I tried Arby's new Buffalo chicken meal deal. It left me stuffed, and the price surprised me.

The Arby's Meat & 3 deal consists of a sandwich, mozzarella sticks, curly fries, a drink, and a peach cobbler. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider Arby's Meat & 3 deal costs $7.99 to $8.99 for a sandwich, two sides, a drink, and a dessert. The chain announced last week that its Buffalo chicken sandwich had been added to the deal. After trying the latest addition, I couldn't believe how much food I got for the price. If I told you that you could get a three-course meal at Arby's for less than $9, would you believe it? That's exactly what Arby's Meat & 3 deal purports to offer, with an appetizer, entrée, side, dessert, and drink all for $7.99 (or $8.99, depending on where you live). The deal was introduced in January, but the chain has made minor tweaks throughout the year — most recently, a Buffalo chicken sandwich was added as an entrée option in August. As a Buffalo chicken fan, I knew I had to try this multi-course offering for myself. Arby's, like most other fast-food chains, has embraced the value meal in recent years as customers complain about rising prices. However, the deals haven't led to automatic wins: McDonald's reported a slowdown in growth this year, with leadership citing the $3 value menu, which wasn't implemented consistently across locations. Some customers have previously called its value menu items "skimpy," while others just didn't think that the food was worth the price . Arby's, which is not a publicly traded company, hasn't disclosed how its Meat & 3 deal is performing, but the addition of new items, such as the Buffalo chicken sandwich, suggests it's leaning into the push for value. When I tried the Meat & 3, it was clear no one could accuse it of being skimpy — I was veritably stuffed after eating it. Most importantly, I didn't think I was paying too much. The price was right. Here's what I thought about the Meat & 3 deal. The Meat & 3 deal was added to the Arby's menu in January, originally with two entrée options. Now there are four, including the Buffalo chicken. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider Upon its launch in January 2026 — with help from Chrishell Stause and Ryan Serhant — the Meat & 3 deal was marketed as a drink, an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert, all for $7.99. At first, diners could choose between a classic roast beef sandwich and a crispy chicken sandwich. The meal also included mozzarella sticks with marinara dipping sauce, curly fries, peach cobbler, and a drink of choice. Now, customers can choose between a Buffalo chicken sandwich, a crispy chicken sandwich, or a ham-and-Swiss melt. There's also a more expensive option that replaces the sandwiches with a Greek gyro for an extra dollar. As a relatively new (but committed) Arby's fan , when I heard about the addition of the new Buffalo chicken sandwich, I knew I needed to try it. After I added cheese to my sandwich for $1, my meal was $9.99 before tax. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider You might be thinking, "Wait, if the cheese was only $1 extra, shouldn't it have been $8.99?" However, after looking at online menus from various Arby's locations across the US, I found that some offer the $7.99 deal, while others charge $8.99. Arby's did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider about how these price differences are determined. Upon looking at the menu, it became clear that I saved a lot of money by getting the meal. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider Arby's describes its Buffalo chicken sandwich thusly: "a crispy, juicy chicken breast dipped in spicy Buffalo sauce, cool and creamy ranch sauce, and shredded lettuce on a toasted, buttery brioche bun." Outside the meal deal, the sandwich alone would cost $6.99, with another $1 for the cheese I added. The meal also comes with a small fountain drink. I got a Diet Coke, which would've been $2.99 if ordered a la carte. If you're counting along, that's already more than the entire meal. In my experience, Arby's sandwiches can be on the drier side, but not this one. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider I really enjoyed this sandwich — it had a good amount of chicken, and the Buffalo sauce had a kick, but not too much. I also enjoyed the ranch dressing, which had a unique flavor. At first, I almost thought it was a very mild blue cheese sauce, but when I consulted the menu, I discovered it was, in fact, ranch. In previous orders, I've found that Arby's sandwiches can be dry without cheese, so I decided to add a slice here, but it wasn't necessary. Between the Buffalo and the ranch, this was quite moist. At first, I was annoyed that the meal only came with two mozzarella sticks, but that ended up being more than enough. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider Usually, when you think of a mozzarella stick "appetizer," the order contains three or four, so I felt somewhat jilted when I realized there were only two. But after eating one (pretty solid) mozzarella stick, I knew that two was more than enough. I was, however, missing the marinara dipping cup. While I don't like using that type of sauce anyway, it was supposed to be part of the order. If not ordered as part of the deal, four mozzarella sticks at Arby's cost $5.49, or roughly $1.37 per stick. That would be about $2.75 for two. The curly fries, as usual, were the MVP. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider Arby's is famous for its curly fries, and as usual, they did not disappoint. They are crispy, well-seasoned, and not too oily. I would take them over any other fast-food fries . A small order of fries outside the meal cost $2.99. Finally, it was time for the peach cobbler. I'd appreciate a wider choice of dessert. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider The peach cobbler is a relatively new addition to the menu; it debuted in January along with the Meat & 3 deal. I would've much preferred the choice between a cookie, a brownie, or even some apple slices, like the ones offered at McDonald's. As it stands, the deal includes a lot of fried food. A two-piece peach cobbler, when not part of the deal, is $3.50, so each piece is $1.75. It wasn't bad, but it was very cinnamon-forward. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider I barely tasted the peach once I took a bite. Instead, I was hit with a blast of cinnamon that I hadn't expected. While the cobbler was good overall, it was my least favorite part of the meal. However, it's possible I was already stuffed to the brim and unable to enjoy its merits. For $8.99 (or $9.99, if you're like me and need cheese), this is an amazing deal. Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider If I had ordered these items separately, the meal would've cost about $18.47 pre-tax. However, I paid $10.85 total. That's nearly half the price, and the amount of food is generous. I would definitely get this again — especially if Arby's adds more options — but I need to make sure I have a completely empty stomach next time I order. Read the original article on Business Insider