If you go to a Hardee’s on a Saturday morning, you’ll see a group of old people hanging out. Its not just seniors of course who enjoy Hardees. The restaurant has become one of the most well-known fast food chains in the US, and it tries very hard to attract millennials and Gen Zers. But Hardees climb to fast food success has been anything but a smooth ride.
Wilbur Hardee started the burger chain in 1960. It has had fights with other fast food chains and been accused of advertising in a sexist and lewd way. But, just like the biscuits Hardee’s makes every day, the company has stepped up to the challenge and changed its menu many times over the years. Heres everything you didnt know about Hardees — the good, the bad. and why some of you may know it better as Carls Jr.
Hardee’s has been serving delicious burgers and other menu items for over 60 years Their burgers are made with 100% beef patties But have you ever wondered where exactly Hardee’s sources their beef from? Keep reading to learn all about the origins of the beef used at Hardee’s restaurants,
A Focus on Quality Ingredients
Hardee’s takes pride in using quality ingredients to create their menu items. They don’t cut corners when it comes to sourcing their beef. Only USDA inspected, 100% real beef is used for their burgers. Their commitment to quality is one of the reasons they have remained a popular fast food chain for decades. Customers know they can count on Hardee’s to deliver a satisfying burger made with fresh, never frozen beef.
Angus Beef Burgers
One of Hardee’s most popular burgers is the Angus Thickburger line. These 1/3 pound burgers are made from 100% Angus beef. Angus cattle are known for producing flavorful, juicy beef. The breed originated from Scotland but is now raised all across the United States. For their Angus Thickburgers, Hardee’s sources Angus beef from cattle farms in the Midwest and West regions of the US. The use of fresh never frozen Angus beef ensures the Thickburgers have incredible flavor and texture.
Working with Trusted Suppliers
Rather than owning cattle farms, Hardee’s partners with trusted beef suppliers. These suppliers provide beef that meets Hardee’s high quality standards. Suppliers must follow protocols for humane treatment of cattle. The cattle are fed a nutritious diet free of hormones or steroids. Beef that comes from humanely raised cattle living in low-stress environments produces higher quality meat. Hardee’s commitment to sourcing quality, ethically raised beef has led to tasty burgers that customers keep coming back for.
Regular Burgers
For their burgers that are not Angus beef, Hardee’s uses a blend of beef from dairy steers and heifers. The exact blend depends on current supply and prices, but always meets their strict specifications. Beef for the classic Hardee’s hamburgers comes from Midwest cattle ranches. It is 100% USDA Choice or Select grade beef from cattle less than 30 months old. Like the Angus beef, it is always fresh and never frozen. Hardee’s commitment to quality ingredients ensures all their burgers have unbeatable flavor.
Safety and Transparency
In addition to taste, Hardee’s makes food safety a top priority. Suppliers must comply with Hardee’s strict food safety protocols. Regular audits and inspections verify that standards are met. State-of-the-art processing facilities are used to prepare Hardee’s beef. Each burger patty is made from trimmings of only one single beef carcass for traceability. Hardee’s is transparent about their beef sourcing and processing methods to maintain customer trust.
Why It Matters
When you choose to eat at Hardee’s, you can feel confident knowing exactly where your food comes from. The beef they use for their burgers and other menu items comes from reputable American ranchers. It is raised to meet quality standards for tenderness, marbling, and taste. You get a satisfying meal knowing they use only 100% real beef with no fillers, additives, or preservatives. Hardee’s commitment to sourcing quality ingredients like delicious American beef is one of the key reasons they have remained a trusted brand since 1960.
ever-increasing fast food burger market probably seems like a deal, or at least average in price. Back in 2001, however, paying $6 for a cheeseburger at a fast food joint was a bit of a stretch.
The big catch of course with Hardees Six Dollar Burger was that the burger wasnt $6, but closer to around four bucks. The name was a play on words with Hardees telling customers that they could get a burger worthy of a$6 price tag at a full-service restaurant, but at a cheaper price. “Its set us on a course toward the fast-casual segment with a more premium product,” Hardees spokesperson Jana Shortt said.
The fact that sales went up for three months in a row and won a Silver Skillet Award for “best sandwich” showed how popular the Six Dollar Burger was.
The burger was discontinued in 2008, only to be brought back for a limited run a year later in order to beat out McDonalds competing Angus burgers. Hardees still has plenty of big burgers — only these days you probably will have to pay $6 for one.
The founder may have lost the company in a poker game
Wilbur Hardees 15-cent hamburgers were a hit with Greenville, North Carolina when he opened his first Hardees in 1960. In the first four months he netted a profit of $9,500 and set his sights on growing the business. Unfortunately for Hardee, his vision of expanding came with a heavy price.
Hardee wanted his next location to be in Rocky Mount, North Carolina and partnered with accountant Leonard Rawls and businessman Jim Gardner. Rawls and Gardner convinced Hardee they could become rich by selling the restaurants as franchises. The company went public in 1963, but Hardees partnership with Rawls and Gardner turned sour. One version of the story says that Hardee lost his control of the company during a late night poker game during which he had been drinking heavily.
But in Hardees’s self-published autobiography, he says that the two men drank a lot of alcohol with him over a steak dinner and then tricked him into giving up control of the business.
Either way, the next morning Rawls and Gardner had control of 51 percent of the company and all Hardee could do was admit that he had screwed up. “I was stupid,” he said during a 1984 interview. “Thats what I was. You know how it is — you make mistakes.”
80’s Ads: Hardees Roast Beef 1985
FAQ
Does Hardee’s use real beef?
Does Hardees still use Angus beef?
What grade meat do hardees use?
What are hardees hamburgers made with?
Who owns Hardee’s roast beef?
In addition to Roy Rogers, Hardee’s also owned Rax Roast Beef for a period of time and sold roast beef sandwiches throughout the Hardee’s system. In April 1997, CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Carl’s Jr., bought Hardee’s from Imasco for $327 million.
Who owns Hardee’s restaurants?
It was founded in 1960 by Wilber Hardee in North Carolina .Since 1997, Hardee’s has been a subsidiary of CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.(“CKE””) . The company operates under the same
Where did Hardees start?
1. Hardees started in North Carolina The very first Hardees restaurant was opened in Greenville