Arby's New Classic & Bacon Ranch Cheesesteaks Review: It's Not True Philly Style But That's Not A Bad Thing

By now, you are likely well-aware that Arby's "has the meats," and cheesesteaks are one such meaty menu item that has come and gone from the menu throughout the years. The first of Arby's cheesesteaks, the Philly Beef Supreme, was introduced in 2003.  Since then, various iterations have appeared on the menu, such as the Sirloin Cheesesteak, Ultimate Angus Philly, and Spicy Prime Rib Cheesesteak. And now, hot on the heels (or perhaps hooves) of its winning Big Game Burger, Arby's is resurfacing its beef-filled submarines once again with the Classic Cheesesteak and Bacon Ranch Cheesesteak.

Without much fanfare or nary a mention on its social media platforms, the Classic Cheesesteak and the Bacon Ranch Cheesesteak have slipped into Arby's nationwide for a limited-time ride. Without Philadelphia in these new products' names, do the cheesesteaks still stack up, or do they need to shape up and ship out? We giddy-upped to our nearest Arby's to try both new offerings, taking one bite at a time, and for your greasy pleasure, here is our chew review...

As we peeled back the loose paper wrapper on the Classic Cheesesteak, a shiny 7-inch, pillowy, ringed submarine bun stared back at us, with just a peek at its innards hanging out on the side. Prying open the half-cut sub reveals an ultra-sloppy tidal wave of pale yellows, dark browns, and specks of red and green.

The steak bits are thin, but juicy and delicious, and slathered in both the stark garlic aioli sauce and goopy white American cheese (although it's hard to tell which is which). And though the red and green peppers are a bit mushy in the mix, they certainly add even more diverse layers to the sandwich that perhaps doesn't even need them. In general, we're not sure why green peppers are such a typical condiment found in cheesesteaks, considering red peppers have more flavor to them, and aesthetically, a more pleasing color to look at.

After numerous yummy nibbles, it became apparent that the garlic aioli is a dominating force on this Classic Cheesesteak. Garlic aioli or any kind of aioli isn't usually found in a standard cheesesteak, so we're not sure the item's name matches up with people's perception of what a "classic" one would be. Just a fair warning for your Philly phanatics.

Eyeing the pictures on the Arby's menu at the register, the two new cheesesteaks look identical, other than the fact that one looks to have bacon in it and the other doesn't. Splitting open the actual Bacon Ranch Cheesesteak sandwich reveals pretty much the same thing, but when the mouth starts to do its work, the senses come alive in a totally different way with this fantastic sub.

The bacon in ours wasn't all too plentiful; it was broken into small pieces and was not all that crispy, but it still added a nice textured crunch to the cheesesteak. The big takeaway here is the rich and creamy ranch sauce that is truly divine. If you read the ingredients, you'll find that this isn't just any ranch sauce, but one punctured with peppercorn and parmesan, which helps create a rich and creamy pungent punch that's hard to forget the taste of, let alone, stop eating it up.

The Classic Cheesesteak includes steak and caramelized onions, seasoned in beef broth, black pepper, garlic, and onion, among many other ingredients. The sandwich also includes fire-roasted red and green peppers, melted white American cheese, and a garlic aioli spread, all sandwiched between a toasted long sub bun. This sandwich has a serving weight of 302 grams, and notches 646 calories, 35 grams of fat, 67 milligrams of cholesterol, 1920 milligrams of sodium, 52 grams of total carbohydrates (with 2 of those being dietary fiber), 6 grams of sugars, and 34 grams of protein.

The Bacon Ranch Cheesesteak has a similar list of ingredients as the Classic Cheesesteak, but also includes pork bacon, and in place of the garlic aioli, the parmesan peppercorn ranch is the key condiment, which is partially made up of buttermilk, egg yolk, parmesan cheese, distilled vinegar, salt, garlic, onion, spices, and naturally peppercorns. This souped up version has a serving weight of 315 grams, and logs 711 calories, 39 grams of fat, 82 milligrams of cholesterol, 2352 milligrams of sodium, 51 grams of total carbohydrates (with 2 being dietary fiber), 7 grams of sugar, and 41 grams of protein.

Arby's Classic Cheesesteak and Bacon Ranch Cheesesteak are currently being served at Arby's nationwide. You can order in-store at the counter or through the drive-thru where available. You can also order via the app and website, which allow for advance ordering for pick-up, as well as connect you to various food delivery services. Pricing and availability may vary per location.

Since these sandwiches are here for a limited time, they fall under Arby's catchy slogan of "here for a good time, not a long time." They are available for purchase during lunch and dinner; if the location doesn't serve breakfast then the cheesesteaks are available during all business hours.

The Classic Cheesesteak & Bacon Ranch Cheesesteak can be found under the "Limited Time" section of Arby's menu and can be ordered as à la carte items or as a combo meal. Standard combo meals include a medium soft drink and Arby's crinkle fries, although the fries can be swapped out for jalapeño bites, mozzarella sticks, or curly fries, and the drink for a bottle of water, a Market Fresh lemonade, or even a milkshake. Additional fees may apply for substitutions.

Any of the included ingredients can be removed from an order, including the bun for those looking for a lower-carb meal. Not much can be added to it besides requesting packets of Horsey Sauce, Arby's Sauce, or ketchup. The crinkle fries have the add-on option for a side cup of cheddar cheese, which can also be utilized to further cheese up either of these cheesesteaks.

As Arby's rolls out one new meaty product after the other, it seems that it can do no wrong. It not only is backing up its claims to have the meats, but doing what really matters — giving its fans and eaters the meat sweats and coming back for more of them. The two new cheesesteaks, Classic and Bacon Ranch, are both awesome entries added to an already overloaded menu. If deciding on one item from that menu wasn't enough of a quandary, now you have to choose between two cheesesteaks.

It may come down to preference when it comes to which cheesesteak you gravitate towards; one leans heavy on garlic, while the other is like an endless party of parmesan. We just couldn't get enough of the Bacon Ranch Cheesesteak and its luscious parmesan taste, but really, you won't make a mistake ordering either of them.