Dive Brief:
- Carl’s Jr. launched its Burger Revolution on Tuesday, setting a systemwide cooked-to-order standard to provide “hotter, fresher and more consistently craveable burgers,” the company said in a press release.
- As part of this initiative, the chain debuted a limited-time Angus Maximus, a burger with 5.7 ounces of beef, melted American cheese, sliced onions, dill pickles and a special sauce served on a toasted brioche bun.
- Deliberate efforts to improve food quality is a trend across burger chains, with Burger King, Wendy’s and McDonald’s all updating their menus with new ingredients or new items to improve customer satisfaction and drive traffic.
Dive Insight:
For Carl’s Jr., this initiative will move the chain away from using traditional holding systems that can “compromise temperature and texture,” the company said. Carl’s Jr. will begin cooking after a customer places an order to ensure the burger is served hot off a char broiler.
“Carl's Jr. has never been in the business of serving burgers that are just good enough,” Iwona Alter, Carl's Jr. brand president, said in a statement. “The Burger Revolution and our shift to a cooked-to-order process represent our commitment to raising the standard across the entire Carl's Jr. experience.”
Carl’s Jr.’s recent marketing efforts — particularly around its LTOs — emphasize food quality. When it released its Western Bacon Chicken Sandwich in April, it offered MyRewards members a free Western Bacon Chicken Sandwich if they could prove they bought a "criminally bland chicken sandwich” from a competitor. It also gave guests a free Sourdough Star in June if they could prove that they passed by a Jack in the Box in favor of a Carl’s Jr.
Improving food quality could help boost the chain’s franchised average unit volume, which was $1.39 million during fiscal year 2026, according to its franchise disclosure document.
The chain has reported declines in its unit count, particularly on the franchised side. Carl’s Jr.’s franchised store count declined from 1,020 in 2024 to 942 by the end of fiscal 2026. Company-owned stores have remained at about 50 units during that time.
A handful of franchisees at Carl’s Jr. and sister brand Hardee’s have struggled with profitability recently, leading to bankruptcy. A large Carl’s franchisee, Friendly Franchisees Corporation, which operated 65 Carl’s Jr. units in California, declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April, citing the impact of the state’s $20 minimum wage as one of the reasons for its move.
Burger King’s focus on improving the quality of its Whopper is helping drive sales increases this year. McDonald’s is working on improving its food quality as part of its NEXT strategy. Wendy’s released improved chicken sandwiches earlier this year, as well.
