Arby's Is Officially Discontinuing Its Potato Cakes

A beloved salty side is disappearing from the Arby's menu for the time being.

The love for the curly fries at Arby's wasn't enough for the meat mountain purveyor. Earlier this year, it added a second fry option with the nationwide release of Crinkle Cut Fries. That made for a whole lot of potatoes on its sides menu. 

The company has course-corrected for what it must have thought was a little too much tater. As rumored online as far back as March, per Chew Boom, and confirmed to Thrillist on May 25, Arby's has discontinued its Potato Cakes. Some people online have said they're still on the menu at their local shop, and you can still see them on the fast-food chain's online menu, but they aren't going to be around for long. 

"Arby’s is constantly evaluating and evolving our menu offering," a representative tells Thrillist. "Our Curlies have long been a fan favorite, but after many months of R&D and extensive market testing, customers made it clear our all-new Crinkles were a hit, and we had created a true companion on equal footing to its legendary predecessor. Now we have the two best fries in QSR—crinkles and curlies—and they go great together! Although our Potato Cakes have been discontinued (for now), who’s to say they’re gone forever?"

The last sentence sounds like a familiar refrain in the world of fast food. If there's enough outcry over the loss of a menu item, it enters the realm of Spicy Chicken Nuggets, McRibs, and the Naked Chicken Chalupa. All of those items, among many others, are brought back to fast food menus to some amount of fanfare on an almost regular basis. So, if you love that fried shredded potato sitting next to your roast beef, you may just have to have a little patience. It may return in due time. 

Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Dustin Nelson is a Senior Staff Writer at Thrillist. Follow Dustin Nelson on Twitter.