Student behind viral Pop-Tart and cheese tweet creates new Arby's sandwich

An Iowa State University sophomore's internet fame gained from a highly criticized Pop-Tart and cheese sandwich has led him to creating a one-of-a-kind sandwich for a major fast-food chain.

Chris Jorgensen, a sophomore at Iowa State University, tweeted Thursday, Nov. 9, that you're not an Iowan unless you've tried a Pop-Tart and cheese sandwich. Jorgensen's tweet quickly launched a widespread discussion about the concoction. And led to Arby's flying Jorgensen and his girlfriend, Kailey Elliott, to its Atlanta headquarters last week.

"Chris, you know that a sandwich without meat isn't really a sandwich," Arby's responded in its tweet. "If we fly you down to Arby's HQ, will you let us help you make a real sandwich that Iowa can be proud of?"

Jorgensen, pummeled with thousands of alerts soon after his tweet hit timelines, admitted he skimmed right past Arby's request. 

"I got so many notifications that I actually missed it," he said. "I replied like two or three times and I thought I missed my opportunity." 

But Arby's was serious, waiting and willing.

"We saw the tweet, we thought it was a really fun story and being the authority on sandwiches, especially meaty sandwiches, we thought it'd be really playful," Arby's spokesman Mike Vizza said. "It's almost like we knew he was joking around, but we wanted him to bring some redemption for Iowa."

After touring Arby's facilities, which Jorgensen called "a very cool experience," he met Executive Chef Neville Craw in the kitchen. He had free reign of what he wanted to do with his sandwich, Jorgensen said. 

So, of course, it included a slice of American cheese wedged between two toaster pastries.

Just kidding.

However, Jorgensen did ask Twitter what his sandwich should consist of before landing in Atlanta. And yes, Pop-Tarts and cheese were mentioned.

But they didn't make the cut in the construction of the "Big Iowa" — inspired by Iowa State Fair foodstands.

So what's all in it? It's a behemoth, for starters.

The "Big Iowa" features warm, thinly sliced pit-smoked ham, roast turkey, smoked brisket, melted cheddar cheese, red onions, mozzarella sticks, pepper bacon and Parmesan peppercorn ranch on a toasted onion roll.

"It's definitely more outside of the box (compared to other sandwiches)," Vizza said.

The sloppy sandwich costs $6.99 and will be available for one day only — Thursday —at the Arby’s in Ames, Iowa. 

Could the "Big Iowa" end up being a permanent Arby's menu item, at least at its Ames location?

"We'll have to see how it does," Vizza said.