I Tried the French Dip Sandwich at 4 Popular Chains & the Best Was Pure Beefy Bliss

Beyond cheesesteaks and other tantalizing steak sandwiches stands one of the greatest American sandwiches of all time: the French dip.

Legendarily created over a century ago, the original "French dipped sandwich" purportedly happened by accident when Los Angeles restaurateur Philippe Mathieu dropped a sandwich he was making into a roasting pan full of meaty juices. The story goes that a patron decided to take the soggy sandwich anyway and later came back asking for more. To this day, it remains the house specialty at Philippe's, the landmark restaurant where it originated.

Many other restaurants have since put their own spin on the iconic dunked sandwich, some more saturated than others. At the famed Brennan & Carr in Brooklyn, N.Y., you can get a roast beef sandwich so drenched au jus that it requires a fork and knife to eat it. Most places, however, serve the juice on the side so you can dip the sandwich yourself.

My childhood favorite version of the sandwich, served at regional Virginia-based sandwich chain Macado's, was dubbed "the Titanic," which always struck me as a misnomer. No matter how messy it became, the prime rib and Swiss cheese sandwich tasted too delicious to be considered a disaster.

I recently sampled the French dip-style sandwiches at four national restaurant chains in search of the best version at the biggest scale. Here's how each dip ranked in descending order from my least favorite to the tastiest rendition.

Featured in This Taste Test:

• Applebee's: The Prime Rib Dipper
• Arby's: Classic French Dip & Swiss Au Jus
• Outback Steakhouse: The Prime Rib Sandwich
• BJ's Brewhouse: Classic Prime Rib Dip

Applebee's: The Prime Rib Dipper

One of eight different sandwiches on Applebee's menu, the Prime Rib Dipper features thinly sliced beef, grilled onions, and American cheese on a toasted cheddar roll, with a side of fries and French onion au jus for dipping. Notably, my order took quite some time to prepare, which the server blamed on cooks needing to "defrost the meat," a disclosure that did not inspire much confidence.

Apparently, the Dipper is not a very common order at my local Applebee's, and rightly so, given my own experience. The most disappointing sandwich in this survey, the Dipper cost me $17.99.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

The look: Desiccated. While the toasted roll appeared enticing enough, pockmarked all over with caramelized cheese, the meat within was hardly appetizing. The sliced beef was so browned it was almost black. On the upside, the sandwich came with a considerable serving of jus, which seemed especially useful given the sorry state of the beef.

The taste: Mediocre at best. The beef was salty and overcooked, aided ever so slightly by a thin layer of barely noticeable cheese and a heftier dose of crunchy, sweet onions. The accompanying jus, while providing some much-needed moisture with every dunk, had a very mild flavor and thin consistency. The best part was the roll, which arrived soft and pillowy with a nice cheesy tang.

Of course, bread alone does not make a good sandwich, and this one is certainly not that.

 10 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best French Dip

Arby's: Classic French Dip & Swiss Au Jus

Roast beef is Arby's raison d'etre, so you should reasonably expect the fast-food chain to make a fairly decent French dip, if nothing else. Arby's Classic French Dip & Swiss, served on a sub roll with a cup of au jus, is described as "half the countries in the world on one sandwich," which isn't great math, but at least the sandwich itself isn't bad. Compared to the others, it's very affordable, too, costing me just $7.19.

The look: Surprisingly tantalizing. The sandwich looked freshly made and piping hot, oozing with melty white cheese and piled high with thinly sliced meat. The accompanying jus appeared rich and dark in its pearly white cup.

The taste: Deliciously light. The razor-thin roast beef was meltingly tender, practically dissolving on the tongue with a consistently savory and not-too-salty flavor. The molten Swiss added some mild tang, and the robust jus only upped the richness factor, while the warm roll was virtually cloud-like in its softness. Overall, it's a satisfying option as far as fast food goes, but if you're looking for a genuine beef experience, this is not it. Arby's roast beef is so highly processed that it feels fake, and the total lack of chew only adds to the suspicion.

You can get a French dip with better-quality beef elsewhere, but it will cost you.

 I Tried the Roast Beef Subs From 5 Popular Chains & the Best Was Meltingly Tender

Outback Steakhouse: The Prime Rib Sandwich

When you want good-quality beef, a proper steakhouse is a safe bet. With 673 restaurants nationwide, Outback has the largest footprint of any steakhouse chain in the United States, offering ample opportunities to dine on its signature steaks and famous Bloomin' Onion appetizer, as well as a delectable French dip-style Prime Rib Sandwich.

Served on a toasted baguette, the sliced steak comes topped with onions, mushrooms, and provolone cheese, and is served with French onion au jus on the side. This dipper cost me $17.79—20 cents cheaper than Applebee's version and far superior in quality.

The look: Remarkably rosy! Right away, I was struck by the juicy, medium-rare color of the beef. The baguette, meanwhile, looked beautifully golden brown and nicely toasted. Like the Arby's Dipper, this one also seeped with melty white cheese. The accompanying cup of jus looked thick and chunky, a major departure from the watery dips of other chains.

The taste: Rich and crunchy. The crisp baguette crackled with every bite, while the onions within added extra snap. While perhaps not as moist as it looked, the flavorful beef was still tender and easy to chew—especially when dunked in the viscid, gravy-like jus, which came packed with onion pieces.

The steakhouse-quality beef and traditional French bread make it more of a legit French dip, but there's one other dunkable sandwich that I liked even better.

 I Tried the Burger at Outback, LongHorn & Texas Roadhouse and One Blew the Others Away

BJ's Brewhouse: Classic Prime Rib Dip

While not technically a steakhouse, the casual, craft-beer-focused gastropub chain BJ's is nevertheless a proud purveyor of beef and other slow-roasted meats, including prime rib on weekends. Its Classic Prime Rib Dip sandwich is described as a relatively new addition to the menu, featuring thinly sliced, slow-roasted beef on a toasted hoagie roll with a side of fries, coleslaw, and the obligatory au jus for dipping on the side. A small dish of horseradish sauce came as an added perk. At $19.99, it's the most expensive option in this survey—but well worth the extra bucks.

The look: Très authentique! The crusty, golden roll, piled with bona fide carved beef, looked like a sandwich you might find in a proper French bistro, even if its paper-lined, chrome-colored serving tray feels somewhat cafeteria-esque. While not as rosy-looking as Outback's offering, the meat appeared variably but suitably medium to medium-rare, while the accompanying jus struck a rich but light brown color.

The taste: Hearty and succulent. I could tell how juicy the beef was just from picking it up. The bottom of the roll had gone soft, but thankfully, it was not too soggy under the moistened meat. I appreciated the bare-bones approach to this sandwich—no cheese, no onions, no add-ons of any kind—allowing the beefy taste of the tender prime rib to stand on its own, enhanced only by dunks in that savory jus and punchy h0rseradish.

As the most faithful and well-executed take on the famous French dip, BJ's version aptly lived up to its "classic" descriptor and frankly out-classed the other sandwiches in this survey, making it the best move the next time you're in the mood for a good dip.

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