Back in 2019, Carl’s Jr. kicked off the year with a monumental addition to its menu. On January 2, the nationwide fast-food chain officially debuted the Beyond Famous Star, a meatless version of its iconic Famous Star.
With more than 1,000 Carl’s Jr. locations across the US, vegans could reliably count on finding a vegan-friendly burger (albeit with a few modifications) whenever they were strapped for choice. We certainly found ourselves enjoying a Beyond Famous Star during road trips and after catching a late-night movie with friends.
Unfortunately, the Beyond Famous Star is no more. Without this meatless offering, is it possible to still eat vegan at Carl’s Jr.? And why did the chain discontinue the burger?
Did Carl’s Jr. discontinue the Beyond Famous Star?
If you live on the West Coast or American Southwest, you’re likely familiar with Carl’s Jr. In the Midwest and American South, you know the chain as Hardee’s. While the menus differ just ever so slightly, the branding is consistent across regions, as the two chains are owned by the same parent company.
Both regions introduced the Beyond Famous Star in 2019, and vegan customers could simply remove the dairy cheese and egg-based mayo to make the sandwich plant-based. However, it wouldn’t last long.
Carl’s Jr.
Hardee’s first began removing this meatless option from its menus as early as 2020, according to Reddit users; and by 2022, the Beyond Famous Star had seemingly been discontinued in the region. Carl’s Jr. locations, however, still featured the vegan-friendly burger on their menus … until recently. I
n early 2024, several Reddit users first began reporting that their nearest Carl’s Jr. locations no longer served the Beyond Famous Star. And at the time of writing, the sandwich no longer appears on the chain’s menu.
VegNews has reached out to Carl’s Jr. for insight. But in the meantime, despite the Beyond burger’s disappearance, it’s still possible to eat vegan at the nationwide chain.
How to order vegan at Carl’s Jr.
Carl’s Jr. offers a few menu items guaranteed to hold you over whenever you’re in a bind and need just a quick bite.
1 Build your own guacamole burger
Reddit users have reported that sympathetic employees have offered to make a guacamole handhold in lieu of the Beyond Famous Star. While this may not be your first choice, it works in a pinch if you ask nicely.
The key to this is knowing your vegan parameters. The lettuce, tomato, sliced onions, jalapeños, pickles, ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, Special Sauce, and hot sauce, are all vegan. Mix and match those, and you’ve got a substantial handhold. The sesame seed bun—and the Jr. bun—are also vegan-approved, but avoid all other buns as they contain animal-derived ingredients. Essentially, if it’s topped with sesame seeds, you’re in the clear.
Carl’s Jr.
2 Sides
Get excited—the waffle fries are vegan! These golden fries are excellent when dipped in ketchup, mustard, or barbecue sauce. For the waffle fry-averse, the Natural-Cut French Fries are plant-based, too. Be sure to avoid the onion rings and fried zucchini, as both contain egg in the batter.
Mini/Trip Advisor
3 Breakfast
Carl’s Jr. offers a fast-food hash brown that’s vegan. These spuds are nugget-shaped and technically called Hash Rounds. Pair with orange juice or a plain black coffee for added sustenance.
For a time, the chain carried a Beyond Breakfast Sausage, but that option has been discontinued. If you’re hungry for more than just hash browns, stick to lunch and dinner if you can swing it.
4 Drinks
Like most fast-food chains, Carl’s Jr. carries a number of vegan-friendly drinks. Options here include soft drinks, Simply Orange, iced tea, black coffee, and bottled water.
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