drive-thru gourmet
Arby's goes Greek with spicy and meaty new gyro
This week, I reached out for a Spicy Greek Gyro, a hot take on the Original Greek Gyro, at America's No. 3 sandwich chain, Arby's, with 3,472 restaurants in 48 states. Answers to your most pressing questions: The top 2 sandwich makers are Subway (of course) and Panera (I was surprised, too), and the two Arby's-less states are Rhode Island and Vermont.
Arby's got into the gyro game in 2017 with the introduction of its Greek Gyro, Roast Beef Gyro, and Turkey Gyro. Only the Greek survives, now joined by its fiery cousin, the Spicy Greek Gyro.
Here's the Spicy Greek Gyro breakdown: sliced gyro meat, lettuce, tomato, onion, tzatziki sauce, and spicy chili sauce tucked into puffy, warm pita bread. Total calories: 729. Fat grams: 44. Sodium: 1,700 mg. Carbs: 58 g. Dietary fiber: 4 g. Protein: 23 g. Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $4.29.
However, the Spicy Greek Gyro is part of Arby's "2 for $6" menu, along with the Original Greek Gyro, Beef 'N Cheddar and Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich. You know it's coming, how about if you and I get a couple of these Spicy Greek Gyros (yours is the $4.29 one, mine is $1.71).
Arby's "gyro meat" is a blend of chopped beef and lamb, sliced off a rotisserie spit, in real gyro fashion. The lettuce and tomatoes are crisp and colorful. Not only is the tzatziki sauce creamy, it's worth 30 points in Scrabble.
The Spicy Gyro may be something different for fans of traditional gyros, however. A secret source told me that the "spicy chili sauce" is Arby's regular ol' sriracha sauce. I could not independently confirm that — isn't that CNN's remark when they repeat something they just heard?
The Spicy Greek Gyro is Arby's Americanized version of a gyro, it won't make you forget a real-deal, sloppy, messy, drippy, juicy gyro from a Greek food truck or longstanding sandwich shop in the Greek part of town. But it's filling, it's spicy, it's packed with lots of meat, veggies, tzatziki sauce, and whatever the spicy sauce is. It's a solid deal at $4.29, a really good deal for a really good deal of food at two for $6.
Remember, Friday, May 1, is the day that Texas restaurants can open their dining rooms. Play it safe and smart. It's good to have you back restaurants, and Texans will have your back by following the rules.