Originally Posted by bigbucks24:
AS someone that worked for Hardee's for 18 years and now work at another fast food joint for the past 15 years, I can tell you a few things.
Fries are SELDOM refried. Not that it NEVER happens, but adding the salt back into the oil is a big no-no and breaks down the oil quickly. Besides, they come out crappy when you do that. Fries with no salt are are a pain. And yes, they are generally portioned right out of the basket instead of wiping down the fry station. Most fast food restaurants use some sort of holding system for the meat patties. I can't think of a fast food that doesn't assemble your sandwich to order. So taking off the pickles or ketchup gets you the same same quality as everyone else. Getting a burger with no seasoning is a pain too. It requires meat to be cooked separately from the rest and messes up the flow of the restaurant. When it's working correctly, there is a pretty good rhythm to the restaurant and flows out in a timely manner. When 1 order sits for a long while because we are cooking the meat pattie with no seasoning, it makes it challenging. Everyone will do it, but it is a little irritating. No biggie. And for all those people thinking someone is spitting in their food, it is a pretty serious offense to tamper with food. In my 35 years in the business, I've never seen anyone do it or been involved in a case where it was done. PITA customers just aren't worth it. It's fast food, they'll be gone in a few minutes.
Whoever said that the quality of the service depends on the owner is spot on, though it depends on the GM as well. There are great owners and there are awful ones in every brand. And there are generally multiple owners within a metro area.
Any questions you want answered about the QSR segment?
Huh, way back in the 80s, we'd cook 1/4# 8 at a time [fit a topsider]. Usually 1 swiss for every 7 american cheese.
The bun would get toasted, the cheese placed, the meat seasoned, and everything boxed and put in a moist heat space for up to 20 minutes.
From there, sandwiches were made to order.
During rush, we'd fill the run between cook line and front line with the various burgers offered, then start filling the heat space with 'generic' meat/bun/cheese packages. During off time, we wouldn't even put condiments or vegetables on a burger until it was ordered [made to order]. [Reply]
I haven't eaten at a Hardee's in almost 10 years (then only because I was in St. Joe). We have Carl's Jr. here in the Houston area and I like them (same basic menu and food under a different name...I'm not sure why). [Reply]
Originally Posted by otherstar:
I haven't eaten at a Hardee's in almost 10 years (then only because I was in St. Joe). We have Carl's Jr. here in the Houston area and I like them (same basic menu and food under a different name...I'm not sure why).
Slightly different menu. Carls Jr doesn't have country ham biscuit for instance. [Reply]
Originally Posted by otherstar:
I haven't eaten at a Hardee's in almost 10 years (then only because I was in St. Joe). We have Carl's Jr. here in the Houston area and I like them (same basic menu and food under a different name...I'm not sure why).
Hardees and Carls both formed from existing franchises, then joined forces after their regional brands were established.
Hardees started up as a burger stand for towns too small for McDs, then bought up a bunch of Burger C-h-efs in the SE.
Carls started as an LA hot dog stand and expanded to barbecue before getting passed on to sons [Carl's 'Jr'] and switching to burgers.
Now they're both [along with Red Burrito] under CKE, Carl [that Carl] Karcher Enterprises.
For a bit before CKE acquired them, Hardees also owned Rax Roast Beef and Roy Rogers Chicken. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Baby Lee:
Hardees and Carls both formed from existing franchises, then joined forces after their regional brands were established.
Hardees started up as a burger stand for towns too small for McDs, then bought up a bunch of Burger C-h-efs in the SE.
Carls started as an LA hot dog stand and expanded to barbecue before getting passed on to sons [Carl's 'Jr'] and switching to burgers.
Now they're both [along with Red Burrito] under CKE, Carl [that Carl] Karcher Enterprises.
For a bit before CKE acquired them, Hardees also owned Rax Roast Beef and Roy Rogers Chicken.
I'm old enough to remember Sandys before Hardees took them over. It was when I still lived in Macon, so it must have been prior to '72. [Reply]
Originally Posted by GloucesterChief:
Slightly different menu. Carls Jr doesn't have country ham biscuit for instance.
Originally Posted by Baby Lee:
Hardees and Carls both formed from existing franchises, then joined forces after their regional brands were established.
Hardees started up as a burger stand for towns too small for McDs, then bought up a bunch of Burger C-h-efs in the SE.
Carls started as an LA hot dog stand and expanded to barbecue before getting passed on to sons [Carl's 'Jr'] and switching to burgers.
Now they're both [along with Red Burrito] under CKE, Carl [that Carl] Karcher Enterprises.
For a bit before CKE acquired them, Hardees also owned Rax Roast Beef and Roy Rogers Chicken.
Thanks! I just knew they were similar. It's been a LONG time since I've eaten at Hardee's. [Reply]
I posted this in another thread, but Hardee's Big Twin burger in the 80's was great. They discontinued it when they built a new menu. My army of 1 wasn't enough to keep it going. [Reply]
