Las Vegas – Carl’s Jr

It took me until 2015 to visit a Carl’s Jr, one of the largest fast-food chains in the United States. They were founded in the 1940s and the Jr. bit of their name is because the owners had already established Carl’s Drive-In Barbecue restaurant, and this new venture was something a little smaller. They started their new venture in Anaheim, which is one of the few parts of Los Angeles I haven’t been to, with the exception of sitting on board a coach in the coach station going between LA and Las Vegas. But I don’t think that counts.

The chain’s first expansion outside of California was to Las Vegas, and although it was in a different location within the city, it’s where I visited them in Sin City. Today, the chain also has a sister company, called Hardee’s, which is to all intents and purposes pretty much the same.

I’m not entirely sure about the burgers here, as in, they were fine, but they tasted pretty much the same as Burger King, so there’s little unique about them. There’s something about chains like Five Guys, White Castle and In-n-Out that allows their burgers to have a taste that is pretty distinctive to them. The fries are much better, crispy, firm, not greasy and sufficiently salty. Like nearly everywhere in the United States, the service was efficient and friendly, with the restaurant being clean and organised.

So, it’s all entirely acceptable, but as so often, there might be better independently-run burger restaurants available…….