Turkey Burgers Are Coming

Carl's Jr., the fast food restaurant that sells huge hamburgers that popular here on the west coast made an announcement today that is intriguing. It's the introduction of the turkey burger. That's a 480 calorie burger as opposed to their huge 1400 calorie Monster hamburger. The only fast food that I eat here in Portland is Carl's Jr. burgers (I get the "small" one and that is almost too big to eat). I sometimes get one at lunch if near a Carl's Jr. outlet (they are all over the city).

The burger there is tasty, uses high quality beef and is the least expensive of all the fast food burger places. But today carl's Jr. will become the first national fast-food chain to add turkey burgers to its permanent menu. Hmmm Can anyone make a turkey burger anything but dry? There's not enough fat in turkey to make a burger that is moist...unless they add various fatty condiments and toppings to the burger. Loaded with turkey skin and fat in order to make them vaguely edible, I think we will see more than that dry ground turkey on a Carl's Jr. bun. By the time the mayo, bacon, and the bun are slapped on, the turkey burger is no nutritionally better than a beef burger, but it could be a nice guilt relief when chowing down on one.. T Would that not defeat the purpose of selling the "healthier" turkey sandwich.

Carl's Jr. says it isn't suddenly food and health conscious, but that since people are asking for such things as turkey burgers Carl is giving it to them. It's probably a publicity stunt because I doubt many people will do more than try one once, and then head back to the artery clogging Carl's Jr. hamburger. In matters of fast food, taste trumps health for all but the truly heath food devotees (who don't eat in places like Carl's much anyway).

Ok, this subject is stupid and a waste of time for you because you don't eat fast food burgers. But adding this sandwich to fast food menus is a sort of test about whether people really are as concerned with "healthy choices" as are the food police that seem to look over my shoulder when I order that Carl's Jr. hamburger. I say the turkey burger will sell about as fast as one can sell ice to an Eskimo.

But wait! There is one good aspect to the new Carl's Jr. turkey burger. Ads for the Carl's Jr., turkey burger will feature the former Miss Turkey from last year’s Miss Universe pageant.... in a bikini. Now that's mouth watering!