest / host | food |
| Nick Wiger | Rock Bottom Brewery Fish + Chips |
| Mike Mitchell | another beer |
| Emma Erdbrink | burger |
Roast Spoonman[]
The Tomorrow War
| “ | star of The Tamale War | ” |
–Brian M. in Denver | ||
Quotes[]
| “ | My head is the same size as Jack! | ” |
–Mike Mitchell re: being in a Jack In The Box commercial | ||
| “ | Mitch: I got... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ,11, 12, 13... thirteen items from Arby's. Nick: Nice countin', Mitch. |
” |
–The Doughboys | ||
| “ | If I'm rollin' down Sunset Boulevard and the mood hits me right... I'm pullin' into that giant Arby's hat and orderin' up some food. | ” |
–Mike Mitchell re: Sunset Boulevard | ||
#hashtags[]
- #JackInTime
- #HackInTime
- #BackInTime
- #BrewChew
Related Episodes[]
| Arby's episodes |
|---|
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Photos[]
