Carl's Jr. is rolling out Star Energy, a limited-time beverage lineup built around Monster Energy Zero Ultra infused directly into fountain-style drinks — a first for a burger-focused quick-service chain. The program, developed with CKE Restaurants Holdings, puts energy-drink culture squarely inside the QSR beverage daypart, where operators have long fought to lift check averages and generate incremental visits.
The Lineup
Guests can order three base flavors in 24-ounce sizes: 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 is also offered in a "Dirty" variation topped with cold foam, bringing the total to six SKUs. Participating locations also carry 12-ounce Monster Energy Zero Ultra cans for guests who want the classic format.
Why It Matters for Operators
The Star Energy program signals a broader shift in how QSR chains are treating their beverage menus — not as a commodity add-on but as a destination category in its own right. Energy drink consumption has outpaced most other non-alcoholic beverage segments in recent years, and younger demographics in particular increasingly blend energy drinks with flavored sodas or fruit-forward mixers, a habit already well-documented in the independent café and convenience-store channels. By formalizing that behavior into a branded menu item, Carl's Jr. is converting a consumer ritual into a repeatable, margin-generating visit driver.
"Partnering with Monster Energy is a major moment for Carl's Jr.," said Burge Diemer, chief marketing officer for Carl's Jr. "By pairing two iconic brands with incredibly passionate fan bases, we're able to create something truly distinctive and delicious for our guests." Monster Energy's CMO of the Americas, Jordi Gayola, framed the deal as a channel-expansion play for the energy brand: "We look for partners who can take something people already love, give it a twist, and take it to new consumers."
The cold-foam "Dirty" variation is a deliberate nod to the customization culture popularized by specialty coffee chains, where add-ons like cream-top finishes command premium pricing and social-media shareability. For franchisees, the execution requires little more than a cold-foam dispenser and existing fountain infrastructure — a low-capital way to participate in the beverage innovation trends reshaping QSR menus.
Activation and Rollout
To support the launch, Carl's Jr. and Monster Energy will appear together at the Rose Bowl tailgate on November 28, where a Carl's Jr. food truck will serve Star Energy samples alongside its core burger lineup. That kind of experiential co-branding at a high-profile sports event reflects how both companies target an overlapping audience of sports and action-sports enthusiasts. Operators tracking similar QSR beverage and menu partnerships will want to monitor redemption data from Carl's Jr.'s My Rewards loyalty program, which is positioned as the primary vehicle for Star Energy promotions. The program is available for download via the Carl's Jr. app.
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.
