But the Raffel brothers also quickly sensed the potential of fast food and decided to develop a franchise operation based on something other than hamburgers.  Leroy remembers, "We were totally confident, while everyone else thought we were out of our minds."

 A late-night excursion to a small Boston sandwich shop one rainy Halloween was the inspiration for the Raffels, who joined a damp, but determined huddle of patrons to await the main attraction -- a 79-cent roast beef sandwich.

The idea was born.  The only kink in the chain's orderly development came with choosing a name for it.  The partners wanted to use the name "Big Tex," but were unsuccessful in negotiating with the Akron businessman who was already using the name.  So, in the words of Forrest, "We came up with Arby's, which stands for R.B., the initials of Raffel Brothers, although I guess customers might think the initials stand for roast beef."

 The first Arby's restaurant opened in Boardman, Ohio, on July 23, 1964, serving only roast beef sandwiches, potato chips, and a beverage. It was the only Arby's restaurant for a year as the brothers refined the operation.  One year later, the first Arby's licensee opened a restaurant in Akron, Ohio.  Today, more than 450 licensees operate more than 3,400 restaurants worldwide.