'Meat as a Condiment' Goes to the Next Level With Hardee's(R) New Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger(TM)

'Meat as a Condiment' Goes to the Next Level With Hardee's(R) New Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger(TM)

		Hardee's today launched the Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger, complete with Philly-style steak, veggies and cheese for an authentic cheesesteak experience. It's one of the few fast-food burgers to use meat as a condiment. (PRNewsFoto/Hardee's Food Systems, Inc.) ST. LOUIS, MO UNITED STATES

New Thickburger(R) Is Topped With Philly-Style Steak, Veggies and Cheese for Authentic Cheesesteak Experience Like None Other in Fast Food ST. LOUIS, April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Using meat, such as bacon, as a burger topping is not a new idea, but Hardee's has taken the concept to its extreme today with the launch of the new Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger(TM). It's meat-on-meat as Hardee's new burger features a 1/3-lb. Angus beef Thickburger patty piled high with thinly sliced steak, two kinds of cheese and green peppers and onions. The result is a truly delicious and authentic tribute to the classic Philly Cheesesteak -- as only Hardee's can make it. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060418/CGTU070 ) "Other restaurants have just topped burgers with cheese, peppers and onions, and called them 'Cheesesteak burgers,' but they didn't taste like a Cheesesteak," said Brad Haley, executive vice president of marketing for Hardee's. "So, when we set out to make a great Philly Cheesesteak burger, we literally put a Cheesesteak on a burger, steak and all." Condiments have always played an important role when it comes to creating a mouthwatering, palate-pleasing burger. So, the marriage of one of America's favorite sandwiches to a Thickburger was no exception. In fact, Hardee's sister chain, Carl's Jr.(R), proved this with the successful launch of its Pastrami Burger(TM) last year. "The Carl's Jr. Pastrami Burger was one of the most successful new burgers at the chain in the last few years," said Haley. "So, the concept of 'meat as a condiment' -- as Jay Leno joked on The Tonight Show in reference to the Carl's Jr. Pastrami Burger -- led us to experiment with similar products at Hardee's, and the new Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger was born." The Hardee's adaptation of the Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger features a charbroiled 1/3-pound, 100 percent Angus beef patty, topped with thin-sliced steak, sauteed peppers and onions and Swiss and American cheeses on a seeded bun. The Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger will sell at participating Hardee's restaurants for $3.99 by itself, or $5.79 for a small combo meal. Hardee's Food Systems, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CKE Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: CKR) of Carpinteria, Calif. As of the fiscal year ended Jan. 30, 2006, CKE Restaurants, Inc., through its subsidiaries, had a total of 3,160 franchised or company-owned restaurants in 43 states and in 13 countries, including 1,049 Carl's Jr.(R) restaurants, 1,993 Hardee's restaurants and 102 La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill(R) restaurants. For more information, or to find a Hardee's near you, go to http://www.ckr.com or http://www.hardees.com . Contact: Jeff Mochal Bob Rybarczyk Hardee's Weber Shandwick (314) 259-6277 (314) 552-6731 jmochal@ckr.com brybarczyk@webershandwick.com