By George Anderson
If you're looking for the perfect complement to the 1,420-calorie Monster Burger sold at Hardee's and Carl's Jr. restaurants, you might want to try one of the company's new 715-carlorie Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Shakes and Malts.
Using 12 percent butterfat ice cream, not the wimpy 3.5 percent butterfat stuff used in typical shake machines, Hardee's and Carl's will deliver thick, delicious tasting drinks with 33 grams of fat in a 16-ounce container.
"If you get one of these," Jo Ann Hattner, a nutrition instructor at Stanford Medical School, told USA Today, "make sure and get four straws so you can share it with three friends."
The new shakes and the Monster Burger might not be so good for your health, but Andy Puzde, chief executive of CKE Restaurants, isn't looking to shrink waistlines. His goal is to build the company's bottom line. "It's our opinion that these (calorie-laden) products sell better than health-conscious products," he said.
The new products certainly help differentiate Hardee's and Carl's Jr. from all the other fast feeders rolling out the salad du jour. Christopher Muller, director of the Center for Multi-Unit Restaurant Management at Orlando's University of Central Florida said, "The chain has the closest thing to a not-so-wellness menu in the business."
Moderator's Comment: Is CKE Restaurants on the right sales and marketing track with its "not-so-wellness menu" strategy? Conversely, do companies that sell meals (not simply desserts) have a responsibility to also offer healthy foods as a demonstration of community/social responsibility? - George Anderson - Moderator