Only These 2 Fast Food Chains Have Attempted To Serve Wagyu Beef Burgers

The name "Wagyu" conjures an instant image of luxury. The reason why authentic Japanese Wagyu beef is so expensive is because of the incredibly high standards when it comes to breeding, lifestyle, and diet. Therefore, the idea of any fast food joint offering Wagyu beef is kind of bananas ... let alone two competing drive-thru giants taking the plunge. And, yet, in 2022 and 2025 respectively, Arby's and Burger King U.K. did exactly that, offering Wagyu beef burgers as special promotions.

Arby's Wagyu Steakhouse Burger came in both a regular and a Bacon Ranch version, priced at $5.99 and $6.99 respectively. The patty was hefty and meaty, cooked sous vide (although probably not in a beer cooler), and piled high with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and red onion on a brioche bun. Across the pond, three years later, Burger King would serve its British customers "The Wagyu" in association with celeb chef Gordon Ramsay — whose own favorite fast food burger comes from In-N-Out.  Burger King lovingly described its burger as "100% British Flame grilled Wagyu beef​ topped with sweet caramelised onions, pink pickled onions, crispy onions, peppery rocket and creamy caramelised onion mayo, served in a soft, seeded brioche bun​." It sells for £11 as of this writing, meaning that BK is definitely positioning it as a premium product. 

The Arby's Wagyu burger is no longer available, so the British BK version currently stands alone. They definitely sound unique and intriguing, but were these entrées actually any good? The internet is seriously divided on the answer.

"I was pleasantly surprised by both [versions]," a Reddit reviewer said of the Arby's burgers. "The Wagyu patty is cooked nicely and tastes very meaty. Moreso than most other fast food burgers." Still, a Mass Live review had scathing words for Arby's Wagyu: "What's weird about the new Deluxe Wagyu Steakhouse Burger is that it's fake-fancy. It's a Honda Civic trying to pass itself off as a Ferrari [...] I'm skeptical about the quality." Arby's was transparent about the fact that the burger was made with 52% cross-bred American Wagyu and 48% Angus ground beef.

In comparison, Burger King's Wagyu burger is described as British Wagyu, but the chain wouldn't comment on grade or specifics. "That beef burger is so addictive ... got a really great texture," one TikTok reel gushed. Again, on Reddit, consumers were not having it. "It says "made with 100% British Wagyu Beef" which means absolutely [nothing]. Basically, one of the ingredients in there is 100% beef from a British cow that has been bred from Japanese Wagyu lineage. That could make up next to nothing of the burger and the statement is still true. Huge marketing gimmick."

One might say that Burger King and Arby's deserve kudos for taking a big swing on something different, even if results didn't live up to lofty expectations. The burgers definitely got people talking. It remains to be seen, however, whether other fast food outlets will dare to gamble on Wagyu (or a close approximation) in the future.