Hardee's False Advertising the Big Shef

Here is the Email I sent to HARDEE'S management, along with THEIR RESPONSE I just recieved.

It should be known, I am NOT, nor have I EVER been a Hardee's fan of any fashion.

---------

Hardee's,


As I seen an advertisement for BURGER CHEF Big Chef Burgers in our local paper, my mouth began
to water.



So, I took my family to Hardee's for some BURGER CHEF Big Chef Sandwiches.



I go to Hardee's less than once a year, as I don't like their hambugers/cheeseburgers.



So Going to Hardee's was quite a shock to everyone.



We Ordered Burger Chef Big Chef Sandwiches for everyone.



What we got, was Double Cheeseburgers with a tiny bit of sauce on them. Just dabbing a bun with
Big Chef sause about the size of a nickel is pretty chincy, even for Hardee's.



Hardee's Should be ashamed of themselves for trying to pass these double cheeseburgers off as
Big Chef's From Burger Chef.



Big Chef Sandwiches have THREE (3) Layers of Bread, one on top, bottom, and one dividing the
Hamburger slices.



Big Chef Sandwiches are coated with Big Chef Sauce, and lots of Shredded lettuce.



Big Chef Sandwiches are covered with Cheese on each piece of hamburger.





WHAT A DISAPOINTMENT. :(



If Hardee's is going to Advertise BURGER CHEF Sandwiches, AT LEAST, MAKE THEM LIKE THEY WERE
MADE!!!



Out of the 9 "Burger Chef, Big Chef Burgers" that we ordered, ONE actually had a sufficient
amount of Big Chef Sauce on it.



I DO Expect Hardee's to Make Burger Chef Burgers AS BURGER CHEF made them.



Until that can happen, We wont be back to Hardee's for at least ANOTHER Year.



Bring back the Burger Chef Sandwiches, THE WAY BURGER CHEF MADE THEM, and I'll find my way back
to a Hardee's parking lot,



Until that happens, forget it.

MrKing.net


---------------

Below is the Response From Hardee's

Dear Mr. King:

Thank you very much for taking the time to inform us of the experience you had at our restaurant
in Kokomo, IN. We extend our most sincere apology to you for the unsatisfactory impression your
visit left on you. We are very sorry.

At Hardee's, we strive not only to provide a delicious meal with great guest service, but we
also make every effort to create a safe, clean, and friendly dining experience. It is obvious
from your comments that we have fallen short of the high standards we have set for ourselves.
In failing to live up to our guests' expectations, we have not only tarnished our reputation,
but more importantly, we are in danger of losing an important guest.

I assure you that every effort is being made to correct this situation. I have contacted the
District Manager regarding your experience.

I would like to invite you to try us again, on us! I am mailing you some Second Chance coupons
good for either a free 1/3 lb. Thickburger or a Chicken Sandwich. I know there is really
nothing that can excuse or make up for the situation you described, but we would love the chance
to regain your trust.

I appreciate the time you have taken to express your concerns. It gives us the chance to learn
where we need improvement. It also allows us to resolve any problems that may arise from time
to time. Guests like you, who make us aware of these problems, are our most valued guests and
we would hate to lose you.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call (877) 799-STAR.

Sincerely,

Kate
Hardee's Guest Response
On the Web at www.hardees.com

Hardee's only brings back the Big Shef every so often just to keep up on renewing the copyrights. How long are the sandwiches back this time?

i'll let you know, when i see one. what they are serving aint it.

You blew the hell out of the margins with all those unnecessary dashed lines.

Just what do you expect for two for three bucks?Filet Migeon.

I expect whats advertised. Not a bastardized version.

quote:

Originally posted by jellybear

Just what do you expect for two for three bucks?Filet Migeon.

Well, maybe Filet Pigeon

A fast food place lied to you...but you can count on that happening again just a surely as the sun will rise tommorrow. Hardees is only for breakfast and then only if a Bojangles is not within a light year.

If Burger Chef was not Hardee's, why would you expect them to bring BACK a burger that they never had in the first place?

I wasnt Expecting anything from Hardee's EXCEPT what is Advvertised. Even Hardee's Company and District Manager I am Correct. Since Hardee's owns the copyrights to Burger Chef and Hardee's is using Burger Chef Trade Marks in advertising Burger Chef Big Shef Burgers, I don't see why you are giving ME Flack about it all.


Hardee's KNOWS they messed up, and I called them on it. Hardee's Agree's that I AM CORRECT. What's the problem?

Back up, big guy. I wasn't giving your flack, but I'm sure it felt that way. I didn't know there was a connection between the two, and I was thinking that Hardee's was selling you down the road by making the claim when they had no right to it.

That said, I'm not blaming you for feeling how you do.

It's cool. I guess I just don't think about people not knowing that Hardee's has bought the TM for Burger Chef.


I was at the 1000th Store Opening at Treasure Island,Florida in 1969 and even had one of the Golden Burger Chef Coins. I was young at the time, But rest assured, nothing ANY CLOWN could have would make a bigger impression than Pirates giving away Golden Dubloons, While on Treasure Island!!

I've Never been a McDonalds Fan. And to this day, I don't know HOW they got to be #1 in fast food. Burger Chef was always there, until Hardee's killed it.

I find it appauling that is Advertising they have

Sandwiches, and trying to pass off a double cheeseburger with virtually no sauce as something Would have served.

I find it a virtual slap To the Memory of
and Burger Chef Fans from a Company that owns the of all things

Damn! Somebody get that man a Burger Chef Big Shef Burger quick!!!

But.....I do want to point out that I only see ONE piece of cheese on the Big Shef pics you posted. Not one for each burger patty.

its the only pic's I found of a Big Shef.

You may not have got what you expected but the letter was very very nice.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Sounds like you actually got a "Big Twin" pawned off to you as a Big Shef"

The Big Twin" only had a 2-piece bun with shredded lettuce but a sweeter thousand island type sauce that was a little more tomato-ey. Almost liked they added extra ketchup to your run-of-the-mill thousand island dressing.

I agree with Mr King.net, Just because Hardees purchased the Burger Chef Brand name dose not give them carte blanch to play around with the true originals as they wish.

Does anyone remember the early Hardees Whopper near-clone that did not come standard with ketchup?

The name escapes me now but remember they were pretty good.

The air-charcoal grill gave them a unique flavor and without the ketchup the mayo-onion-pickle flavor really came through well.

I actually prefered them to the Whopper back then.

Boy as you get older file guy takes a little longer to retrieve stuff from the gray matter.

Right after I posted this it surfaced from the depths.

Of course, it was called the Hardees "Husky" or was it the "Huskee" burger

Oh well getting old isn't all bad or is it?, I don't recall

UPDATE 5/9/07


While Surfing the Web today I found an interesting Picture.
Which PROVES to me, that Hardee's Does Know how to build a more Burger Chef Big Shef "Like" sandwich.

NOTE that Burger Chef Big Shef's did NOT have sesame seed bun's.



I also Note that I was WRONG about 2 pieces of cheese, I must have just went to the fixin's bar, and added more cheese to mine.

So, after Reading again the emails I got from Hardee's Corporate as well as the Regional Manager,

I says to myself, self, give it another shot. Everyone makes an honest mistake. I said, you know self, you're right. So.....Off to Hardee's I went, with Burger Chef on my mind. This time, I too my handy dandy Camera.

Upon arriving at Hardee's and seeing the Single Advertisement in their Front Window, Pronouncing Burger Chef, with Official Insignia and All....Again, my mouth began to water.






Having not really paying attention the 1st time, to the picture, this time I took note. You should do the same.

Doesnt quite look like the other Version of Hardee's Burger Chef Big Shef, now does it?








Undaunted, I went on to the Drive Thru, and asked for "Burger Chef Big Shef Burgers" as they are advertised, to be Burger Chef Sandwiches.

Here is what I recieved.




<br>

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in my estimation, this so called "Big Shef" is a far cry from even this "Big Shef"



and is nowhere at all like this Burger Chef Big Shef Sandwich



Conclusion, Hardee's has the License to Burger Chef and Burger Chef Items, and will build it HARDEE'S WAY.

As far as I am concerned, Hardee's is using False Advertising to Coax old Burger Chef Fans to go to Hardee's.

I can only HOPE, that Some other Company Buys Hardee's company and Closes every Hardee's down and Revives Burger Chef.

ARE YOU LISTENING PEPSICO????

The memories I have can never be bought by and Hardee's Tricks, they aren't for sale, especially for 2/$3.

I am so saddened by all of this.

Big Shef. Schlitz beer. Ducaine grills. Emerson radios. All zombie brands. They are now made by companies not being able to trace continuous lineage to the organization that first produced goods and/or services under that brand name. The copyright and trademark laws today aid and abet this deception.

The nearest Hardees is about 60 miles from me, way out on Long island. I don't know if they are offering this "Big Zombie", but if they were, how could they possible replicate it? The buns were probably made from a different formula that the rest of the Hardees buns used today. Getting the sauce/dressing right? Fat chance. Is the variety of lettuce the Big Shef used the same as Hardees is using now? Getting all of these details just right is what makes a Big Shef genuine.

Have any of the current Hardees' product managers ever tasted a Big Shef at a Burger Chef before Hardees bought up the operation? Institutional memories are very short today. I am not interestered in hearing Hardees' lawyering. This is false advertising.

some of you keep bringing up "copyright." The hamburger is in no way protected by copyright. Don't blame copyright laws for people using false advertising of a product that cannot be protected by copyright in the first place.

Hardees does not own a copyright for the Big Shef. No one can own a copyright for a hamburger. If you see a copyright notice on the advertisement it is either for the photograph or for the text on the poster, provided the advertisement contains enough copyrightable text. Protection for the protograph does not protect the work contained in the photograph, just that particular photograph.

So, Hardees is not bringing the hamburger back to satisfy any copyright issues, because they don't own a copyright in the hamburger.

Dictionary definitions:
trademark = a device (as a word) pointing distinctly to the origin or ownership of merchandise to which it is applied and legally reserved to the exclusive use of the owner as maker or seller.

copyright = the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, and sell the matter and form of a literary, musical, or artistic work.

A lot of people mix up trademark and copyright, just as they mix up slander and libel.

Since I used the word "copyright" in my post, I am at fault for not elaborating. Many businessman today try to cash in by putting a "nostalgia" brand on the market. To promote this product, lets say Rheingold beer, they create a web site with old radio commercial sound files, archived newspaper ads, etc. These are protected by copyright, and are designed to promote the sale of the revived brand. Now I have no problem with anyone trying to do this if they have the money, product documentation, and possibly people who produced the old product. My experience is that very few of these people get the revived product right. They might as well call the product by the name of the businessmen who brought this product to market.

Why do junk food chains bring out promo items or "limited time" items? To give their sales figures a boost. They might slather on barbeque sauce or jalapeno-flavored salad dressing. At least these are original, if terrible. But, people will buy them for a "change" or just to try them. Fair game. But in the case of Hardees, the sixth and seventh photos of Mr. King's update post indicate that the product that Hardees is selling today is not even the one they were selling in 2001.

One of the great aspects of this forum is to keep us from wasting money.

no matter. The copyright laws don't aid or abet people in false advertising. The protection is for the work, not the idea of the work. Also, the copyright owner has the right to use the material freely in a legal manner. If there is false advertisement, it's not a copyright issue, since presumably they legally bought the rights to the advertisements with the copyrightable content.
Besides, you didn't mix up the words, you used both:

quote:

"The copyright and trademark laws today aid and abet this deception."

I was simply clarifying. One of the beauties of this forum is that different people add thoughts and facts to topics. Sometimes pro-thread, sometimes anti-thread, sometimes to shed new light on the topic and sometimes to correct mistakes.
I wouldn't eat that burger. But then, I wouldn't eat any food from Hardees or Carls.

quote:

Originally posted by MrKing.net

UPDATE 5/9/07


As far as I am concerned, Hardee's is using False Advertising to Coax old Burger Chef Fans to go to Hardee's.

I can only HOPE, that Some other Company Buys Hardee's company and Closes every Hardee's down and Revives Burger Chef.

ARE YOU LISTENING PEPSICO????

The memories I have can never be bought by and Hardee's Tricks, they aren't for sale, especially for 2/$3.

I am so saddened by all of this.

You don't get out much, do you?

Burger Chef (and Jeff) are rolling in their graves.

No doubt Hardee's will soon be offering a 'Big Barney' a 'Gino Giant' and a 'Marathon Bar' for dessert.

Kevin

quote:

Originally posted by jmckee
You don't get out much, do you?

Have I done something to deserve this kind of response?

Another Update:
today in the mail, I recieved this;


I've no plans to use these 2nd Chance Coupons.

quote:

Originally posted by MrKing.net

quote:

Originally posted by jmckee
You don't get out much, do you?

Have I done something to deserve this kind of response?

Another Update:
today in the mail, I recieved this;


I've no plans to use these 2nd Chance Coupons.

"Have I done something to deserve this kind of response?"

How unfortunate. You now also appear to be on their mailing list... (Shudder...)

Hardee's is STILL Falsely Advertising the Big Shef. I don't know how long this false promo is lasting.

Chef.

quote:

Originally posted by enginecapt

Chef.

no, it's Shef.

I find it hysterically funny that anybody would expend this much energy railing against a buck-fifty hamburger.