Photo: Carl's Jr.Famous Star with Cheese
The everyday Carl’s Jr. burger and the best way to taste what charbroiling does. A striped, smoky patty with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and a tangy special sauce on a sesame bun. It is the chain’s answer to the Whopper and, being charbroiled rather than flame-broiled on a conveyor, it tastes a little more like something off a barbecue. Also comes double and triple.
The story
The Star is the oldest name on the board and the reason two chains share a menu. Carl Karcher built his business on an open charbroiler rather than a flat griddle, and the Famous Star was the burger that showed it off. When CKE, Carl’s Jr.’s parent company, bought Hardee’s in 1997, the Star line went east with it, which is why a burger invented for Southern California now turns up in North Carolina under a different sign.
What’s inside
Make it at home
There is no copycat of the Famous Star with Cheese yet. Until there is, these recipes on the site come closest to it, judged by what goes into the bun.
- Shares beef, a special sauce and cheese
McDonald's Big Mac (Copycat) - Shares beef and cheese
McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe (Copycat) - Shares beef and cheese
McDonald's McFeast (Copycat) - Shares beef and cheese
McDLT
Similar burgers at other chains
Built around the same things as the Famous Star with Cheese.- Burger Lounge · beef, a special sauce and cheese
SignatureLounge Burger - Better Burger · beef, a special sauce and cheese
SignatureCheeseburger - Hardee's · beef, a special sauce and cheese
Famous Star with Cheese - Farmer Boys · beef, a special sauce and cheese
SignatureBig Cheese
More from Carl's Jr.
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.
More than 1,000 US restaurants and locations in over 20 countries, from Mexico to Japan and Australia.
Not affiliated with Carl's Jr.. Trademarks belong to their owners. The photo is credited under it and is used to illustrate this menu item; it comes down on request.