Carl's Jr

[Joe Kimball]

It appears as if a similar thing is happening as with the ex-122nd and MacArthur location, itself a Hardee's conversion that had turned dated and rancid with use, which in turn moved 3/4 of a mile up the road or so. The food quality is awesome at the new location, and the employees seemingly happier.

I never go there without a coupon or a text message code, though. They're a little proud.

[RadicalModerate]

It appears as if a similar thing is happening as with the ex-122nd and MacArthur location, itself a Hardee's conversion that had turned dated and rancid with use, which in turn moved 3/4 of a mile up the road or so. The food quality is awesome at the new location, and the employees seemingly happier.

I never go there without a coupon or a text message code, though. They're a little proud.

Is that, like, compared to, oh . . . I dunno . . . say, Tuckers, Nics, Smashburger, 2BGuyZ, Red Robin, or the other one?
(do they have any "healthy choices"? unlike those nasty purveyors of chicken strips that have popped up all over the place?)

I will admit that I miss Backyard Burgers over there NW of the house.
The one over by . . . Rockwell and that other street.

[Joe Kimball]

Is that, like, compared to, oh . . . I dunno . . . say, Tuckers, Nics, Smashburger, 2BGuyZ, Red Robin, or the other one?
(do they have any "healthy choices"? unlike those nasty purveyors of chicken strips that have popped up all over the place?)

I will admit that I miss Backyard Burgers over there NW of the house.
The one over by . . . Rockwell and that other street.

Um, sure? The food is fresh and as advertised. It's not local or heavily promoted as boutique, but you don't feel stupid after ordering it, especially with the coupons that come roughly monthly in the mail.

They have a few salads, and "healthy choices", loaded term that that is, are down to asking for customization at most places; for example, leaving off mayonnaise and requesting they "low-carb" a burger by adding a lettuce wrap in lieu of a bun...for which they are known nationally, I think.

[RadicalModerate]

Apparently, Hardee's/Carl's Jr. is making a fair and balanced attempt to make the rest of their menu equal the quality of those exceptionally good biscuits they used to have. At the locations where they used to be in business. And the new locations, too.

I salute their efforts in that direction.

I am sure of at least that much. =)

[boscorama]

By "low-carb spree", I refer to early days of a regime, when you (I) need more fatty junk to ward off hunger. After a few days, satisfaction with leaner meals becomes easier.

[SOONER8693]

Just saw the sign that says this location, SW 89th and Western, will be a new Carl's Jr.

[bombermwc]

Because when no one goes to your restaurant because it's nasty, the best thing to do is tear it down and build a new one.

[SoonerDave]

Because when no one goes to your restaurant because it's nasty, the best thing to do is tear it down and build a new one.

Especially considering most of these current Carl's Jr. locations are converted holdovers from the second "Hardees" generation in OKC, which dates them back to at least the mid 80's if not possibly the late 70's in some cases. For a fast-food joint, a 35-40-year old bldg that probably has myriad structural issues (to say nothing of things like building systems such as heat/cooling) that could be fixed, but not economically, scraping it down and building fresh makes great sense. Combine that with the fact that I believe the typical new Carl's location is a one-off of the quick-build panel-wall varieties, and the economics of a new building make even more sense.

[Jeepnokc]

Drove by there tonight and the new store is complete and open. Amazed at how quick they could tear the old one down and get the new one back up.

[SoonerDave]

Drove by there tonight and the new store is complete and open. Amazed at how quick they could tear the old one down and get the new one back up.

And I think it was opened up about two weeks ago. Kids have already tried it an issued their seal of approval

[SOONER8693]

Drove by there tonight and the new store is complete and open. Amazed at how quick they could tear the old one down and get the new one back up.

Also drove by it just a little bit ago. Was driving, so had to look quick. I think it had some LED lighting on part of the outside sections that continually changed colors. I thought it looked pretty cool.

[Jeepnokc]

Also drove by it just a little bit ago. Was driving, so had to look quick. I think it had some LED lighting on part of the outside sections that continually changed colors. I thought it looked pretty cool.

We saw it also. It is above the doors and changes colors.

[scottk]

The Carl's Jr in Edmond at Danforth and Kelly has closed. The store was built from the ground up as a Carl's Jr maybe a decade or so ago?

There is a brand new McDonald's (rebuilt) across the street and Starbucks. Hard to imagine that another fast food place wouldn't move into this location.

[gjl]

When I see the number of cars at any Carl's Jr compared to a McDonalds, Wends or even Burger Kings I wonder how any of them stay in business. To me they have no real identity. I think I can maybe name 2 items on their menu, The Famous Star burger and the Big Carl, I drive by the one on 39th and Portland a lot and it always seems dead. I ate at them more when they were Hardees.

[TheTravellers]

When I see the number of cars at any Carl's Jr compared to a McDonalds, Wends or even Burger Kings I wonder how any of them stay in business. To me they have no real identity. I think I can maybe name 2 items on their menu, The Famous Star burger and the Big Carl, I drive by the one on 39th and Portland a lot and it always seems dead. I ate at them more when they were Hardees.

Used to eat breakfast (and their hot ham'n'cheese) at Hardee's all the time. Have eaten at a Carl's Jr. twice since they bought and converted Hardee's to Carl's Jr. here in OKC.

[Dr Beard Face]

Used to eat breakfast (and their hot ham'n'cheese) at Hardee's all the time. Have eaten at a Carl's Jr. twice since they bought and converted Hardee's to Carl's Jr. here in OKC.

Their breakfast biscuits are still the top for the fast food world in my mind. The lack of customers at Carl's Jr makes me think the food will always be old, so I tend not to go, but when its done well I think it is on the better side of fast food options.

[Jeepnokc]

When I see the number of cars at any Carl's Jr compared to a McDonalds, Wends or even Burger Kings I wonder how any of them stay in business. To me they have no real identity. I think I can maybe name 2 items on their menu, The Famous Star burger and the Big Carl, I drive by the one on 39th and Portland a lot and it always seems dead. I ate at them more when they were Hardees.

They are very strong in the south where they still operate as Hardee's and known for their breakfast. I am in Portland this week and there are a lot of Carl Jr's. I had commented on that to my wife yesterday. (I like Hardee's breakfasts).

Interestingly , I found a local chain here (4 locations) called Burgerville that does a better biscuit. They put onion and hashbrowns on their breakfast biscuit. They source 90% of their ingredients from within 400 miles. If they would just add a pork chop or country steak biscuit.....would be in breakfast heaven.

[gjl]

Carl’s Jr here still say they serve Hardee’s breakfast.

[Urbanized]

Personally I think Whataburger does the best breakfast from a fast food burger chain. ESPECIALLY when they are offering the jalapeño cheddar biscuit, which frankly should never be allowed to drop off if the menu (though it does from time to time, stupidly).

[Jeepnokc]

Carl’s Jr here still say they serve Hardee’s breakfast.

The menus here at Carl Jrs don't say Hardees breakfast like OK but they are pretty similar except missing some of the more southern items like pork chop. They do have biscuits and gravy though. They had merged menus years ago even though kept branding the same. I actually worked at the Carl Jrs at 23/Broadway many many years ago.

[Pete]

Carl's Jr. was really big in California and then merged with Hardees in the Midwest.

It's one of those fast food places that seem like a relic of the 90s.

[gjl]

They would put Featuring Hardee’s Breakfast on their Marquee.

[Dob Hooligan]

They would put Featuring Hardee’s Breakfast on their Marquee.

I think they did for over 15 years. IIRC the merger of Hardee's and Carl's Jr. was executed in the 1990s. It was a smart move by any measure. Hardee's was an eastern US based company that was moving westward at a slowing pace, and Carl's Jr. was a California based company that had the same issue moving east. Carl's Jr. had a well-regarded burger menu, and Hardee's had a strong breakfast menu.

Most of the Carl's Jr. around OKC were built as Hardees in the mid-1980s, when they came strong onto the market. Like Grandy's, they are 40 year old buildings that are really showing their age. Appears the local franchisee (or corporate) philosophy is to let the existing properties wind down as a way to right size their market presence.

Remember, Carl's Jr. was big in the mid-2000s, with Paris Hilton and other hot girls in bikini's doing their ads.

[TheTravellers]

Carl’s Jr here still say they serve Hardee’s breakfast.

Yeah, we tried it and it just wasn't as good, and we generally don't do fast food breakfast much (if at all) anyway anymore...

[corwin1968]

Before they started closing, I had consistently excellent food from them. The Star with cheese is a much better example of that style burger than Burger King's Whopper. I was surprised to discover that Dairy Queen's burger is also that style and the two times I ate there, they were excellent. Carl's Jr. also has an excellent grilled chicken sandwich in the Santa Fe.

Speaking of breakfast, Whataburger's breakfast burger is my go-to. I LOVE breakfast burritos and taquitos, but I'll choose that breakfast burger every single time!