"CarlsJr" news and stories

Carl's Jr. likes its commercials as spicy as its barbecue burgers -- with plenty of sexual suggestion on the side. Paris Hilton, Audrina Patridge (in a bikini on the beach) and Padma Lakshmi have all flaunted themselves in sexy ads for the company's Western Bacon, Spicy Barbecue and Teriyaki Burgers. Who can forget the 2005 ad starring Paris Hilton in leather and high heels, hosing down a Bentley while at the same time devouring a spicy barbecue burger?

Now it's Kim Kardashian's turn. But instead of burgers, she'll be shilling salads. The reality star is promoting Carl's three new entrée salads in a commercial that debuts on Dec. 28. With a "Who Says Salads Can't Be Hot?" campaign tagline, the company is counting on Kardashian's sex appeal to sell what many fast-food fans find decidedly unsexy.

Judging by the behind-the scenes video preview, Kardashian is giving everything she's got to change that image. In the ad, Kardashian is lounging on a bed, eating a Carl's Jr. salad with only her fingers. A far more suggestive shot shows the dark-haired beauty wiping salad dressing from her cleavage with what appears to be an apple slice.

Fast-food chain Carl's Jr. has stopped the ad campaign for its Chicken Parmesan Sandwich after Italian-American groups complained about the mafia-themed commercials.

The California Italian-American Task Force and the National Italian-American Federation praised Carl's Jr.'s parent company CKE for its decision not to buy more TV slots for the ads, which feature mobster and garbage man characters that critics said showed negative Italian-American stereotypes, Nation's Restaurant News reports.

In the ad, a man sits in his car eating the Carl's Jr. Chicken Parmesan Sandwich as marinara sauce drips out of his mouth and down his shirt. When two mafia goons approach the car, the man plays dead. Fooled by the sauce dotting his shirt like blood, they leave him alive assuming someone else killed him before they arrived.

"NIAF was pleased to see the positive steps taken by Carl's Jr. Restaurant to remove negative, inaccurate and unfair characterizations in their recent commercial advertisements," Jeff Capaccio, the group's regional vice president for the Far West, told the paper. "These advertisements only fuel further incorrect assumptions about an entire ethnic group."

Out of all the fast food restaurants, Carl's Jr. probably changes -- or at least augments -- its menu the most often. There's always some newish, vaguely titillating, really-bad-for-you item advertised with a giant banner outside.

On this go round through the drive-in, the wind-fluttered photos were pushing the Mint Oreo Shake, Farmer John's Jumbo Chili Dog, Carl's Catch Fish Sandwich, Crisp Burritos and the Kentucky Bourbon Burger.

While we could have made this a multipart series entitled "Lissa Becomes Quite Hefty Indeed," I decided to restrict myself to the latter two choices, the burritos and the bourbon burger.

Carl's Jr. continues its eternal variations upon the cheeseburger with the guacamole bacon burger. One of their more successful efforts (I still recall my disappointment with the brilliant-in-concept Teriyaki burger and I continue to vacillate on the matter of the Western Bacon Burger.), it has appeared on the menu before. Now, however, it's being offered in single, double and six-dollar variations, with the size reflected in the price.

I went for the latter (Hey, if you're gonna indluge in the drive-thru, indulge in the drive-thru). and found it to be a darn sight better than the average fast food burger. The patty was thick and juicy, the guacamole was pleasantly spicy and the bacon was actually of a quality and amount to enhance the burger, rather than detract from it, like most fast-food bacon-on-burgers.

The guacamole bacon burger was named the official burger of last month's 2008 California Avocado Festival and it's a pretty solid choice. It also makes me consider what other high-end flavors I'd like to see on my low-end burgers. The grilled pineapple on the aforementioned Teriyaki burger raised my hopes, the the execution was distressingly bland. Mushroom Swiss burgers have been tried with varying degress of success, although the chili burgers are usually not terribly enticing. Toppings like brie, caramaleized red onions, roasted tomatoes or any lettuce beyond iceberg is probably out of range. Still, it'll give you something to mull over next time you're waiting at the window for your extra ketchup.