Carl’s Jr., the national fast-food chain that’s ruffled feathers with its racy ads, is landing in New York City early next year.
The company with roots in Los Angeles and franchises concentrated on the West Coast and in the Southwest will open its first Manhattan location in midtown at 425-427 Seventh Ave., a news release announced Thursday. A Coney Island outpost is coming in 2018, too, a spokeswoman added. Exact opening dates have not yet been released.
The menu at the bi-level restaurant near Penn Station will include a $5 “All-Star” meal, “Thickburgers” made with Black Angus beef patties weighing in at one-third or a half a pound, breaded chicken tenders and ice cream shakes.
“We know New Yorkers are a tough burger crowd, but we’re confident that the Happy Star will outshine the competition,” said Carl’s Jr. chief marketing officer Jeff Jenkins, referring to the chain’s yellow star logo. “We’re looking forward to becoming a proud member of the NYC community, so keep your eyes open in the new year – we’re coming in hot.”
The company that chased the 18-34 male demographic with ads featuring scantily clad celebrities and models gorging on burgers — until it introduced a campaign mocking those sexually charged spots earlier this year — is entering a swiftly growing fast-food market in New York City. That development is fueled by tourism, the rising local employment rate and rent prices driving diners and independent restaurants out, according to a recent Crain’s report.
Other chains, once underrepresented in New York City but are now planning expansions here, include Chick-fil-A, which will open its third Manhattan stand-alone location in the Financial District next year, and Taco Bell, which expects to launch at least 50 more spots in the five boroughs by 2022.
