Hardee's is turning to its own guests to find the face of the brand. The CKE Restaurants Holdings chain launched a nationwide competition called "Show Us Your Meemaws" on July 30, inviting fans to nominate a grandmother-figure — or themselves — to become The Hardee's Meemaw, a brand spokesperson meant to embody the scratch-made, homestyle identity the QSR has built over more than 65 years.
The campaign is a notable pivot in QSR brand marketing strategy, leaning into nostalgia and authenticity at a time when fast-food chains are competing intensely for emotional resonance with value-focused consumers. Rather than casting a celebrity spokesperson through traditional channels, Hardee's is crowd-sourcing the role — a move that simultaneously generates user content across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, and Threads while reinforcing the brand's made-from-scratch positioning.
The Prize Package
The stakes are substantial for a grassroots contest. The grand prize includes a $65,000 cash award described as a "retirement boost," a custom signature "Meemaw" meal developed with Hardee's culinary team to be featured systemwide across all locations, and the official brand spokesperson role for one year. Judges — a panel of Hardee's brand experts — will evaluate entries on sass, spirit, personality, and charm. The submission window closes August 30, 2026, with the winner announced September 4.
Caleb Pressley and the Brand Play
Hardee's tapped Caleb Pressley, host of Sundae Conversations, as a partner for the campaign rollout. Sarah Breymaier, vice president of brand marketing at Hardee's, framed the collaboration as a natural fit: "His authentic humor and charismatic storytelling bring the spirit we're looking to capture with 'Show Us Your Meemaws.'"
The contest structure — social video submissions tagged @Hardees — is designed to drive organic reach while keeping production costs on the brand's side low. For franchisees operating across more than 1,400 Hardee's restaurants in 31 states, the winning meal's systemwide rollout represents a tangible downstream impact: a new LTO-style item tied to the campaign's cultural moment. That kind of menu innovation tied to marketing campaigns has become an increasingly common tool for legacy QSR brands seeking to drive traffic and trial without a full product-line overhaul.
CKE Restaurants Holdings, the Franklin, Tennessee-based parent of both Hardee's and Carl's Jr., operates more than 3,600 franchised or company-operated restaurants across 44 U.S. states and more than 35 countries. The Meemaw contest is U.S.-focused and open to legal residents in most states, excluding Florida, New York, and Rhode Island per contest rules.
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.
