Hardee's® Pays Tribute to a Burger Classic With Launch of New Patty Melt Thickburger™

By: Hardee's | 0 Shares 225 Reads

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – May 14, 2007 – The classic taste of an authentic diner-style patty melt is coming to Hardee's today in the form of the Patty Melt Thickburger™. The origins of the patty melt are not well documented but the burger first became famous in the 1950's and 60's after springing up on diner and burger joint menus in the Midwest. Today, the patty melt is a staple on lunch and dinner menus across America. The new Patty Melt Thickburger at Hardee's will be made the old-fashioned way, with a charbroiled 1/3-lb. Angus beef patty, topped with real grilled onions and melting American cheese, all piled between two slices of freshly grilled rye bread.

"At Hardee's, we love to eat great burgers and we love to create great burgers so we understandably wanted to look at making a great patty melt since it's an American classic," said Brad Haley, Hardee's executive vice president of marketing. "Sadly, there is not a lot of information available about who created the first patty melt or where and when they did so. What we could find out indicated that classic patty melts were made with grilled onions and cheese on grilled rye bread, so that's how we are making our Patty Melt Thickburger. While other chains have used microwaved onions and sourdough bread on their 'patty melts' we're using real grilled onions and real rye bread, which is the kind of thing that made Hardee's and sister chain, Carl's Jr., the only regional chains to be recognized for having the best burgers in a national survey by Zagat® released last Friday. The Patty Melt is now one of my favorite Thickburgers and the only way to make it better is to wash it down with one of our Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Shakes or Malts™."

The new Patty Melt Thickburger will be sold at participating Hardee's restaurants for $2.99 or at $4.79 for a small combo including fries and a drink. Prices may vary.

Hardee's Food Systems, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CKE Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: CKR) of Carpinteria, Calif. As of the fourth fiscal quarter ended Jan. 29, 2007, CKE Restaurants, Inc., through its subsidiaries, had a total of 3,105 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 43 states and in 13 countries, including 1,087 Carl's Jr.® restaurants, 1,906 Hardee's restaurants and 96 La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill® restaurants.

###