However, Carl's Jr. is a fast food restaurant chain that knows who it is. They sell comfort food that everyone loves and they're not ashamed of who they are. No one is under the impression that a foot long cheeseburger is going to be good for you. But if you love cheeseburgers, you'll probably want to give it a try.
I find it interesting that McDonald's keeps trying to add healthy options to its menu as if a salad in a soda cup is going to get people to think of them when they're considering a healthy lunch. Why bother? You are who you are! Accept it, own it and try to maximize your share of the market by being known as the best fast food restaurant chain in America. People who are watching their waists aren't going to eat at McDonalds anyway. But perhaps that's just me. Why try to be all things to all people and dilute your message? What I also find interesting is the strange turnaround at Subway, who for years, owned the healthy fast food moniker. However, today they sell pizza, cookies, breads baked in cheese, and several other "less than healthy" options.
Why the change? Perhaps the healthy option message wasn't drawing customers and they needed to target true fast food eaters, who are more concerned with taste and cost than they are with a healthy lifestyle.
I've always been confused by seemingly successful businesses who try to extend their brands into product lines that don't seem to have any synergy with their core brand identities. I'm all about experimentation, but sometimes the experiments just don't seem well thought out.
I'm glad that there are no Carl Jr.'s around the DC area, or I'd be inclined to try one of these. Thank God for small favors.
Enjoy!
