The Menu Push
Hardee's, the quick-service brand operated by CKE Restaurants Holdings, launched two new limited-time platforms on September 9 — a S'mores lineup spanning beverages, shakes, and fried pies, and a Bacon Beast platform anchored by a four-slice bacon Angus beef burger. The rollout, covering more than 1,400 restaurants across 31 states, also reinstates the fan-driven Cinnamon 'N' Raisin Biscuit for a limited run.
The dual-platform strategy is a deliberate effort to straddle the late-summer and early-fall traffic windows — a period when QSR operators historically compete for visit frequency as consumer daypart patterns shift with the back-to-school and back-to-work calendar. Rather than pivoting hard into pumpkin-spice territory, Hardee's is leaning into campfire nostalgia as a bridge narrative.
What's on the Menu
The S'mores Platform comprises three SKUs: a cold-brew S'mores Iced Coffee with toasted marshmallow and chocolate syrups; a S'mores Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Shake made with vanilla ice cream and finished with graham cracker and chocolate sprinkles; and a S'mores Fried Pie — a golden-brown shell filled with graham crumble, marshmallow cream, and chocolate filling. The Bacon Beast Platform targets breakfast and lunch dayparts with five items. Breakfast entries include the Super Bacon Biscuit — three slices of cherrywood smoked bacon with egg and American cheese on a Made from Scratch Biscuit — and the Bacon Beast Homestyle Breakfast Burrito with four slices of bacon. The all-day Bacon Beast burger stacks four slices of cherrywood smoked bacon on a 100% Angus beef patty served on a brioche-style bun, while the Bacon Beast Chicken Sandwich substitutes hand-breaded white-meat chicken under the same bacon build.
"As summer transitions to fall, we want our guests to know they don't have to choose between the two seasons," said Sarah Breymaier, vice president of brand marketing at Hardee's. "Our new S'mores platform keeps those warm, nostalgic summer moments alive, while the return of our Cinnamon 'N' Raisin Biscuit brings the comfort guests love as the seasons change."
Loyalty and Competitive Context
Hardee's is pairing the Bacon Beast launch with a My Rewards loyalty incentive: new members who sign up receive a free Bacon Beast Burger for a limited time. Loyalty-driven trial mechanics have become a standard activation tool across the QSR segment as chains look to convert promotional traffic into repeat visits and first-party data collection. CKE's combined Carl's Jr. and Hardee's network spans more than 3,600 franchised or company-operated locations in 44 U.S. states and more than 35 foreign countries, giving the parent company scale to test seasonal platform strategies across varied regional markets.
The move reflects a broader QSR trend of platform-based menu innovation — grouping multiple SKUs under a single flavor or protein theme — rather than one-off limited-time offers. Operators find that themed platforms drive stronger marketing efficiency and franchisee buy-in compared with isolated LTO items. For Hardee's, which competes directly with Burger King, Wendy's, and regional breakfast chains, the simultaneous launch of a dessert-beverages bundle alongside a protein-forward sandwich tier is designed to expand check size and appeal across multiple dayparts. Industry observers tracking QSR menu strategy note that cherrywood bacon and premium biscuit credentials have been central to Hardee's brand differentiation for several years. The chain's Made from Scratch Biscuit platform, a longstanding equity asset, underpins both the Super Bacon Biscuit and the returning Cinnamon 'N' Raisin Biscuit — a product that generates outsized social media demand relative to its original menu footprint. For more on seasonal LTO trends shaping foodservice innovation, see our earlier coverage of fall platform launches across the segment.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
