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Oh the artery-clogging glory of it all! There are few words to express our good, old fashioned love of American fast food, but in celebration of the first Carl's Jr. to open in China, we figured we'd find a few grade-A words to celebrate. In case you've never been in the States, Carl's Jr. is a bastion of burgers, fries and shakes, all served to order and in heaping portions à la mode américaine glutton.
Celebrating the grand opening of the flagship store in Raffles City, Carl's Jr.'s was full of energy: the store was packed with hungry foreigners and curious natives all clamoring to get their hands on a big, juicy burger. Meanwhile, pretty girls in Carl's Jr. belly shirts handed out menus to passersby, explaining to the occasional confused customer what the fuss was, while managers graciously helped the staff with orders. People smiled, laughed, and had an all around good time while stuffing their faces with delicious, greasy food.
Ned Lyerly, Senior Vice President of Carl Jr.'s Global Franchise Development, sees a bright future for the charbroiled burger joint in China. "We offer something different than any of our competitors can provide," Lyerly said.
It's true- Carl's Jr. burgers are much heartier than its fast food counterparts' - the taste and texture is unlike anything you can get at McDonalds or Burger King: here, you actually have to chew your food before you swallow, which is a big plus for us. The franchise has around a hundred additional stores in the works and hopes to make Carl's Jr. a household name in China.
If burgers aren't your thing, then you can enjoy a selection of chicken sandwiches, chili cheese fries, shakes or salads. Plus, they have hearty natural-cut fries (which actually taste like they're made from potatoes), onion rings, and even waffle fries, which is rarer in China than a western toilet outside of a major city. If you're condiment crazy, Carl's Jr. has a condiment bar (yes, it's self-serve) replete with salsa(!), jalapenos, and a number of other interesting burger accoutrement. Perhaps most shocking is the napkin dispensers on every table! No more rationing your one napkin like at McDonalds!
After the guy waiting in line in front of us told us he had been anxiously waiting for Carl's Jr. to open for a good three months, we knew we had to go all out and get the most decadent thing on the menu: the drool-worthy double bacon cheeseburger. The freshly made burger was delivered to our table, all collar-wrapped to keep it warm and juicy, and practically begged us to see how quickly we could eat it. So we obliged, and left contentedly full. We give it two thumbs up, and would definitely recommend it for anyone homesick for a taste of good ol' American fast food done right. For now, we're going to lay down and enjoy our first fast food coma in a long, long time.
Carl's Jr. flagship store is now open in Raffles City, Floor D1
268 Xizang Zhong Lu, People's Square near Fouzhou Lu (西藏中路268号 近福州路
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I saw the promo banner last week while traveling in Shanghai. Do they offer the $6 burgers as well?
Anyone know why Carl's Jr has been closed the last week? The sign out front says no electricity, but I doubt that's the reason since all the surrounding shops are open for business.
Anyone know what the real deal is?
Word on the street - and it's all rumor, no confirmation - was they had a fryer fire.
Did someone want to see what happens when you dump ice into the frier?
Or they tried to market the Mao Burger. "A bold, beefy burger guaranteed to kill you with flavor and strike dread into your 12 year old daughter's heart".