Guests Get Gourmet Fare, Fast-Food Value
CARPINTERIA, Calif., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning today, Carl's
Jr.(R) gives burger lovers a new reason to skip the dinner jacket and go for
the drive-thru -- The Portobello Mushroom Six Dollar Burger(TM). The newest
addition to the popular Six Dollar Burger line features high-quality
Portobello mushrooms sliced and sauteed with garlic and parsley. The
"five-star" mushroom sauce tops a 1/2-pound, 100 percent Angus beef patty
complemented by melted Swiss cheese, sliced red onions, juicy tomato, and
crisp lettuce on a seeded bun.
Carl's Jr. was one of the pioneers of the growing fast-food trend of
"going upscale," with the introduction of its original Six Dollar Burger(TM)
more than four years ago, so named because it rivaled the quality of sit-down
restaurant burgers costing six dollars or more. That product was eventually
joined by other chains' premium salads and sandwiches bearing elegant names
and exotic ingredients that previously would have been unheard of at fast-food
restaurants.
"Carl's Jr. recognized many years ago that consumers' tastes were changing
and that they were enjoying and appreciating higher-quality foods than ever
before," said Brad Haley, executive vice president of marketing at Carl's Jr.
"They just couldn't get them at fast-food restaurants. This was what prompted
us to create the industry's first sit-down restaurant quality hamburger, The
Six Dollar Burger, in 2001. Since then, we've expanded the Six Dollar Burger
line with five additional premium-quality options, each one made with
1/2-pound charbroiled Angus beef patties. Now, with The Portobello Mushroom
Six Dollar Burger, we've taken mushroom burgers to a level never before
reached on a fast-food menu."
Portobello mushrooms -- large, tawny, meaty, and plump -- are considered
the ultimate in gourmet produce. Portobellos, often referred to as the
"vegetarian steak" for their beefy flavor, can be grilled, stuffed or baked.
They are chefs' mushrooms of choice in most high-end dining establishments.
"Our menu development team is continuously on the hunt for high-quality,
great-tasting ingredients that will work well on our burgers or chicken
sandwiches," said Haley. "These dedicated men and women have fun jobs and
love a challenge. So, when we gave them the task of developing the best
mushroom burger in fast food, they jumped at the chance and The Portobello
Mushroom Six Dollar Burger was born. In fact, the Portobello mushroom sauce
is so delicious, it's even great on pasta -- but it's awesome on a burger."
The Portobello Mushroom Six Dollar Burger will sell for $4.79 at
participating restaurants -- or $6.59 as part of a combo meal.
Carl's Jr. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CKE Restaurants, Inc.
(NYSE: CKR) of Carpinteria, Calif. As of the second fiscal quarter ended
August 15, 2005, CKE Restaurants, Inc., through its subsidiaries, had a total
of 3,159 franchised or company-owned restaurants in 43 states and in
13 countries, including 1,032 Carl's Jr. restaurants, 2,011 Hardee's(R)
restaurants and 100 La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill(R) restaurants. For more
information, or to find a Carl's Jr. near you, go to http://www.ckr.com or
http://www.carlsjr.com.
*Photo of The Portobello Mushroom Six Dollar Burger available upon
request.
SOURCE Carl's Jr.
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Related links:
http://www.carlsjr.com
http://www.ckr.com
CONTACT:
Anne Hallock of Carl's Jr., +1-805-745-7741,
ahallock@ckr.com; or Kate Greenberg of Weber Shandwick,
+1-310-854-8264, kgreenberg@webershandwick.com, for Carl's Jr.
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