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Dec 30, 2010

Review: Carl's Jr. - Famous Star

Similar to Jack's Jumbo Jack and Burger King's Whopper, the Famous Star is signature burger of Carl's Jr. It comes as a combination of charbroiled beef, leafed lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, dill pickles, special sauce (a ketchup variant with sweet relish), and mayo on a toasted sesame bun.

I remember when it used to carry a promotional price of 99 cents (it has since been replaced by the Big Burger for 99 cents) but these days it costs $2.69 for one Famous Star. Fortunately, I snagged two of them for $3 under a promotion that my local Carl's Jr. is participating in. It is also available with a slice of American cheese for an extra charge.

Out of the wrapper, the Famous Star is very similar to the Whopper but taller and not as wide. The sesame bun is soft but denser and heavier than Burger King or McDonald's buns.
My Famous Star contained fresh, crisp veggies, plenty of lettuce, and just the right amount of onions to give a solid onion flavor crunch without making me feel like I was actually eating an onion. I could taste each ingredient distinctly without one overpowering or blanking another.

The beef patty felts meatier than the Whopper patty. It makes sense though since the Whopper is wider and flatter, it's logical that the Whopper patty is wider and flatter. I love the slightly bitter char and texture that charbroiling adds but it seems to be hit or miss on the charring when I go to Carl's Jr. This time was a miss.
When it comes down to it, the Famous Star is a pretty good burger and very nice at two for $3. I'd choose it over the Whopper and the Big and Tasty because of the thicker, sometimes charred patty and more consistent vegetables (my local Burger King is wildly inconsistent with their vegetables).

Still, with a regular price of $2.69, you get a slightly more value out of the Big Carl which has two slices of cheese and two beef patties (and is back at $1.99 at my local Carl's Jr.). Then again, sometimes you'd rather have tomatoes and onions.

Carl's Jr. Restaurant Locator

Nutritional Info - Carl's Jr. Famous Star (262g)
Calories - 600 (from Fat - 290)
Fat - 34g (Saturated Fat - 10g)
Sodium - 960mg
Carbs - 52g (Sugar - 11g)
Protein - 24g
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3 comments:

  1. AdamSunday, January 22, 2012

    I like Carl's Jr. burgers. They're cheap and hearty. I thought the big burger was 1/4th lb, so is this one 1/3rd lb?

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  2. brandeatingSunday, January 22, 2012

    No, this one is also 1/4th lb. but it comes with lettuce and tomatoes whereas the Big Burger is outfitted like a McDonald's hamburger with the ketchup, mustard, pickles, and onions.

    I guess lettuce and tomatoes cost more money?

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  3. JonTuesday, June 26, 2012

    I get Famous Star Burgers in Singapore, they are exactly the same as Carl Karcher ( founder of Carl's Jr) made them when he was flipping burgers himself  in  the early 50s  at the original Carl's Drive In my hometown of  Anaheim, California. After Jack in The Box opened a Drive Thru down the street, Carl built the first Carl's Jr Drive thru across the alley from his Drive In. The rest is history as Carl  became a multi millionaire after franchising Carl's Jr and it became listed on the New York Stock Exchange  as CKE (Carl Karcher Enterprises). Not bad for a guy that started out with a push cart selling hot dogs on Florence Ave in Los Angeles.

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