Burger King & Roast Beef: The 1980s Sandwich War We Almost Forgot About

Long before fast-food chains started fighting over chicken sandwiches, burgers, and spicy sauces, there was another battle happening on the sandwich front.

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Burger King wanted a piece of the roast beef business. That might sound weird today, especially since Burger King is all about the Whopper today. But back in 1980, the chain decided to go after a category that already had a very obvious king: Arby’s. Burger King launched a roast beef sandwich nationwide and backed it with coupons, promotions, a loyalty card, and even a free frisbee. The sandwich did not exactly become a fast-food classic. In fact, it disappeared so quietly that plenty of people probably have no idea Burger King ever sold it.

Arby’s Had A Big Head Start

Burger King was taking on a category that already had a clear favorite. Arby’s opened its first restaurant in Boardman, Ohio, in 1964. While McDonald’s was busy building its empire around hamburgers, Arby’s took a different route with roast beef sandwiches. That helped the chain carve out its own space in the fast-food world.

Roast beef became the main attraction in Arby’s menu, and the company kept building around it. The Beef ’n Cheddar eventually became another signature item, while sauces and curly fries helped make the restaurant even more recognizable. So by the time Burger King showed up with its own roast beef sandwich, Arby’s had already been selling the idea for more than a decade.

Burger King Put Its Own Spin On Roast Beef

Burger King first tested the roast beef sandwich in 1979 before giving it a national launch in November 1980.

The sandwich used thinly sliced roast beef on a long sesame seed bun. It came with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise, giving it a look that was quite different from the classic Arby’s sandwich. Customers could also add American cheese, while au jus and horseradish were available for extra flavor.

And the thing is, Burger King did not quietly slip the roast beef sandwich onto its menu and hope people noticed.

The company pushed it with television advertising and promotions. One campaign used the slogan “You just can’t beat it,” and one of the commercials featured actor Steve Guttenberg before he became a big star.

The deals were even more aggressive. Customers could find buy-one-get-one coupons, while Burger King also offered a punch-card promotion. Buy 10 roast beef sandwiches and the next one was free.

A promotion offered customers a free Burger King frisbee with the purchase of a roast beef sandwich. It is hard to imagine a fast-food chain giving away a frisbee with a sandwich today, but that was apparently part of the plan in the early 1980s.

And Then It Disappeared

Burger King’s sandwich appears to have lasted only a couple of years.

The Retroist found evidence of the sandwich still being sold in 1981 but could not find mentions of it in print or television advertising by 1982. That suggests the national run ended around then, although it is possible some locations continued selling it for a little longer.  

Its price was $1.79 at a Burger King in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1981, according to a newspaper coupon documented by The Retroist. That would be well above $6 in 2026 after inflation.

Burger King was about to become one of the biggest names in the fast-food advertising wars. In 1982, the company launched an aggressive campaign attacking McDonald’s and Wendy’s over burger size and taste. The campaign became so heated that both rivals sued Burger King over its advertising claims.

The roast beef sandwich ended up fading away right as Burger King was preparing to put much more attention behind the Whopper and its burger business.

Can’t Blame Them For Trying

Arby’s ultimately remained the name that comes to mind when you think of roast beef, while Burger King returned its focus to the burgers that built its reputation.

So, the next time Burger King’s Whopper comes to mind, it’s worth remembering that the chain once tried to steal a little of Arby’s roast beef spotlight. It just didn’t stick around long enough to become a classic.