--- title: Arbys Launches Vegetarian Support Hotline 1 855 MEAT HLP description: Arbys launches Vegetarian Support Hotline to promote a brown sugar glazed bacon canonical: https://time.com/3944920/arbys-vegetarian-support-hotline/ author: Olivia B. Waxman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-07-07T13:00:53.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:47:18.670Z og:title: Arby's Launches Bacon Hotline for 'Tempted' Vegetarians og:description: You can leave a message at 1-855-Meat-HLP og:url: https://time.com/3944920/arbys-vegetarian-support-hotline/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltab4ad7ef7a69a0a5/69885988524fc0e543df369f/screen-shot-2015-07-02-at-1-04-28-pm.png?branch=production&width=1080&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Screen Shot 2015-07-02 at 1.04.28 PM og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Arby's Launches Bacon Hotline for 'Tempted' Vegetarians twitter:description: You can leave a message at 1-855-Meat-HLP twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltab4ad7ef7a69a0a5/69885988524fc0e543df369f/screen-shot-2015-07-02-at-1-04-28-pm.png?branch=production&width=1080&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Arby's Launches Bacon Hotline for 'Tempted' Vegetarians  by [Olivia B. Waxman](/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer Jul 7, 2015 1:00 PM CUT  Arby's  by [Olivia B. Waxman](/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer Jul 7, 2015 1:00 PM CUT Arby’s, the American restaurant that offered [Jon Stewart a job](http://www.people.com/article/jon-stewart-responds-arbys-job-offer "undefined") and bought [the oversized brown hat that Pharrell wore ](http://time.com/11364/arbys-bought-pharrells-weird-grammys-hat-for-44000/ "undefined")at the 2014 Grammys, is out with a new gimmick called the [“Vegetarian Support Hotline.”](http://www.arbys.com/vegetariansupport "undefined") Just dial 1-855-Meat-HLP, which launched Tuesday to promote the brand’s brown sugar-glazed pepper bacon. The chain thinks the new menu item, available through July only, sounds so delicious that vegetarians will be “tempted” to eat it. When the number is dialed, there are different prompts depending on whether or not the caller has caved in. An example of the so-called “reassuring” advice that it dishes out: “Now, take a deep breath, and go make a salad.” But aren’t vegetarians usually health-conscious people? And isn’t bacon so unhealthy in the first place that adding brown sugar would just turn them off bacon (and meat in general) even more? Just a thought… Also, the Internet may be interested to learn that, while there isn’t a human operator on the line, callers are supposed to be able to leave a message, so happy trolling. ### See 15 Mouthwatering BBQ Photos  Smoked pork hot link with collard greens and mac and cheese at Jim 'N Nicks Bar-B-Q in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  Fried chicken at Husk in Charleston, S.C., named "Best New Restaurant in America" by Bon Appétit in 2011. Andrew Hetherington  Catfish with a selection of sides (including large lima beans, fresh green beans, collard greens, boiled cabbage, fresh mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts) from the daily cafeteria menu at Niki's West in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  Holeman & Finch Public House in Atlanta infamously serves only 24 burgers a night, at around 10 pm. Get there early; they almost always sell out. Andrew Hetherington  James Beard award-winning chef Sean Brock holding house-cured meat at McCrady's in Charleston, S.C. Andrew Hetherington  Whole pig ready to be butchered at Husk in Charleston, S.C. Andrew Hetherington  Smoked pork ribs with watermelon pickle at Cochon in New Orleans Andrew Hetherington  Menu display at Gus's Hot Dogs in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  Hot dog on the griddle at Gus's in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  The finished product at Gus's in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  All 24 burgers on the griddle at the same time at Holeman & Finch Public House in Atlanta. Andrew Hetherington  House-cured meat at Star Provisions in Atlanta. Andrew Hetherington  Bread for sandwiches and hamburgers at the soda fountain in Add Drug in Athens, Ga. The store is well known for the best-value lunch in town. Andrew Hetherington  Crawfish boil on the banks of the Mississippi in New Orleans with chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski of Cochon restaurant. The crawfish are cooked with lemons, garlic, and salt, then tossed with Old Bay and Cajun spices before being dumped on a plastic table for eating. Andrew Hetherington  Lemon meringue pie at Niki's West in Birmingham, Ala. 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