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Burgers · Fast Food

Carl's Jr Menu Prices 2026: Star Burgers, Breakfast & Beyond Famous

Full Carl's Jr menu prices for 2026 — charbroiled Star Burgers from $5.99 (Big Carl) up to $11.49 (Double Western Bacon), Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders 3-pc at $5.49, all-day breakfast featuring Made From Scratch Biscuits, and the Beyond Famous Star plant-based option at $8.49. Carl's Jr is the western U.S. brand of CKE Restaurants; eastern U.S. operates the same parent's Hardee's brand.

Charbroiled Star BurgersAll-day breakfastMade From Scratch biscuits~1,300 locationsFounded 1941, LA
Sample · $

Signature items

Famous Star w/ Cheese$6.99
Super Star w/ Cheese$9.49
Big Carl$5.99
Loaded Breakfast Burrito$5.99
Hand-Breaded Tenders 3-pc$5.49
Jump to: Cheapest items Combos Most popular What's new Full menu vs. McDonald's / BK FAQ
Quick answers

Common Carl's Jr menu questions

Cheapest meal
Kids' Cheeseburger Meal $4.99

Jr cheeseburger + small fries + drink + toy.

Most popular
Famous Star with Cheese $6.99

Flagship charbroiled burger since 1980s.

Best value
Big Carl $5.99

Two-patty burger cheaper than most competitors' single-patty premium options.

Plant-based
Beyond Famous Star $8.49

Beyond Burger patty in the Famous Star build.

Combo meals

Carl's Jr combo pricing

Famous Star Combo$10.49

  • Famous Star with Cheese
  • Medium Crisscut Fries
  • Medium drink

Super Star Combo$12.99

  • Super Star (double patty)
  • Medium fries
  • Medium drink

Western Bacon CB Combo$12.49

  • Western Bacon Cheeseburger
  • Medium fries
  • Medium drink

With BBQ + onion rings on the burger.

3-pc Chicken Tenders Combo$8.99

  • 3 Hand-Breaded Tenders
  • Medium fries
  • Medium drink
  • Dipping sauce

Spicy Chicken Sandwich Combo$9.49

  • Spicy crispy chicken sandwich
  • Medium fries
  • Medium drink

Big Carl Combo$9.49

  • Big Carl (2 patties)
  • Medium fries
  • Medium drink

Best per-dollar burger combo.

Beyond Famous Star Combo$11.99

  • Plant-based Beyond Famous Star
  • Medium fries
  • Medium drink

Breakfast Burrito Combo$7.99

  • Loaded Breakfast Burrito
  • Hash Brown Nuggets
  • Medium drink
Cheapest items

The 10 cheapest items at Carl's Jr

  1. 1Chocolate Chip Cookie$1.49
  2. 2Hash Brown Nuggets (small)$2.49
  3. 3Small Fountain Drink$2.49
  4. 4Crisscut Fries Small$2.79
  5. 5Cinnamon Roll$2.99
  6. 6Sausage Biscuit$3.49
  7. 7French Toast Dips 4-pc$3.99
  8. 8Kids' Cheeseburger MealCheapest complete meal.$4.99
  9. 9Sunrise Croissant Sandwich$4.99
  10. 10Hand-Breaded Tenders 3-pc$5.49
What's new in 2026

Recent menu items & LTOs

LTO

Mile High Bacon Thickburger

Premium thicker 1/3 lb burger stacked tall with bacon + American cheese. Rotates in seasonally.

$9.99
New

Jalapeño Angus Burger

Angus beef + jalapeños + pepper jack — added to the permanent menu in 2024.

$9.49
Plant

Beyond Famous Star

Plant-based Beyond Burger patty in the Famous Star build. Permanent menu item since launch.

$8.49
Breakfast

Steak & Egg Burrito

Premium breakfast burrito with steak + scrambled eggs + hash browns.

$6.49
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The full priced menu

Every Carl's Jr item with 2026 prices

About these prices. National-average pricing as of May 2026. California, Hawaii and Pacific Northwest typically run 10-15% above; Texas and Arizona typically near or slightly below. Identical menu to Hardee's east of the Mississippi.
Calories + prices

Calories and prices together

ItemCaloriesPrice
Famous Star with Cheese~670$6.99
Super Star with Cheese~1,000$9.49
Big Carl~680$5.99
Beyond Famous Star~620$8.49
Western Bacon Cheeseburger~720$8.99
Spicy Chicken Sandwich~530$5.99
Hand-Breaded Tenders 3-pc~330$5.49
Crisscut Fries Medium~410$3.49
Loaded Breakfast Burrito~780$5.99
Hand-Scooped Shake~520$4.99
Price comparison

Carl's Jr vs. McDonald's, Burger King & Hardee's

CategoryCarl's JrMcDonald'sBurger KingHardee's
Flagship burger$6.99$5.99$7.49$6.99
Double burger$9.49$6.79$8.49$8.49
Chicken tenders 3-pc$5.49n/a$3.99$5.99
Fries (Medium)$3.49$3.79$3.79$3.49
Combo meal$10.49$11.49$11.49$10.49
All-day breakfastYesCutoff 11amCutoff 10:30Yes

Carl's Jr and Hardee's have nearly identical menus and pricing — they're the same chain under regional brand names.

Dietary & allergens

Vegetarian, plant-based & lighter options

Carl's Jr is more vegetarian-friendly than many burger chains thanks to the Beyond Famous Star ($8.49) — a Beyond Burger plant-based patty in the Famous Star build. Fully vegetarian as-served; can be made vegan with cheese + mayo removal.

Crisscut Fries (vegan), Natural-Cut Fries (vegan), Side Salad and Hash Brown Nuggets are all vegetarian sides.

  • Plant-based burger: Beyond Famous Star ($8.49)
  • Vegetarian sides: Fries, Onion Rings, Salad, Hash Browns
  • Vegan customization: Beyond Famous Star without cheese/mayo
  • Lower-calorie picks: Charbroiled Chicken Club, 3-pc Tenders, Side Salad
About Carl's Jr

From a single LA hot-dog cart to ~1,300 western U.S. stores.

Carl Karcher founded what would become Carl's Jr in 1941 with a single hot-dog cart in Los Angeles. By 1945 he opened the first "Carl's Drive-In Barbecue" restaurant; in 1956 he opened smaller versions — "Carl's Jr." — that became the chain's main format. Today, Carl's Jr operates ~1,300 western U.S. locations under CKE Restaurants ownership.

East of the Mississippi, the same parent operates Hardee's — same recipes, same signature items, different regional brand. The Famous Star is the chain's signature burger; the chain pioneered all-day breakfast and the Beyond Burger plant-based partnership in fast food.

1941Founded (LA hot dog cart)
1956First Carl's Jr
~1,300U.S. locations
All-dayBreakfast
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Common questions

Carl's Jr menu FAQs

How much is a Famous Star with Cheese at Carl's Jr in 2026?

The Famous Star with Cheese is $6.99 nationally — charbroiled 1/4 lb beef + American cheese + lettuce + tomato + onion + pickles + mayo + special sauce on a sesame bun. The Combo with Crisscut Fries + medium drink is $10.49.

What's the difference between Carl's Jr and Hardee's?

Same parent company (CKE Restaurants), nearly identical menu, different regional brand names. Carl's Jr operates in the western U.S. (CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, etc.); Hardee's operates in the eastern/Midwest U.S. The recipes, signature items and prices are essentially the same. Some menu items have different names between the two brands.

Is the Beyond Famous Star really vegan?

The Beyond Burger patty itself is vegan, but the Beyond Famous Star ($8.49) is served with cheese, mayo and on a non-vegan bun by default. To make it vegan: order without cheese, without mayo, and confirm the bun (most Carl's Jr buns contain dairy and/or eggs — a vegan-style request may not be reliably accommodated). Vegetarian-friendly as-served.

Does Carl's Jr serve breakfast all day?

At most Carl's Jr locations, breakfast is served all day — the all-day breakfast policy is one of the chain's stronger differentiators vs. McDonald's (where breakfast typically ends 10:30am-11am). Confirm at your local store; some smaller markets revert to breakfast-cutoff schedules.

How much are Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders at Carl's Jr?

3-pc Tenders are $5.49, 5-pc are $7.49, and 10-pc are $13.49. The 3-pc Combo (tenders + Crisscut Fries + drink + dipping sauce) is $8.99. All tenders are hand-breaded fresh in-store.

What are Crisscut Fries at Carl's Jr?

Crisscut Fries are Carl's Jr's signature waffle-cut fries with a criss-cross pattern — distinctive vs. McDonald's flat-cut or Burger King's standard cut. Small $2.79, Medium $3.49, Large $3.99. Natural-Cut (skin-on traditional) Fries are available at the same prices for customers who prefer them.

How much is a Big Carl burger?

The Big Carl is $5.99 — two 1/4 lb beef patties + American cheese + lettuce + special sauce + sesame bun. It's Carl's Jr's direct answer to the McDonald's Big Mac, generally larger and cheaper than the McDonald's equivalent.

Is Carl's Jr cheaper than McDonald's?

It's similar. A Carl's Jr Famous Star ($6.99) is comparable to a McDonald's Quarter Pounder w/ Cheese ($6.79). Combos run $10-12 at both. Carl's Jr tends to offer more premium burgers (Beyond, Angus options) at $9-10 vs. McDonald's keeping the Big Mac at $5.99. Overall similar pricing, slightly higher at Carl's Jr for premium tiers.

Does Carl's Jr have a value menu?

Carl's Jr doesn't run a formal value menu. The Spicy Chicken Sandwich at $5.99, Big Carl at $5.99, Chocolate Chip Cookie at $1.49, and Kids' Cheeseburger Meal at $4.99 are the chain's cheapest options. App pricing and 2-for-$X promotions vary by market.

Why is it called Carl's Jr?

The name comes from Carl Karcher, who founded the chain in 1941 with a single hot-dog cart in Los Angeles. He opened larger 'Carl's Drive-In Barbecue' restaurants, then in 1956 opened smaller versions of those — 'Carl's Jr.' — for quicker service. The chain has kept the 'Jr.' suffix ever since, even though Carl's Jr stores grew to full fast-food size.

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