Beyond Famous Star At Carl's Jr. Represents End Of An Era
Nevin Barich
LOS ANGELES
,
January 8, 2019
(Industry Intelligence Inc.)
–
I’ve yet to try the new Beyond Famous Star at Carl’s Jr., featuring a 100% plant-based veggie patty supplied by California-based Beyond Meat. I have until the end of January to do so, but right now I’m hesitant.
It’s not that I don’t think the burger will be good. Reports on that score have been good and I’m curious to see how it tastes compared to the fast-food chain’s beef-based patties. And it’s not that I’m averse to healthier burger options. I’m pushing 40 and have a 3-month-old son, so adopting a healthier lifestyle is something that I’m thinking about more.
My problem, though, is what the Beyond Famous Star represents:
The end of an era.
Fast food. It was where you turned to when you needed a pick-me-up. It was where you went when you did something good and wanted to reward yourself with something that wasn’t all that great for you. It was where you ventured when you couldn’t stomach another bite of anything with kale in it and you needed an escape to a comforting oasis.
Fast food. It was like coming home to Mom.
But the problem is: Fast food isn’t making just comfort food anymore. Now it’s actually looking out for your health. Now it’s encouraging you to take a good hard look at your choices and maybe push you toward making some better ones.
Fast food isn’t like Mom anymore. It’s more like a personal trainer.
Now this, of course, was inevitable. The world of food and beverage has been leaning healthier in recent years and fast food has had its share of healthier options. But the Beyond Famous Star is different. It’s a healthier option that’s front and center. It’s in your face. If you opt for the meat patty, it’s an announcement to everyone, including yourself, that you’re choosing not to be healthy.
Fast food used to be the one place where you didn’t have to feel bad about the bad choices you made. But that’s gone now.
I went home to Mom. And Mom is offering me kale.
Nevin Barich is the Food and Beverage Analyst for Industry Intelligence, which can help YOU better address your own industry challenges. We invite you to come take a look at our service. Call us today at 310-553-0008 and we’ll schedule you for a 15-minute demo.
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