Carl's Jr. is pushing into the fast-growing energy-drink daypart with Star Energy, a six-SKU lineup of Monster Zero Ultra infusions available for a limited time at participating domestic locations. The LTO marks the first time Monster Energy's Zero Ultra platform has been built into a burger QSR's fountain program at scale, giving CKE Restaurants Holdings a beverage hook to drive incremental check and trial across its 1,000-plus U.S. Carl's Jr. restaurants.

The Menu Mechanics

Guests can order three 24-ounce infusion builds — Berry Breeze (Monster Zero Ultra and Powerade), Strawberry Splash (Monster Zero Ultra, Sprite, and artificially flavored strawberry syrup), and Orange Blast (Monster Zero Ultra and Fanta Orange) — each available in a standard or "Dirty" cold-foam variation. Standalone 12-ounce cans of Monster Energy Zero Ultra are also available at the counter. The cold-foam upsell mirrors a customization mechanic that has gained traction at coffee-adjacent and specialty-beverage chains, translating a premium-coffee trade-up into the burger segment.

"Partnering with Monster Energy is a major moment for Carl's Jr.," said Burge Diemer, chief marketing officer for Carl's Jr. "These Monster Energy Ultra infusions bring a fresh twist to the beverage menu." Jordi Gayola, chief marketing officer of the Americas at Monster Energy, framed the collab as a consumer-reach play: "We look for partners who can take something people already love, give it a twist, and take it to new consumers."

Beverage Strategy in QSR

The Star Energy rollout lands as QSR operators increasingly treat the beverage menu as a margin lever and traffic driver. Specialty drink programs have become a defining differentiator in the fast-food segment — Dutch Bros, Sonic, and Wingstop have all leaned into proprietary or co-branded beverage builds to lift average check and generate social-media velocity. For CKE, which operates more than 3,600 Carl's Jr. and Hardee's units across domestic and international markets, a Monster-branded LTO provides incremental daypart coverage, particularly in the afternoon energy window where fountain programs historically underperform against convenience-store competition.

Energy drinks remain one of the strongest growth vectors in non-alcoholic beverages. Monster Beverage Corporation commands roughly a third of the U.S. energy-drink market by volume, and Zero Ultra's sugar-free positioning aligns with ongoing consumer demand for better-for-you options in the category — a relevant merchandising angle for a burger chain trying to broaden its beverage occasion. For more on how QSR chains are leveraging beverage innovation to drive traffic, the energy-drink channel has become a consistent comp-sales lever.

Activation and Rollout

To support the launch, Carl's Jr. and Monster Energy are activating at the Rose Bowl tailgate on November 28, where a Carl's Jr. food truck will sample the Star Energy lineup alongside core menu items ahead of one of the West Coast's marquee college-football rivalry games. The event-marketing play targets Monster's core 18-to-34 male demographic — a consumer segment that overlaps heavily with Carl's Jr.'s existing late-night and value-seeking guest base. Operators and franchisees interested in limited-time offer execution can reference the program as a case study in co-branded activation at scale.

Star Energy is available now at participating Carl's Jr. locations while supplies last. CKE has not disclosed pricing or a program end date.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.