Carl's Jr.
Charbroiled burgers, onion rings inside the bun, and ads nobody forgot.
About Carl's Jr.
Carl Karcher and his wife Margaret borrowed $311 against their Plymouth in 1941 to buy a hot dog cart in Los Angeles. By 1945 they had a drive-in barbecue restaurant in Anaheim, and the burger chain that grew out of it still cooks its patties over an open charbroiler rather than a flat grill, which gives them the backyard-grill stripes and smoke that define the menu.
For many people outside California, Carl’s Jr. is remembered for its advertising more than its burgers: in the 2000s the chain ran years of provocative ads, including a notorious one with Paris Hilton washing a car. It has since dropped that approach and gone back to talking about the food, which is where it should have stayed all along.
More than 1,000 US restaurants and locations in over 20 countries, from Mexico to Japan and Australia.
Burger menu
Signature burgers first. Only burgers and sandwiches, no sides.
Where to find Carl's Jr.
1,340 locations on the map in 29 countries. Tap a pin for directions.Loading the map…
- United States 952
- Mexico 175
- Spain 33
- Chile 26
- Australia 23
- Canada 20
- New Zealand 16
- Denmark 13
- Russia 10
- Panama 9
- Ecuador 8
- France 5
- Singapore 4
- Guatemala 4
- Indonesia 4
- India 4
- Türkiye 4
- Japan 3
- Nicaragua 3
- Vietnam 2
- China 2
- Honduras 1
- Belarus 1
- Bolivia 1
- +5 more
Locations as mapped by OpenStreetMap volunteers, updated October 2026. The count can trail the chain’s own figures; check the chain’s store finder before you travel. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Carl's Jr. on YouTube
Copycats, taste tests and challenges from the channels in the encyclopedia.
21:20The $208 Western Bacon Cheeseburger
13:20Recreating the Baby Back Rib Thickburger
8:27Carl’s Jr. Lobster Champagne Brunch Burger
12:14The Best Western Bacon Cheeseburger
13:03Carl’s Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger
7:06The Carl’s Jr. $60 Burger Challenge
13:27Who Has the Best Impossible Burger?
10:14Blind Chicken Sandwich Taste Test
8:29Playing with Your Food: Burgers
9:51The Fanciest Western Bacon Cheeseburger
If you like Carl's Jr.
Chains whose signature burgers are built the same way.- Ruby's Diner (United States, since 1982). A 1940s-style Southern California diner that started in a bait shack at the end of the Balboa Pier. Also built on beef, bacon, barbecue sauce and crispy onions.
- Red Robin (United States, since 1969). The sit-down burger chain with bottomless fries and a burger topped with a fried egg. Also built on beef, bacon, barbecue sauce and crispy onions.
- Hero Certified Burgers (Canada, since 2003). A Toronto burger chain that built its brand on traceable, hormone-free Angus beef. Also built on beef, bacon, crispy onions and cheese.
- Shake Shack (United States, since 2004). A hot dog cart in a New York park that turned into a global burger chain. Also built on beef, bacon, a special sauce and cheese.
Not affiliated with Carl's Jr.. Trademarks and logos belong to their owners. Descriptions are my own; nutrition figures come from the chain’s published information, checked September 2026.