'French Maids' to promote Hardee’s newest burger'French Maids' to promote Hardee’s newest burger

Lisa Jennings

CARPINTERIA Calif. Hardee’s on Monday introduced a new French Dip Thickburger that the chain is promoting with four saucy “French Maids” that will visit stores and pose for photos with guests.

For parent company CKE Restaurants Inc., based here, neither the concept of selling burgers with sexy marketing efforts nor the use of meat as a burger condiment is new. The company is currently promoting its Teriyaki Six Dollar burger via commercials featuring actress Audrina Partridge in a gold bikini and burgers in the past have been topped with pastrami and prime rib beef.

Hardee’s French Maid team wears cleavage-enhancing uniforms with short skirts and fishnet stockings. The maids — identified as Sophie, Antoinette, Gabrielle and Isabelle — are scheduled to appear in 11 markets throughout the South and Midwest in July and August.

Guests can have their photos taken with the maids. The photos can be accessed with a code online at www.hotchickseatingburgers.com/frenchdip. The site also offers the appearance schedule and reports on the girls’ adventures. Posts will also be available on Twitter, Facebook and Hardee’s YouTube account.

Visitors to Hardee’s website, www.hardees.com, can also download a Parisian Pick Up iPhone application that will allow them to pick a message delivered in a “swarthy French accent,” or in French with subtitles. The application will also be available through iTunes after July 27.

The limited-time French Dip Thickburger includes a Black Angus beef patty topped with sliced roast beef and melting Swiss cheese, served with a cup of au jus for dipping. It is available for a recommended $3.99, or $5.99 as part of a combination meal with Natural Cut fries and a beverage.

CKE Restaurants operates or franchises 1,915 Hardee’s and 1,205 Carl’s Jr. locations in 42 states and 14 countries.

Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected].