Carl’s Jr Restaurant

Was 1245am and they close at 1am. Needed to get something to eat after a road trip. The drive thru was super friendly and the food was surprisingly better than many other fast food joints. Love their fries and the salad was fresh and crispy. Only went there because it was the only option but now Carl’s jr will be much higher on my list of choices.

YIKES! If you are a late eater… don’t eat here… They claim that they make it fresh? Hummmmm… I beg to differ! The food was anything but fresh! Look at the Nachos picture… Not good!

Drove pretty far to get over here and arrived just after midnight. Their website has the hours posted open to 1AM. Totally caught them closing early. Lady inside gestured for me to «go away». I pulled around the drive thru and said I thought you were open to 1? She said «no just on Saturday». They were just trying to leave early and waving people off. Not cool.

Just another fatty fast good place. WooooweeeeWOOOWWWWW! Don’t we have enough of ‘em.

December 20, 2013
Dear Carl’s Jr. Human Resources Management,
Yesterday I submitted an online customer satisfaction survey wherein I detailed my appalling experience at restaurant 1 100 141, located at 1026 N. Colorado, in Kennewick, WA. This is a follow-​up to that less than glowing survey.
As I described in the survey yesterday, I had been in the restaurant on ¹²⁄₁₉ for lunch when I witnessed Mgr. Robin behind the counter and angrily shouting at employees in full view of the customers at the counter. At one point, addressing an employee as «YOU» instead of by name as if to say «you, unimportant person…» Then I watched as she slapped her hand down on a stack of food wrappers, gather one up in a crumpled ball and throw it at one of the employees while continuing to berate them in English and some Spanish. I hope you will agree with me that admonishing employees in front of others, shouting at employees, shouting in front of customers and throwing objects is neither an acceptable management style nor a behavior that should be condoned from any employee of the organization not to mention a person in a management position.
Reflecting on my experience of yesterday and understanding perceptions can be misleading and that what I witnessed might have been mere playful banter between crew mates during the lunch crush; I decided that in fairness I should simply ask someone who works there; «What is your opinion of your Manager Robin?» So, today during my daily morning coffee stop on the way to work, I solicited a confidential conversation with a member of the crew whom I have come to know over the last several months of daily patronage to the restaurant. After hearing what they had to say, I wish to further elaborate and convey to you that my initial opinions and observations were not only correct but are strongly shared by the employees that work under her.
Regrettably, everything I feared about this manager was immediately evident from the expression of utter dread on the face of this employee. I was informed that she was extremely «difficult to work for» and was not well regarded or liked by the employees because of her lacking people skills and intensely abrasive management style. And, I was told they felt helpless in their misery because Robin was always careful to «cover all her bases» and because she was very «tight» with the Regional Manager, Rod.
I elaborated to this employee about how I had recently had an unpleasant experience with Mgr. Robin myself over the price she attempted to charge me for my morning refill on coffee and how she was visibly angered when I pointed out to her the «Refill» button on the register. I was then told that they could no longer offer me a refill price as they were instructed not to by Mgr. Robin in a note left for the crew. Dismayed at this, and so as to absolve them of any responsibility for my intended action of furthering my complaint, I demanded to see this «Note» on the grounds that I wished to see this sudden change in policy. The note was shown to me and I proceeded to take a photograph of it.
This note from Manager Robin and allegedly written per Rod, (with no less than six exclamation points as if to convey some sort of «or else» ultimatum) orders the crew to no longer offer a refill price for coffee beverages and further goes on to abolish the practice of allowing customers to come in with their own cup for refilling.
Certainly, I do not argue the right of Carl’s Jr. to regulate the prices of their products as they see fit. But I can also spend my money as I see fit… I am deeply dismayed with the draconian methods and lacking interpersonal skills of the store management when it comes to their employees. And, I sympathize with those employees who feel absolutely helpless in their plight because they believe the Regional Manager is biased and has too close a relationship with their store manager. Therefore, as a consumer, I reserve the right to not do business with an establishment that fosters this kind of behavior. I can also spread the word of my experience through the countless social media and restaurant review sites until change has been enacted.
I believe in my heart that Carl’s Jr. is an outstanding organization and a model of the American success story. But in any large organization there can be those who tarnish this reputation little by little and somehow still remain undetected. I invite, dare I say challenge, Carl’s Jr. to fully investigate my claims. Review the security camera footage for 12/​19/​2013 from 12:45pm — 1:10pm and you will see clear evidence of the behaviors I have described. Interview the crew members individually and in private so they may feel free to give their true opinions of the manager they work for.
Sincerest Regards;
Richard V. Whaley

Dont go there unless ur willing to wait. Ive always liked Carl’s Jr, but the wait time today was outrageous. I waited over half hour in the drive thru so that once I was up they could tell me that their card machine wasn’t working. Everytime I go Ive always had to wait quite a bit but Ive gone back because its conveniently located by Target and Lowes, never again!!!

Slow, slow service. I ordered one burger and it took 10 minutes. I guess fast food is actually medium food.

Surprisingly good food and service overall. Chicken strips are awesome. Fries really good too. Their burritos are not bad and I like the salsa bar…
That having been said, the salsa flavor is only so-​so (I think they could do better), but heck, they have a salsa bar and that’s friggin’ cool. Their tacos are not that great (especially the chicken tacos)… so just pour on more salsa from the salsa bar. Ok, now they’re a little better. The shakes are pretty good. Much better than the typical McDonald’s-style fast-​food variety.
Not a big fan of Carl’s stupid advertising; Hot chicks shoving massive sized burgers in their faces. LOL Hey, nothing against hot chicks, but seriously? Last time we walked in, there was this life-​sized cardboard picture of an anorexic model in a skimpy bikini holding a hamburger (no other labeling at all, by the way). Really? How is this supposed to help? I don’t even remember what the dang burger was she was holding. LOL I eat at places because the food is good, not because nearly naked people with barbecue sauce on their face tell me to. I’m also not sure I want my kids seeing that when we go eat here… Wait a minute… I don’t have any kids yet. But still. ;)
Every time we eat here, I’m always noticing these large posters of people shoving (and I mean shoving) food that barely fits in their face. You see the sides of their mouths all stretched out… It’s a little gross and stupid. I guess it’s their «thing» but it’s just dumb as far as I’m concerned.
I originally (and almost) gave them four stars… The staff are great and deserve it. The place has always been really clean when we’ve eaten there, the servers are friendly and helpful, and the food really is pretty good for the most part. Prices not too bad either. Four stars might be a little high for a typical fast food joint like this so I’m not quite gonna give it to them (it doesn’t usually make me go, «Hey, let’s go to Carl’s cause they’re awesome!», but they do try and they have enough of a variety done pretty well that they deserve a good deal of credit… but not everything is all that (the chicken tacos are not good — in my opinion) and, as I pointed out, the advertising we have to look at is gross and stupid, so they lose a star. I still really like the place and if you’re hungry and you’re right there, just go in. It’s decent.

Been back here a couple times since the one on 395 started sucking. Haven’t had any problems lately. Nice service and fresh food. For the time being, I’d recommend going to this Carl’s over the other one.

I want to call out first and foremost, the paper towels were out in the men’s room, and the bathroom looked like it had been quite some time since the bathroom had been cleaned. Um… eww!
The food here is consistently good, and they have quit interrupting as I am ordering in the drive thru, so kudos for that. I think it was some way all Carl’s jr employees were trained because it used to happen at all locations until I called their 800 number and told them to knock it off. Several times.
The employees have always been friendly, which is nice. I think Carl’s jr is also too expensive, but almost everyplace is any more.
I do think it is cool they bring the food to your table. Nice touch. I also love the fact they are combined with Green Burrito. The salsa bar very frequently finds its way onto my Famous Star. Fresh cilantro and pico hooks a burger UP!
In short, I may not go out of my way to go here but I don’t mind stopping if I am close

It’s Sunday morning. You’re hungover, and the rest of your group is REALLY hungover. You just got burned by a shitty «breakfast» at the Roaring Start «buffet» at the Red Lion. Everyone needs something greasy to lubricate their system after a night of debauchery. You’re in Kennewick. What do you do?
If you’re desperate, you head to Carl’s Jr, which is easily a step above your average Mc D’s. If you’re really lucky, you find a Carl’s that has a Green Burrito in it. If you’re smart, you just keep driving until you find something healthier. But who’s ever that smart in this condition?
Not you. Not me.
Easily the best thing on the menu at Carl’s, or any other fast food joint, is a soft drink. Especially when you’re feeling the morning-​after burn. Barq’s for me, thanks. Then there’s something about fast food breakfast that can really hit the spot. That is if you arrive before 11am. We got there at 11:04. Awesome.
Against your better judgment, you decide to go with a 5-​pack of the crispy ground beef burritos from the Green Burrito half of the establishment (like there’s any separation beyond the different colored menus). That sounds like a winning way to start the day. 5 ultra-​greasy hot pockets the size of large Jalapeños filled with a finely ground meat product and taco-​seasoning-​y sauce and deep fried. Yup. Breakfast of champions.
I can say with conviction that if you experience the scenario just as I did, it will, at least momentarily, make you feel better. As for what happens down the road (literally) on your 4-​hour drive home, I can’t be as optimistic. This being the tri-​cities I could make some sort of ‘nuclear’-laced reference/​comparison, but that would seem trite. Suffice to say, it’s a little bit of both good and bad.
All in all, the fact that a Green Burrito attached to this bastion of processed foods is enough to engender a 3^rd star from me (of course this is a relative star in relation to the other nearby options). Should I face another desperate hour in the Kennewick metroplex (god help me), I would do this Carl’s again.

So I was in a hurry and I figured Id stop in for a burger. I ordered two of the «Big Hamburger», pretty much the most simple burger they make. Its not on the menu but its a burger with onion, pickle, ketchup and mustard, nothing else. And it took fooooorrrrrrreeeevver to get my food. The indoor portion of the restaurant was pretty dead and I guess there was some steady traffic at the drivethrough. Still though, like 15+ minutes for a «Big Hamburger»? Jesus dude, my car is out there depreciating on the lot.
Fastfood? More like slowfood, am I right or am I right
Perhaps it was a one time deal, Ill go back again…

I give Carl’s 4-​stars because they are good for what they are — a decent fast food burger place. I’m a transplanted Californian and miss places like Carl’s Jr. (we just need to get some In-​N-​Out Burgers up here!).
Whenever I need my Western Bacon Cheeseburger fix, I always find myself sniffing around for a CJ’s. :)