On September 12, 2023, Arby’s is headed into the great outdoors. To celebrate the launch of their new Big Game Burger, the fast-food restaurant is inviting a limited number of fans on a hike in the Colorado Rockies.
A spin on their 2017 limited-edition venison sandwich, the Big Game Burger patty is made with a blend of 34% venison, 33% elk, and 33% beef, and topped with onions, pickles, Swiss cheese, and a dark cherry steak sauce. Though we haven’t tried the burger yet, we do know that venison alone is often described as having an earthy, rich flavor, and elk can be compared to a leaner beef. Because the Arby’s venison meat will be blended with elk and beef, it’s unclear whether those subtleties will come out in their recipe.
Ellen Rose, Arby’s chief marketing officer, says the burger is “Adventurous,” and “Deserves to be enjoyed in the great outdoors.” For this reason, Arby’s has decided to host a meat up with burger fans.
According to Rose, Arby’s partnered with a private landowner in the Colorado Rockies and dubbed a 4.1-mile stretch, The Big Game Burger Trail. On September 12, the restaurant will host a hike along the trail with a free Big Game Burger as a post-adventure snack. Hikers will admitted on the trail first-come-first-serve.
“It’s a moderate hike with a max elevation of 10,700 feet,” says Rose. “With checkpoints along the trail, guests will have opportunities throughout the hike to relax, quench their thirst at refreshment stations and enjoy the views.”
When you think of Arby’s, however, you might not pull visions of beautiful mountain scenery and the smell of fresh air. But Rose says the restaurant has seen a passion point between people who love the outdoors and who eat Arby’s, so they wanted to blend the two with this hike.
If you can’t make the outdoor excursion, you can still try the Big Game Burger at Arby’s locations across the country for $8.79.
To make your own venison-based meals, check out the recipes below:
Venison Steak Frites
Three-Minute Venison Steaks with Mushroom Marsala Sauce
Venison Stew with Barley and Root Vegetables
