Hardee's(R) Adds a Little Spice to Its Menu With the New Jalapeno Thickburger(TM)

    ST. LOUIS, Aug. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Responding to the rapidly growing
 trend in America towards spicier cuisine, Hardee's(R) today is introducing
 the new Jalapeno Thickburger(TM) to its growing menu of quality burgers.
 The new Thickburger makes its debut at Hardee's restaurants following a
 successful run at sister chain Carl's Jr.(R) earlier this year.
     (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060821/NYM082 )
     "Just a few years ago, no one would have dared to introduce a fast-food
 menu item with this much heat, but as America has become more diversified,
 so have Americans' palates," said Brad Haley, Hardee's executive vice
 president of marketing. "But this burger isn't just about heat. A burger
 has to taste great to make it on our menu, and the Jalapeno Thickburger is
 one of our best yet. It's made with pepperjack cheese, a generous helping
 of jalapenos and a creamy, yet zesty, Santa Fe sauce."
     The decision to incorporate the new Jalapeno Thickburger into the
 Hardee's menu comes in response to the strong sales increases earlier in
 the year at Carl's Jr., due in large part to the introduction of the spicy
 burger.
     The Jalapeno Thickburger features a charbroiled 1/3-pound, 100 percent
 Angus beef patty topped with jalapeno slices, peppers, pepperjack cheese,
 lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and Santa Fe sauce on a seeded bun. The new
 Thickburger will be sold at participating Hardee's restaurants for $3.49 by
 itself, or $5.78 for a medium combo meal.
     Hardee's Food Systems, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CKE
 Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:   CKR) of Carpinteria, Calif. As of the first fiscal
 quarter ended May 22, 2006, CKE Restaurants, Inc., through its
 subsidiaries, had a total of 3,141 franchised or company-owned restaurants
 in 43 states and in 13 countries, including 1,062 Carl's Jr.(R)
 restaurants, 1,963 Hardee's restaurants and 100 La Salsa Fresh Mexican
 Grill(R) restaurants. For more information, or to find a Hardee's near you,
 go to http://www.ckr.com or http://www.hardees.com.
     Contact:  Jeff Mochal           Bob Rybarczyk
               Hardee's              Weber Shandwick
               (314) 259-6277        (314) 552-6731
               jmochal@ckr.com       brybarczyk@webershandwick.com
 
 

SOURCE Hardee's