Carl's Jr. Tests Pepperoni Pizza Fries, Which Are Exactly What They Sound Like Fries + cheese + pepperoni = profit?
By Kate Taylor
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Can fries + cheese + pepperoni = profit? Carl's Jr. thinks so.
The fast-food chain is now testing Pepperoni Pizza Fries in select Southern California restaurants. The fries are topped with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni, and served with a fork.
Related: This Unlikely Fast-Food Chain Just Became the First to Roll Out an 'All-Natural' Burger
Carl's Jr. says the calorie-rich offering is intended to tap into the "loaded fries" trend that appeals to the chain's target audience of 'Young Hungry Guys.' Carl's Jr. also serves Bacon Ranch Fries, Bacon Cheddar Fries and Chili Cheese Fries, as well as poutine in Canadian locations.
While the fast-food mashup trend has slowed in recent months, the Pepperoni Pizza Fries follow in the tradition of Carl's Jr.'s biscuit-doughnut hybrid Bisnut, Taco Bell's Waffle Taco and Burger King's Poutine a la Burger. However, perhaps the most influential mashup for Pepperoni Pizza Fries comes from within the pizza industry, in the form of Domino's Specialty Chicken: a chicken dish topped with cheese and other pizza toppings including bacon, jalapeno and pineapple.