Does Carl’s Jr. Have a Fish Sandwich? Exploring Their Tasty Fish Menu Options

Fast food fish sandwiches have surged in popularity in recent years. With more consumers looking for lighter, lower-calorie protein options, chains like McDonald’s and Burger King now feature fish sandwiches. But what about Carl’s Jr. – does this major fast food player offer fish sandwiches and other seafood menu items?

In this article, we’ll dive into whether Carl’s Jr sells fish sandwiches, when they introduced fish to their menus, what fish sandwich offerings they currently have, and how their fish sandwiches stack up against competitors Let’s explore the tasty world of fast food fish!

A Brief History of Carl’s Jr.

First, a quick background on Carl’s Jr. The chain opened their first hot dog stand in Los Angeles in 1941 under the founding Carl Karcher. It expanded into full restaurants in the following decades, becoming known for charbroiled burgers.

After being acquired by CKE Restaurants in the late 1990s, the company rebranded to focus on younger male customers with indulgent burgers like the Six Dollar Burger. In 2016, CKE Restaurants was bought by Roark Capital Group, which also owns other chains like Arby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings.

Today, Carl’s Jr. has over 1,500 locations predominantly on the West Coast and in the Southwest U.S. It’s the fourth largest burger chain in the country after McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s. Now let’s look at Carl’s Jr.’s history with fish sandwiches.

When Did Carl’s Jr. Introduce Fish Sandwiches?

For many years, Carl’s Jr.’s menu centered around cooked-to-order charbroiled burgers, chicken sandwiches and fries. But around 2016, they decided to test the waters with seafood.

It started with a regional lobster roll launch in summer 2016 in New England locations. The success sparked some new menu innovation. In 2017 Carl’s Jr. debuted their first-ever fish sandwich nationwide – the CrisscutTM Fish Sandwich.

The chain touted it as a lighter alternative, leveraging a crispy panko-breaded white fish fillet. They marketed it as a limited-time offer. However, the positive reception led Carl’s Jr. to make fish a permanent part of their menu starting in 2018.

Current Fish Sandwiches and Products at Carl’s Jr.

So what fish sandwiches and other seafood menu items does Carl’s Jr. currently offer? Here is an overview of their core fish lineup:

• CrisscutTM Fish Sandwich – This remains Carl’s Jr.’s flagship fish sandwich. It features a crispy panko-breaded white fish fillet topped with tartar sauce on a potato roll. Customers can also order it as a fish and chips basket.

• CrisscutTM Fish Taco – Carl’s Jr. allows customers to order the fish in a street taco as well with chipotle mayo and shredded lettuce.

• Popcorn Shrimp – For a fried seafood snack, customers can order Popcorn Shrimp tossed in a spicy butter sauce. They come in sizes from a single serving to a shareable party tray.

• Lobster Rolls – Occasionally for limited times, lobster rolls reemerge on Carl’s Jr.’s menus, particularly at East Coast locations.

While fish sandwiches and shrimp are the core seafood offerings, some locations test expanded seafood like crab cakes and fish and chips. Overall, Carl’s Jr. keeps the fish menu options simple, affordable and approachable.

How Carl’s Jr.’s Fish Sandwich Stacks Up to Competitors

Carl’s Jr. entered the fast food fish sandwich space a little later than competitors. How does their Crisscut Fish Sandwich compare nutrition-wise and taste-wise? Here’s a quick comparison:

• McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish – The OG fish sandwich, the Filet-O-Fish was introduced in the 1960s. It offers a crisp batter and tartar sauce similar to Carl’s Jr. but features a cod/pollock blend vs. Carl’s unknown whitefish.

• Burger King Fish Sandwich – BK’s fish sandwich pairs a panko-breaded Alaska Pollock fillet with tartar sauce. The crispy panko breading gives it a crunch edge over the Filet-O-Fish.

• Wendy’s North Pacific Cod Sandwich – Wendy’s uses a thicker cut Pacific cod with panko breading. It’s one of the most premium-tasting fast food fish sandwiches.

• Carl’s Jr. CrisscutTM Fish Sandwich – With its panko breading and mystery whitefish, Carl’s Jr.’s sandwich lags a little behind BK and Wendy’s in flavor, but beats McDonald’s. The crisscut breading gives it an enjoyable crunch.

Nutritionally, all the sandwiches deliver between 350 to 400 calories. Cost-wise, Carl’s Jr’s fish sandwich is competitive with the others at around $5 to $6. Overall, a solid fast food fish sandwich choice.

Why Seafood Expansion Made Strategic Sense for Carl’s Jr.

Adding fish sandwiches and seafood options was a smart strategic expansion move for Carl’s Jr. for several reasons:

1. Appealing to dietary trends

With rising rates of gluten-free, carb-conscious, pescatarian and flexitarian eaters, seafood ticked important boxes. The new offerings helped modernize Carl’s very meat-centric menu.

2. Attracting female customers

As mentioned earlier, Carl’s Jr. historically targeted young hungry males. Expanding into fish allowed Carl’s Jr. to draw more female customers seeking lighter fare.

3. Providing more choice

Extra seafood options enhanced Carl’s Jr.’s menu variety, giving customers more choices beyond just burgers and chicken. More choices increases customer retention.

4. Catering to religious diners

For those avoiding beef for religious reasons on certain days, the fish sandwich presented an accessible option at an iconic American beef-focused chain.

5. Capitalizing on growing fish sandwich popularity

Carl’s Jr. was able to grab a share of the increasing consumer demand for fish sandwiches driven by McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish success.

Overall, the seafood expansion aligned well with dietary trends and gave Carl’s Jr. a more diverse menu.

Tips for Ordering the CrisscutTM Fish Sandwich at Carl’s Jr.

If you’re looking to give Carl’s Jr.’s Crisscut Fish Sandwich a try, here are some tips to get the best fish sandwich experience:

• Request it “fried hard”. Asking for it fried hard helps ensure the breading will be ultra-crispy.

• Choose a side salad over fries for a lighter meal.

• Load up with tartar sauce. Don’t be shy with the tartar sauce drizzle to add extra moisture and flavor.

• Try the fish taco for a change up from the sandwich. The soft taco adds great texture contrast.

• Order a combo meal. Combo meals can offer good savings over purchasing items individually.

• Come on Fridays. Some locations offer the fish sandwiches more discounted on Fridays to drive fish sandwich traffic.

Following these tips will help you get the most delightful fish sandwich meal from Carl’s Jr. Now that we’ve covered whether they offer fish and how the sandwich rates, let’s look at some broader seafood menu considerations.

Opportunities and Creative Ideas for Carl’s Jr.’s Seafood Menu

While Carl’s Jr. has a foundational seafood menu, there are still opportunities for additional innovation and expansion in this area for them:

• Wider variety of fish – Consider different fish like pollock or cod to provide more flavor options beyond the whitefish fillet.

• More seafood sandwiches – Beyond just fish, seafood sandwiches like lobster rolls, crab cake sandwiches and shrimp po’ boys could diversify the menu.

• Omelet breakfast sandwiches – For breakfast, seafood omelet sandwiches could draw customers craving savory AM options.

• Seafood salads/bowls – Salads and grain bowls with grilled shrimp or seared salmon would offer lighter choices.

• Fish and chip varieties – Beyond just whitefish, fish and chips made from pollock, cod or haddock could draw more British food fans.

• Seasonal specials – LTOs like a summer lobster roll, shrimp boil bowl or cioppino stew would excite foodies.

• Fish tacos – Beyond the crisscut fish taco, varieties like grilled mahi mahi or blackened salmon tacos would entice.

There are still many possibilities to expand Carl’s Jr.’s seafood repertoire beyond the core crisscut fish sandwich. Time will tell what additional marine menu items become reality!

The Verdict on Carl’s Jr.’s Fish Sandwiches and Seafood Options