42g Breakfast Burger Hits Drive-Thru

A double cheeseburger with melted cheese and pickles served with potato wedges — BURGER DRIVE-THRU BOMBSHELL

Hardee’s latest “protein-first” menu push shows how working Americans are still demanding real food—not trendy lectures—when they pull into the drive-thru.

Quick Take

Hardee’s launched a limited-time Frisco lineup nationwide at participating locations starting February 18, 2026.
The new Frisco Breakfast Burger is marketed at 42g of protein and runs through May 12.
The BBQ Pulled Pork Frisco returned “by popular demand” and will run through April 14.
Hardee’s is leaning into premium partnerships, including Clifty Farm pulled pork and Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce.

What Hardee’s Actually Launched—and When It Hit Stores

Hardee’s rolled out its Frisco lineup on February 18, 2026, with availability described as “participating locations,” meaning not every store is guaranteed to carry the items.

The company later amplified the news through a February 23 press release and website messaging, which is typical of fast-food launches: product hits first, marketing follows. Early coverage and reviews began circulating the next day as customers started finding the items in the wild.

The headline newcomer is the Frisco Breakfast Burger, built around a 100% Angus beef patty, cherrywood-smoked bacon, a freshly cracked egg, American cheese, and crispy hash rounds on toasted sourdough.

Hardee’s is also positioning the sandwich as a high-protein option at 42 grams. The move fits a broader “more filling, more protein” lane that chains are chasing as consumers look for meals that feel substantial.

Inside the Frisco Breakfast Burger: Premium Positioning, Drive-Thru Reality

Hardee’s marketing leans heavily on familiar quality cues—Angus beef, fresh egg, and sourdough—to separate this burger from the typical fast-food breakfast sandwich.

The construction also signals an all-in approach to indulgence: meat, egg, bacon, and fried potato in one stack. For customers tired of shrinking portions and gimmicks, the product pitch is straightforward: a heavy breakfast that aims to keep you full, not a “reimagined” snack.

Pricing details vary by market and ordering format, and early reviews reflected that reality. Coverage and video reviewers noted a $3.99 entry price in some promotions, while at least one early review cited a $7.49 standalone price, with combos also available.

That spread matters because it highlights the day-to-day frustration many families have felt after years of inflation: the same item can look like a deal—or a splurge—depending on location.

The BBQ Pulled Pork Frisco Returns—and Hardee’s Bets on Familiar Favorites

Hardee’s also brought back the BBQ Pulled Pork Frisco, again using a quarter-pound Angus beef patty as the base. The build adds Clifty Farm slow-smoked pulled pork, American cheese, crispy onions, pickles, and Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce on Frisco bread.

Hardee’s described the return as driven by customer demand, and the limited-time window runs through April 14. The chain is clearly testing how much nostalgia still moves drive-thru traffic.

The Clifty Farm tie-in is a central part of the pitch, with the pulled pork described as hand-rubbed and smoked for 16 hours. This is the second year of that partnership, suggesting Hardee’s sees real value in co-branding with a BBQ supplier rather than treating “BBQ” as just another sauce packet.

In a crowded quick-service market, that kind of sourcing story is used to justify premium pricing and to signal the product is more than a standard burger swap.

Why This Matters in 2026: Protein, Price Sensitivity, and “Hardworking” Branding

Hardee’s operates more than 1,400 restaurants across 31 states and has long branded itself around “hardworking people,” with staples like charbroiled burgers and Made From Scratch Biscuits.

The Frisco lineup fits that identity by emphasizing heft, meat-forward builds, and convenience across the day. There’s no major political angle embedded in the rollout itself, but the consumer signal is clear: customers are still buying filling, traditional comfort food when budgets are tight.

Based on available reporting, the early narrative is uniformly positive and promotional, with no meaningful downside reporting beyond the standard uncertainty of “participating locations” and localized pricing.

That limitation matters for readers who want hard facts. There is no public list of which specific franchises are participating, so the only practical verification is to check local menus or in-store signage. If the lineup performs, Hardee’s could extend the playbook with more LTOs built around protein and premium suppliers.