News

Carl's Jr. launches barbecue plant-based burger

Photo: Provided.

October 8, 2019

It may be a first in plant-based restaurant offerings and Carl's Jr. is behind this one with its announcement today that it will launch its Beyond BBQ Cheeseburger tomorrow as a follow-up to the success of its Beyond Famous Star burger, using the plant-based patty created by Beyond Meat, a news release said. 

Again, like the brand has done before, along with its sister brand, Hardee's this plant-based interpretation builds on the popularity of an existing menu item in the brand's Western Bacon Cheeseburger.

The Beyond BBQ Cheeseburger will feature not only the patty, but Carl's Jr. original BBQ sauce, American cheese and onion rings, all on a sesame seed bun.

"After seeing the overwhelming demand for our Beyond Famous Star, in true Carl's Jr. fashion we knew it was time to give customers even more plant-based innovations to delight their taste buds. With one Western Bacon Cheeseburger sold every second, we saw this as the perfect flavor inspiration - and so the new Carl's Jr. Beyond BBQ Cheeseburger was born," Carl's Jr. Brand Marketing Senior Vice President Patty Trevino, said in the release. "We're always looking for the next great way to innovate and deliver the most craveable burgers, and we're thrilled to continue our partnership with industry leader Beyond Meat to bring new and exciting flavors to our customers."

Carl's Jr. was one of the first major U.S. quick service restaurants to introduce a plant-based option to its menu in December 2018, and since then more than 4.5 million Beyond Famous Star burgers have been sold, making it the most successful burger launch for the brand in the past two years.

"It's been great to see the strong positive consumer response Carl's Jr. has received since launching the Beyond Burger on-menu as more and more consumers look for delicious plant-based meat options," Beyond Meat Chief Growth Officer Chuck Muth said in the release. "The on-menu expansion of Beyond Meat reflects Carl's Jr.'s continued enthusiasm around the brand partnership and commitment to delivering innovative options for their customers."

The Beyond BBQ Cheeseburger starts at $6.29 at participating locations.