January 20th is National Cheese Lovers Day, and this year Arby’s made waves by offering a cheeky promotion giving customers “Keys to the Cheese” – a pair of keychains providing unlimited free cheese sauce throughout 2024 with any purchase. The fast-food chain known for its roast beef sandwiches aims to celebrate its cheddar cheese sauce, capitalizing on America’s fervent love of cheese.
Arby’s Promises Free Cheese Sauce with Keychains
Arby’s announcement of the National Cheese Lovers Day “Keys to the Cheese” sparked a flurry of interest, with cheese fanatics eager to get their hands on the coveted keychains. As described by Arby’s chief marketing officer, only $59.99 gets you “Keys to the Cheese” providing unlimited cheddar cheese sauce cups for all of 2024.
“We wanted to kick off the new year by offering our fans something we know they’d go crazy for,” said our chief marketing officer. “Arby’s cheddar cheese sauce has a massive fanbase, so we’re thrilled to celebrate them in a big way on National Cheese Lover’s Day by giving them unlimited access all year long.”
This playful campaign taps into the current zeitgeist around America’s cheese obsession, from nacho cheese to mac and cheese. Arby’s is betting big that cheese lovers will fork out $60 for a year’s supply of their beloved cheddar sauce.
America’s Voracious Appetite for Cheese
The Arby’s promotion coincides with surging cheese consumption nationwide. According to trade groups, the average American ate a record-high 45.3 pounds of cheese in 2023. Cheddar and mozzarella remain the top cheeses of choice, gracing everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to pizza. Interestingly, more exotic and specialty cheeses are also growing in popularity.
“We’ve really seen the rise of artisanal and imported cheese varieties in recent years,” said the head of the American Cheese Society. “Consumers increasingly view cheese as an experience.”
This cheese renaissance has impacted the food service industry as restaurants vie to create the most tempting and indulgent cheese-laden menu items to drive customer traffic. Cheese-centric promotions have become popular, from National Pizza Month to endless nachos happy hour specials. Arby’s aims to continue this cheese-forward momentum into 2024.
All About Arby’s Cheddar Cheese Sauce
While many may associate Arby’s with its signature roast beef sandwiches, the fast-food chain has developed an almost cult-like following for its cheddar cheese sauce over the years. This smooth, velvety cheddar sauce enhanced with hints of garlic and paprika has reached iconic status.
Customers have been known to request cups, even buckets of the stuff to dunk fries and other menu items into. A few die-hard cheese sauce stans even admit to drinking it straight up.
Arby's Cheddar Cheese Sauce Nutrition Facts
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Serving Size: 2 fl oz cup (59g)
Calories 230
Fat 19g
Carbs 7g
Protein 3g
This cheese sauce packs a wicked caloric punch, clocking in at 115 calories per fluid ounce. But that hasn’t deterred cheese fanatics from consuming it in droves.
In the past, Arby’s has experimented with cheese sauce-themed merch from t-shirts to pool floats. The “Keys to the Cheese” promotion taking advantage of National Cheese Lover’s Day 2024 signals an amped up commitment to cheese.
People Are Clamoring for the Keychains
Since news spread of the Arby’s “Keys to the Cheese” promotion for National Cheese Lover’s Day, people have scrambled to get their hands on the coveted keychains. Only two metal keychains per customer are available for $59.99 while supplies last.
Arby’s has not released sales numbers but says there has been an “overwhelmingly positive” response from cheese lovers nationwide. Many franchises sold out of the keychains within hours on National Cheese Lover’s Day. Secondary markets for the keychains have popped up online, with people trying to score extra keys.
“I drove to three different Arby’s before I could get keys,” said one woman in Ohio. “I love their cheese sauce so much I started crying when the third location finally had some left.”
Such passion and even obsession for the Arby’s cheddar cheese sauce is common among fans. Another gentleman boasted about eating three cups per visit. With his two keychain keys in hand, he anticipates dousing his sandwiches and fries in the stuff more than ever this coming year.
This level of cheese devotion has surprised even Arby’s executives. But they welcome the cheese craze and plan to continue finding inventive ways to celebrate their cheddar sauce.
The Future Looks Cheesy for Arby’s
While the “Keys to the Cheese” National Cheese Lover’s Day promotion was initially framed as a limited offer, overwhelming positive response may impact future planning. Given supply chain issues limiting keychain stock, Arby’s is considering making metal and plastic keychain variants more widely available.
“We’re blown away by the feedback from Arby’s die-hards about our keys promotion,” stated the chief marketing officer. “Our cheddar cheese sauce has an almost unmatched cult status in the quick-service industry, so we’re looking at ways to continue delighting cheddar fans.”
Ideas on the table include specialty merch like cheese sauce-themed apparel and partnerships with dairy brands for cross-promotions. There has even been talk of developing an annual membership program providing unlimited cheese sauce year-round.
For now, Arby’s aims to restock keychains through January then evaluate expanding the promotion’s parameters. One thing’s for sure – cheese is poised to play a starring role on Arby’s menu for the foreseeable cheesy future.
Key Takeaways
- Arby’s “Keys to the Cheese” campaign for National Cheese Lover’s Day took social media by storm
- For $59.99, customers get keychains providing unlimited cheddar cheese sauce refills for all of 2024
- Cheese obsession is at an all-time high, with Arby’s capitalizing on cheese fandom
- The velvety cheddar cheese sauce has achieved cult status among Arby’s fans
- Supply chain issues made keychains hard to come by, sparking secondary online markets
- Positive response may lead Arby’s to expand cheese sauce merch and promotions long-term
So for cheese lovers nationwide, Arby’s has cemented itself as a new champion of curds. The fast-food chain looks to ride the cheese wave well beyond National Cheese Lover’s Day into an extra cheesy 2024. Cheddar fans couldn’t be happier to unlock the keys to unlimited sauce.
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