Strip Club

I grew up in the south, so I've know the fast food place Hardee's by that name. I get over to California and it's called Carl's Jr. Both the same places with the same menu, just different names. I hadn't seen ish like that since I was in Australia some years back, and I was trying to tell these cats over there that the place is called "Burger KING", not "Hungry JACK". Come to find out that Jack has been jumpin' out the box in Cali for years. Around this time of year McDonald's decides that the people of America may be blessed by the presence of the almighty  McRib sandwich. It ain't that good, it looks like something you would be served in summer camp or middle school, with chips and cole slaw...a soda, or a juice box.

I've been seeing the commercials for Hardee's/Carl's Jr. hand-breaded chicken strips and didn't give it much thought. After years of eating sub-standard chicken strips you become less and less enthusiastic about the next time you have to eat them.
Anyway though, I get the opportunity to try one of these hand-breaded strips. You know how you eat something expecting it to be the norm, but are surprised by the time you get to the third chew, you slow down, let it marinate and register in your brain that, "Hey, this is good!", and then start chewing normal again? It's like that. The only chicken strips that are remotely close to these are the ones that my wife makes herself. Whoever is over there in the Hardee's/Carl's Jr. lab/kitchen has REALLY earned their Christmas bonus this year. McDonald's and their chicken McNuggets, "can't touch this!", Burger King and all their chicken concoctions like chicken fries, chicken strips, chicken sandwich, and them kid's meal with the crown shaped chicken nuggets, "can't touch this!". Not even Chic-fil-a can hang with these muthafryers! Popeye's, Churches, nope, nope!

Now KFC, I don't know. The Colonel's had that original recipe with the 11 herbs and spices on lock for many a year now. Shoooot, I think mentioning it now may put my life in jeopardy. They have hitmen dressed like KFC employees. I haven't been in a KFC in years. Last time I went they were called Kentucky Fried Chicken and they used to have the corn on the cob, with that wooden stick stuck in the cob, and wrapped in that clear yellow plastic. You remember that jingle: "Kentucky Fried Chicken, we do chicken RIGHT!" They put all the other chicken joints on notice with that. They was like, "Yeah, y'all may do the whole chicken thing and all that jazz, but y'all be f*ckin' up! Now US, WE, we do that ish RIGHT!"

If this is so, then Hardee's/Carl's Jr. may have did that split into two with the knowledge that one day they would create a chicken product that may rival even those made by the Colonel's mighty empire. They split into two different factions in the event one leader is defeated they would have another already in place. To take extra measures they allied with The Red Burrito and The Green Burrito in a move meant to strengthen both houses by creating a menu covering more than one food genre.

 KFC may have the Colonel, but Hardee's/Carl's Jr. has a star, which means Brigadier General, one rank above the Colonel. Then again, I think about Popeye's Chicken. Although Popeye is Navy enlisted he's salty (seasoned), with 81 years of service and still at it. He's got twice the service time of a 4-star general, so I'm sure he's got a LOT of pull in the fast food game. Burger King? This is a democracy, not a monarchy, the Burger King is just a figurehead of times gone by, and meant to freak you out with his creepiness.

So, in summation, Hardee's/Carl's Jr.'s hand breaded chicken strips are really good, especially with the honey mustard dipping sauce. Peace.