Hardee's new "Monster Thickburger"

[bleachboy]

Hardees rolls out new "Monster Thickburger" -- 1,400 calories, 107 grams of fat.

Sure, it sounds like this burger may be my new hangover cure, but American fast food is really getting ridiculous.

I bet a lot of people will buy the Monster Thickburger without realizing just how staggeringly unhealthy it is.

My proposal: Fast food places should be required to post simple nutritional information on their menus just other foods. I really don't think just posting it inside in the hallway to the bathroom on a poster in 9-point type informs the consumer properly.

Maybe a simple notation like "calories/fat".

I sure as hell would think again before ordering if the sign said:

MONSTER THICKBURGER $5.49 1400/107

[mjr_inthegardens]

"That's not a burger. THIS is a burger."

http://www.snopes.com/photos/commercials/bigburger.asp

[Carrot Top]

I sure as hell would think again before ordering if the sign said:

MONSTER THICKBURGER  $5.49  1400/107

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I think the answer is lobbyists.

All lobbyists who work for the fast food industry should be required by law to eat one of these things before they go to work each day.

I bet their sinking productivity levels could be measured on a daily basis.... and of course a daily nap after lunch would be a required part of their days, too....

[NulloModo]

Ruby Tuesdays already posts all of their nutritional info on the menu, some of it is very eye-opening. However, I know at least one guy who refuses to eat there now because he finds the information depressing, he would much rather dine in the bliss of ignorance.

To a point, I completely agree with him. All restuarants/fast food joints should be required to post full detailed nutritional info on everything they serve, or at least have it on hand in a phamplet for someone to peruse if they want, but there is no reason to make it part of the advertising or throw it in one's face. Anyone who really believes that fast food is healthy deserves what'll end up coming to them.

[jgarner53]

This is appalling and if you ask me, borders on irresponsible. Given that most people aren't going to bother to check out the calorie/fat content of one of these thing before ordering, and given the number of people who eat fast food on a regular basis, it's like handing a fifth of Jack Daniels to an alcoholic and telling him not to drink it. So what if they're saying, "This isn't the burger you eat every day." People still will, and they're willfully contributing to a nationwide problem.

I agree with bleachboy that nutritional information should be posted as visibly as it is on every bit of packaged food that we buy in this country. If you bought this burger in the freezer section of your supermarket, the information would be there. Even better if they didn't portion out the burger (contents: 8 servings) and told you what you'd get if you ate the whole thing, which you will, with a side of fries and a 32-ounce Coke.

[Al_Dente]

This is appalling and if you ask me, borders on irresponsible. Given that most people aren't going to bother to check out the calorie/fat content of one of these thing before ordering, and given the number of people who eat fast food on a regular basis, it's like handing a fifth of Jack Daniels to an alcoholic and telling him not to drink it.

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I disagree. You need a sign to tell you how unhealthy the burger is?

[StudentChefEclipse]

Of course, Hardee's is owned by Carl Karcher (sp?) Enterprises, who also own Carl's Jr. For awhile, C Jr was advertising their amazingly healthy cuisine. So now I guess we know where the other stuff went.

Back in the 80s, by the way, it was rumored that CK Enterprises elected to pay fines rather than pay their female staff the same wage as their male staff. I have no idea if that's true, but I've not eaten at any CKE business since, oh, 1982. *shrugs*

[Chris Cognac]

They have had it out here at Carls Jr for about 1 yrs....its called the double 6 dollar burger....I tried to eat one, with no success.....does not come close to a double super star!

[bleachboy]

They have had it out here at Carls Jr for about 1 yrs....its called the double 6 dollar burger....I tried to eat one, with no success.....does not come close to a double super star!

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Well, I know that the Hardees restaurants out here actually serve very, very good burgers -- Err, maybe "very, very" is a little too strong, but they're definitely the best fast-food burgers going.

Like Chris, I've actually tried whatever their biggest burger was in the past -- it may actually have been some incarnation of this Monster Thickburger. It was quite delicious, but so damn heavy that I felt nauseous for about three hours after eating it.

Like I mentioned up top, it's probably a great hangover-killer. And also a great people-killer.

[Daniel]

People are saying that there should be a sign that tells you that this burger is unhealthy..Now you are assuming that people who are too dumb to realize that something with three burger patties, mayo, cheese and two heaps of bacon is unhealthy, can actually read..

[jgarner53]

Now you are assuming that people who are too dumb to realize that something with three burger patties, mayo, cheese and two heaps of bacon is unhealthy, can actually read..

You need a sign to tell you how unhealthy the burger is?

People need warnings not to put their toasters in the bathtub. Yes, I think people need signs.

[andiesenji]

There used to be a place in Burbank, Don's Patio, a mini outdoor restaurant behind a beer bar that sold 1 pound burgers with a quart of fries. It was very popular with the motorcycle crowd and the auto racing bunch that hung around the garages in the near vicinity. It did a great business until the owner keeled over with a massive heart attack at age 41. Probably from consuming too much of his own product. It was a favorite of my ex and his two sons.

[Mabelline]

Our Hardee's up here have a much nicer burger, although I can still cut it in 1/2s twice. It's the sourdough burger.

I like the taste of Hardee's meat because it's good ole meat with a nongreasy taste...somewhere in Montana dot coms or orgs there's a Hardee spot naming how much state-produced beef they use, and the amount of Angus they use.

We raise Angus, so that's the reason I went diving for the info. Mebbe somebody more savvy then me can call it up.

[deibu]

I think anybody who would actually need a sign to tell them how high the calories and fat grams are in the Monster Thickburger, wouldn't have a clue whether or not 1400 calories and 100+ fat grams are more than they should consume in one sitting...

[Mabelline]

Perhaps just a skull and crossbones on the box?

[foodie52]

Even the name is vaguely pornographic and off-putting. I'd be embarrassed to order it. A Monster THICKBURGER? Ewww.....

[AmyDaniel]

Even the name is vaguely pornographic and off-putting. I'd be embarrassed to order it. A Monster THICKBURGER? Ewww.....

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The "THICKBURGER?" part got me!! Aaahahaha!

Amy

[Daniel]

Now you are assuming that people who are too dumb to realize that something with three burger patties, mayo, cheese and two heaps of bacon is unhealthy, can actually read..

You need a sign to tell you how unhealthy the burger is?

People need warnings not to put their toasters in the bathtub. Yes, I think people need signs.

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:I am a firm believer in letting natural selection occur. People dont need signs, insurance companies need signs.

Edited November 18, 2004 by Daniel (log)

[bergerka]

Before I say this, I would just like to state that I am not, in principle, against fast food. I have been known to enjoy a quarter pounder with cheese (MMMMM) on occasion, or those lovely bean burritos and tostadas and Nachos Bell Grande from Taco Bell that bear no resemblance whatsoever to actual Mexican food. or, really, actual FOOD, and once, in high school, I went on a kick of eating chicken mcnuggets (hey! They're juicy and good, especially with hot mustard sauce!) about once a week.

That said, in this case...I'm firmly on the side of the natural selection crowd. If you're too stupid to realize this hamburger is - not just not GOOD, but truly TERRIBLE - for you, you're too stupid to be allowed out of the house unsupervised. Period.

Furthermore, that Thickburger is the nastiest looking thing I have ever seen in my entire life, the picture alone made me gag (and I LOVE big thick juicy medium rare bacon cheeseburgers! With cheddar!), and anyone ordering it deserves exactly what they get.

Last but not least, and this comment is NOT AIMED AT ANYONE IN THIS THREAD, it's just in general, when are people going to figure out that it's not Hardee's job to look after your health? It's Hardee's job to make as much money as they can selling whatever food sells best. In this case, that is apparently, well, the Thickburger. If it doesn't sell well, they'll pull it...but I don't have enough faith in humankind to believe that. It's going to go like gangbusters.

Edited to add that my current favorite fast food commercials are the Subway ones in which Jared points out the difference between, say, an order of 5 "chicken selects" from McDonald's (33 grams of fat) and one big-ass sandwich from Subway (10 grams of fat, or something).

K, unusually irritated with her fellow man, especially those fellows who would order something nasty like this instead of going to a place that serves REAL hamburgers.

Edited November 18, 2004 by bergerka (log)

[foodie52]

So Hardee's made TV news here. And the newspaper. So finally I understood what it is all about (I'm evidently a slow learner).

Isn't there a saying along the lines of "Any press is better than no press at all"? Hardee's (a company that I've never even thought about in my life), is now front and center in the news. Brilliant .

[wnissen]

So Hardee's made TV news here. And the newspaper. So finally I understood what it is all about (I'm evidently a slow learner).

Isn't there a saying along the lines of "Any press is better than no press at all"? Hardee's (a company that I've never even thought about in my life), is now front and center in the news. Brilliant .

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Actually, I've been thinking about this. McD's got some good publicity by phasing out the super-size value meals, after the buzz surrounding "Super Size Me." However, have you noticed that other fast food companies have tried to muscle in on the glutton fast food dollar? Taco Bell (at least around Northern California) has been promoting their "mega Bell" menu with really big burritos or something like that, and now the thickburger. It would not surprise me to learn that they see an opportunity in McDonald's pullback on supersizing, and are seizing it.

Walt

[NulloModo]

Walt -

That wouldn't surprise me at all, when there is a market for something, you can bet someone is going to capitalize on it.

I haven't been to a McDonalds in ages, do they actually really not carry the supersized stuff anymore? If they actually got rid of it, that was one dumb move by McDonalds, when I did used to go that is the quanitity that I saw most people going with, and I am sure it upped the profit margins.

I just don't get the whole 'fast food is evil, they want to make a buck by putting us in the grave' outlook on this. Sure huge greasy sugary starchy fast food meals are horrible for you, but it is your choice to eat it or not. McDonalds and Hardees don't have storm troopers ramming burgers down your throat. There are plenty of products (on both the legitimate and illegitimate markets) out there that will lead to an early death, but most of them are pretty darn enjoyable. Make your choices and live with the consequences, that is all it boils down to.

[tommy]

My proposal: Fast food places should be required to post simple nutritional information on their menus just other foods.  I really don't think just posting it inside in the hallway to the bathroom on a poster in 9-point type informs the consumer properly.

MONSTER THICKBURGER  $5.49  1400/107

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i suppose all restaurants should be required to do that then. that'd make eating out a lot of fun. maybe the server could actually recite the nutritional information of my foie gras while he's reciting the specials, just in case i didn't read the bold type on the menu.

[hjshorter]

McDonalds and Hardees don't have storm troopers ramming burgers down your throat.

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There's a visual.

I saw this monstrosity on MSNBC's Countdown the other night. Holy cow does it look disgusting, but if people want to buy it, Hardee's should be able to sell it.

[elswinger]

I confes I go to Taco Bell about three times a week because it's next to my dialysis center and I'm thankfull for their new Mega Meal menu, especially when I'm hungry and broke. Their Bean Burrito Especial (just a bigger version of their regular bean & cheese burrito) is about $1.25 and weighs about 8 ounces (which is about a pound or so less than Taco Del Mar's) so it's not as obscene as you think.

We don't have Hardee's or Carl's Jr. in Seattle, but we are the home of Red Robin and the Monster Burger, which is two 1/2 pound patties and all the fixings you want.