An Arby’s has closed. Now there’s just one left in Fresno to get ‘the meats’
An Arby’s in Fresno has closed — leaving just one of its fast-food franchises left in Fresno.
The restaurant at Ashlan and Cedar avenues is surrounded by a metal fence and shut down for good, the company confirmed with The Bee this week.
That leaves the Arby’s at Blackstone and Sierra avenues as the only place left in town that can claim the “We have the meats” slogan.
Why did the Ashlan location close?
Neither the company nor the franchisee are talking, but sales companywide are slipping.
Sales of the roast beef sandwiches, Jamocha shakes and other items fell 6.3% and Arby’s closed a net 48 restaurants in 2024, according to Nation’s Restaurant News. A company operating 25 Arby’s franchishes in the South and Midwest (not including Fresno locations) also filed for bankruptcy last year for the second time.
The old-school Arby’s with a giant neon hat on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood also closed last year after 55 years. The general manager blamed the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and the rising minimum wage, according to CBS News.
Still, it’s not all bad news for the home of the curly fries. Arby’s ranked No. 3 in fast-food sandwich chains by sales in 2025. It trailed only Subway and Panera, but beat out Jersey Mike’s, Jimmy John’s and Firehouse Subs.
Arby’s isn’t the only fast-food chain closing locations locally. Earlier this year, KFC closed two restaurants in central Fresno. The Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen at First Street and McKinley Avenue near the canal has also closed.
This story was originally published September 5, 2025 at 11:00 AM.
