Advantage: Hardees!

A month ago, I noticed that McDonald’s had buckled under to the criticism of the Michael Moore-like Super-Size Me propagandamentary and eliminated its Super-Size menu.

But anytime there’s political correctness, there’s an opening to exploit the wussiness and puritanism of those involved, which Hardee’s chief executive Andrew Puzder is more than willing to do with his 2/3rds of a pound Monster Thickburger:

In an interview on CNBC, Hardee’s chief executive Andrew Puzder was unapologetic, saying the company’s latest sandwich is “not a burger for tree-huggers.”

“This is a burger for young hungry guys who want a really big, delicious, juicy, decadent burger,” he said. “I hope our competitors keep promoting those healthy products, and we will keep promoting our big, juicy delicious burgers.”

As CBS writes:

But despite the bad press, or may be because of it, it’s also produced an 8 percent growth in sales for Hardees. Blue-state critics, meet red-state consumers.

Daniel Drezner adds:

There’s a complex observation to be made here about what “Red America” wants — Many lefty commentators believe that Red Staters are getting hoodwinked into buying deceptive political propaganda about “moral values” hook, line, and sinker. The appeal of the Monster Thickburger suggests that Red State denizens know exactly what they want, and appreciate it when it’s sold to them without any deception whatsoever.

Not too surprising, to be honest.

I wouldn’t eat one (frankly, 2,500 calories in one shot from a hamburger, fries and a drink is too crazy for me, and this is closer to my idea of delicious food porn), but if I see a Hardees I’d definitely go out of my way to order something there to support a CEO who knows his audience–and is willing to have some fun with his humorless critics.