FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Hardee’s is launching a new limited-time menu platform featuring prime rib across multiple dayparts. The rollout also includes a lineup of beverages and desserts.
Starting April 15, the “Prime Experience” will be available nationwide. It includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner items. The platform also introduces new sweet offerings, according to a company announcement.
The initiative follows the brand’s recent “Second Breakfast Insurance” campaign. It reflects a broader effort to drive traffic throughout the day. The strategy focuses on menu items with higher perceived value.
The Prime Experience introduces three core items built around prime rib:
- Prime Rib Burger: Angus beef patty topped with sliced prime rib, au jus, garlic cheddar sauce, and grilled onions
- Prime Rib Breakfast Burrito: Includes prime rib, egg, cheese, and hash rounds (36g protein)
- Prime Rib Biscuit: Made-from-scratch biscuit with prime rib, egg, and American cheese (31g protein)
As part of the promotion, My Rewards members can purchase the Prime Rib Burger for $5.99 when ordering through the app for a limited time.
According to Sarah Breymaier, vice president of marketing at Hardee’s, the platform is designed to elevate menu quality perception. She explained that the concept centers on reworking a premium cut of beef into multiple formats, noting that preparation methods like slow-simmered au jus and ingredient selection were intended to reinforce a more premium positioning.
Alongside the savory lineup, the company is introducing additional menu items aimed at dessert and beverage occasions. These include the Star-Spangled Biscuit, a berry-flavored baked item with icing, as well as a Mocha Freeze made with vanilla ice cream, coffee, and chocolate syrup. A broader “Triple Berry” platform includes tea, a carbonated fruit drink, and a milkshake, all made with strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry flavors and no artificial colors.
Why it matters
Hardee’s Prime Experience highlights a growing trend in the quick-service and broader CPG space. The focus is on premiumization at accessible price points. By introducing a higher-end protein like prime rib, the brand is elevating its menu. It is offering this ingredient across multiple items. The goal is to bridge the gap between value and perceived quality.
This strategy aligns with broader industry efforts. Brands are trying to drive traffic beyond traditional meal occasions. Expanding menus across breakfast, lunch, and dinner helps increase visit frequency. It also reinforces menu differentiation. At the same time, pairing premium ingredients with app-based pricing incentives is becoming more common. This reflects the importance of digital ordering ecosystems. Loyalty programs continue to play a key role in shaping consumer behavior.
The addition of fruit-based beverages and dessert items supports menu diversification. It also encourages incremental spending. This is especially relevant in higher-margin categories.
Editor’s note: Source86 perspective
For food manufacturers and private label brands, Hardee’s latest launch underscores the increasing role of premium ingredient positioning in mass-market formats. Incorporating higher-value proteins like prime rib into scalable menu items demonstrates how brands can elevate perception without fully shifting into premium pricing tiers.
At Source86, we support brands navigating these strategies through bulk ingredient sourcing, R&D, and co-manufacturing solutions, ensuring that premium concepts remain operationally viable. From supply chain coordination to private label development, our focus is helping partners deliver consistent quality while adapting to evolving consumer expectations around value and product innovation. Let’s talk.
FAQs
The lineup includes the Prime Rib Burger, Prime Rib Breakfast Burrito, and Prime Rib Biscuit, along with new desserts and beverages like the Mocha Freeze and Triple Berry drinks.
The platform launched April 15, 2026, and is available for a limited time at participating locations.
Yes, My Rewards members can get the Prime Rib Burger for $5.99 when ordering through the app during the promotional period.
External source: Hardee’s® Introduces Prime Rib Platform Designed to Fuel Hardworking Appetites
