Carl's Jr.® Celebrates 85 Years with $85,000 Prize for one Creative Fan

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Jul 20, 2026, 09:02 ET

Bold burger chain invites fans to submit original short-form videos showcasing favorite Carl's Jr. menu items

FRANKLIN, Tenn., July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- After 85 years of charbroiling and advertising as breakthrough as its burgers, Carl's Jr. is doing what it does best: going bold. The iconic chain is launching an $85,000 video contest that puts its fans' creativity, and their love for bold and craveable flavors, front and center.

Carl's Jr. challenges fans to create an original commercial. Winner will receive $85,000.

From July 20 – Aug. 7, participants are invited to create and submit an original 30- to 60- second video showing their spin on an iconic Carl's Jr ad. Submissions should infuse the brand's bold personality and craveable menu items using their own authentic style to be considered for the $85,000 grand prize. Entrants are encouraged to create social media videos, jingles or even the next iconic ad. Entries must be posted publicly, tag Carl's Jr.'s social media handle and include the dedicated hashtags #MyCarlsJrAd and #Carls85th.

Finalists will be announced on or around Aug. 23, 2026, and seeded into The Carl's Creative Bracket, a head-to-head voting experience hosted on Carl's Jr.'s social channels. The public will be able to vote, comment and engage with their favorite entries, with the final winner determined by a combination of audience engagement and Carl's Jr. selection committee scores. The grand prize winner will be announced on or around Aug. 28, 2026, and awarded $85,000.

"For 85 years, our fans have been the real stars. As we celebrate this milestone, we wanted to give back in a way that puts our fans and their bold ideas at the center of the moment," said Burge Diemer, chief marketing officer at Carl's Jr. "This contest is designed to celebrate the people who have helped shape Carl's Jr. into what is is today."

For more news, follow Carl's Jr. on social media. For promotions, download the Carl's Jr. app and join the My Rewards loyalty program.

*No purchase necessary. Must be 18 or older and a legal resident of the United States to enter. Void where prohibited and in FL, NY, and RI. Valid entries must be submitted between July 17 and August 7, 2026. Ten finalists will be selected on August 28, 2026 and a grand prize winner will be chosen by a combination of audience voting (total engagements) and Sponsor's panel input (total scores). Grand Prize - $85,000 cash award. See Official Rules HERE for complete judging criteria, entry requirements and all other contest details.

My Rewards Loyalty Program: Join here
X: @CarlsJr
Instagram: @carlsjr
TikTok: @carlsjrofficial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlsjr/

Grand Prize Contest Promotion Terms:

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR ODDS OF WINNING. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY.

OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, EXCLUDING FLORIDA, NEW YORK, RHODE ISLAND AND RESIDENTS OF STATES WHERE RESTRICTED OR PROHIBITED BY LAW. MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO ENTER.

1. HOW TO ENTER: The Carl's Jr.^® 85th Birthday Fan Video Contest ("Contest") shall begin on Monday, July 20, 2026 at 12:00AM CDT and end on August 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM CDT ("Entry Period"). Ten finalists will be selected from all eligible entries based upon criteria set forth in these Official Rules and of these ten finalists, one (1) Grand Place prize winner; one (1) Second Place winner; one (1) Third Place winner and five (5) Runner-Up winners ("Winners") shall be chosen from eligible Entries. Winners of the respective prizes will be chosen on August 28, 2026. Winners do not need to be present to win.

To enter the Contest, during the Entry Period, post your original Carl's Jr. video advertisement (30 – 60 seconds) ("Entry") to TikTok, an Instagram Reel, and/or YouTube Short, tag @CarlsJr and include the official campaign hashtags #Carls85th and #MyCarlsJrAd. The Winners's Entry may be featured, reposted, or shared across Carl's Jr. social channels, website, paid media, and other promotional placements.

Limit one Entry per person. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any Entries by persons determined to be tampering with or abusing any aspect of the Contest.

See Official Rules HERE for complete judging criteria, entry requirements and all other contest details.

About Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr.^® is famous around the world for big, audacious, impossible-to-ignore flavors inspired by its California roots. For a bold move, guests have ordered items like over-the-top, juicy charbroiled burger creations, Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders™, Hand-Scooped Ice-Cream Shakes™ and indulgent breakfast burgers for more than 80 years. Together with its franchisees, Carl's Jr. operates more than 1,000 restaurants across the U.S. and has a presence in 24 countries worldwide. Learn more at www.carlsjr.com.

About CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.
CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., a privately held company based in Franklin, Tennessee, runs and operates Carl's Jr.^® and Hardee's^® restaurants, two beloved brands, known for premium and innovative menu items such as iconic charbroiled burgers, Made from Scratch™ Biscuits and Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders™. With both a U.S. and international footprint, Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC and Hardee's Restaurants LLC have more than 3,600 franchised or company-operated restaurants domestically and more than 35 international markets and U.S. territories. For more information about CKE, please visit www.ckr.com or its brand sites at www.carlsjr.com and www.hardees.com.

SOURCE CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.