Arby's $9.99 Meat & 3

About the $9.99 Meat & 3

Arby's $9.99 Meat & 3 is built around the Greek Gyro, costs $9.99 and adds up to 1,410 cal for the full box. Alongside the gyro, Arby's packs a Small Fry, a couple of Mozzarella Sticks, one cobbler roll stuffed with peaches and a cold Small Drink, so one order covers a main, a side, a snack, dessert and something cold to sip.

The gyro gives this box a very different personality from the cheaper version. Arby's describes its Greek Gyro as flame seared, knife carved gyro meat finished with crispy vegetables and creamy tzatziki sauce, folded in warm pita bread. That means herby, savory meat with charred edges, a cool garlicky sauce and a soft wrap instead of a bun. Next to salty fries and gooey mozzarella sticks, the tzatziki works almost like a dip for the whole tray.

The sides stay the same as in the $7.99 Meat & 3. Fries bring crunch and salt. The mozzarella sticks are battered, fried and stretchy, a bar snack shrunk down to two pieces. The Peach Cobbler Roll closes things out with crisp pastry and a filling of diced peaches, graham cracker and bourbon vanilla, which tastes like a warm slice of cobbler you can hold in one hand.

So how much is the $9.99 Meat & 3 compared with buying each piece separately? The Greek Gyro alone costs $5.69, and a full order of Mozzarella Sticks by itself is $3.89, so the box works out well once you want fries, a drink and dessert too. Our $9.99 Meat & 3 price was checked in Austin, Texas, and other stores can list it a touch higher or lower than the name suggests.

The $9.99 Meat & 3 calories run higher than the $7.99 box, mostly because the gyro and its pita carry more energy than the chicken sandwiches in the smaller bundle. Treat it as a full meal rather than a snack. It fits a hungry lunch after a morning of yard work, a road trip stop where you want a little of everything, or a night when you want Mediterranean flavors and fast food comfort at the same time.

What makes the box stand out is contrast. Cool tzatziki, hot fries, molten cheese and a sweet fruit pastry hit four different notes, so the tray never gets monotonous. If you would rather have a sandwich, compare it with the other boxes on the Meat & 3 menu. For a second drink, add a Strawberry Lemonade, which pairs nicely with the herbs in the gyro.