Today, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s introduce the new Thickburgers El Diablo. Available at Hardee’s today and at Carl’s Jr. starting Wednesday, Thickburgers El Diablo feature four sources of fiery flavor: sliced jalapenos, crunchy Jalapeno Poppers, spicy habanero bacon sauce, and pepper-Jack cheese, piled on top of a 100 percent Black Angus beef Thickburger along with crispy bacon, all served on a Fresh Baked Bun. Victoria’s Secret model and Sports Illustrated swimsuit star Sara Sampaio will be featured in an ad campaign to promote the spicy new burger, premiering this week.
“When it comes to spicy food, a lot of the consumer research being done on the topic today clearly shows that the public’s desire for heat just keeps growing and growing every year,” says Brad Haley, chief marketing officer of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. “We’ve witnessed that phenomenon in our own restaurants, where potential menu items that used to be rated as ‘too spicy’ in our market tests just a few years ago are now just right. However, for Thickburgers El Diablo, we’re pushing the heat tolerance higher than we ever have before to satisfy even our most rabidly heat-seeking customers. The original idea for Thickburgers El Diablo came from our creative agency, 72andSunny, and it gets its spice-up from four sources of heat….Since spice levels build the more you eat, every bite of a Thickburger El Diablo is hotter than the last. In fact, we’ve even added a warning label on our large drink cups, and we advise that you get one with any Thickburger El Diablo because you’ll need it to help extinguish the burn.”
Following the viral success of their recent Super Bowl ad starring Charlotte McKinney for the All-Natural Burger, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s will up the wow-factor in a new ad showcasing the bold and spicy flavors of El Diablo, starring 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Rookie of the Year and Victoria’s Secret model Sara Sampaio. Titled “Too Hot To Handle.” The ad will begin airing on TV on Monday and can be seen on the chain’s YouTube channels this week.
The Thickburger El Diablo is available starting at $5.49 for the 1/3 lb., and may also be ordered in a combo meal with fries and a drink starting at $7.99.
The chain will also offer a Crispy Chicken El Diablo sandwich featuring the spicy foursome on top of a premium, 5 oz. crispy chicken fillet starting at $5.99, and a side order of Jalapeno Poppers is available for $2.69. Prices may vary by location.
