Hardee's CEO ignores 'health craze'

Andrew Puzder, President and CEO of CKE (parent of Hardee's and Carl's Jr.), isn't being swayed by any health craze or obesity lawsuit. At CKE's investor meeting this week Puzder said, "The way people like to think they eat, and the way they actually eat, is usually very different."

I couldn't agree more. And I've said this before, too: the fast food industry is being divided into two camps, those who are trying to make a show of offering healthy food options and promoting fitness and those that are just giving people what they want: high-calorie, high-fat fast food. It comes down to a personal decision... what do YOU want to put in YOUR mouth. Nobody is forcing you to eat Hardee's Monster Thickburger.

CKE, like Wendy's, has found that the healthy options just aren't selling. Concerning the salads and low-carb burgers offered by Carl's Jr., Pudzer said, "we sell very few of them."

Now when it comes to marketing to kids it gets more complicated. McDonald's has marketed to young children for years and they might have a reason to be afraid of obesity lawsuits. So there heath and fitness promotions might make some sense in fending off the lawyers. But Pudzer responded to a question about his concerns about obesity lawsuits this way: "As a former trial attorney myself--no, I'm not worried."

Pudzer also opined, "I think the health craze is happening mostly among journalists."

As a perfect example of CKE's disdain for the 'health craze,' Hardee's last week unveiled their "meat as a condiment" burger, the Philly Cheesesteak Monster Thickburger.