Carl's Jr. Launches Pass on Jack Campaign to Rival

Carl's Jr. Challenges Jack in the Box With a Boldly Competitive New Campaign

Carl's Jr. has thrown down the gauntlet in the California burger wars. The CKE Restaurants-owned chain has launched a marketing campaign called "Pass on Jack"- a direct challenge to rival Jack in the Box that rewards loyal customers for choosing Carl's over its competitor. Members of the Carl's Jr. loyalty programme who can provide evidence that they drove past a Jack in the Box location to reach a Carl's Jr. will earn a free Sourdough Star burger through the Carl's Jr. app. The campaign kicked off on Tuesday, with qualifying submissions redeemable until July 7. It is the kind of bold, rivalry-driven marketing move that fast food brands deploy when the competitive environment intensifies- and right now, the burger category is about as competitive as it gets.

How the Campaign Works- and What Customers Need to Do

The mechanics of the "Pass on Jack" promotion are straightforward and deliberately playful. Customers upload a screenshot of a GPS route or any other form of proof demonstrating that they passed a Jack in the Box location on their way to a Carl's Jr. restaurant. Qualifying submissions unlock a free Sourdough Star burger redeemable through the Carl's Jr. app before July 7. The barrier to entry is low- a phone screenshot is all it takes- but the engagement it requires is high. By asking customers to actively document their loyalty, Carl's Jr. is not just rewarding existing fans but generating a wave of user participation and social media content that extends the campaign's reach well beyond paid media. It is a smart activation built around a simple but provocative idea.

The VP of Marketing Makes the Competitive Intent Crystal Clear

Paz Romero, VP of Brand Marketing for Carl's Jr., was refreshingly direct about the thinking behind the campaign. "When hunger strikes on a road trip, it's tempting to pull over at the first burger joint you see," she said. "This summer, we know our loyal fans and new customers are bound to drive by a Carl's Jr., so we want to reward them for stopping at the best burger option on the road." The phrasing is deliberate- "the best burger option on the road" is not a subtle positioning statement. It is a direct claim of superiority over a named rival, delivered with the kind of confidence that tends to cut through in a crowded fast-food marketing landscape. For a brand looking to win back customers who have been cutting back on restaurant visits, that clarity of message is a strategic asset.

Two California-Born Rivals With Deeply Overlapping Footprints

The rivalry between Carl's Jr. and Jack in the Box is rooted in geography and history in equal measure. Robert Peterson opened the first Jack in the Box in San Diego in 1951, and the chain remains headquartered there today. Carl and Margaret Karcher opened the first Carl's Jr. in Anaheim five years later, building on experience gained from a hot dog cart and a barbecue restaurant. Both brands grew up in California, and both have maintained a heavy presence in the state ever since. Jack in the Box operates 938 California locations- 44% of its more than 2,100 total US restaurants. Carl's Jr. is even more California-concentrated, with 629 of its 992 domestic locations in the state, representing 63.4% of its US footprint. When two brands are competing for the same customers in the same geography at this level of density, a direct rivalry campaign is not just marketing- it is a logical extension of the competitive reality on the ground.

Both Chains Are Fighting Through a Period of Declining Sales

The "Pass on Jack" campaign arrives against a backdrop of genuine commercial pressure for both brands. Carl's Jr. saw US system sales fall 6% last year and closed nearly 4% of its domestic locations during the same period, though its international business performed more strongly with location count growing 6.9%. Jack in the Box, currently operating under interim CEO Mark King, fared only marginally better- sales declined 4.3% and the chain closed 2.5% of its US restaurants. The broader context is a fast-food industry in which consumers have been pulling back on restaurant visits, intensifying competition for every customer and every transaction. In that environment, actively poaching customers from a direct rival- and incentivising them to document the switch- is not just creative marketing. It is a response to a genuine business imperative.

The Sourdough Star Returns as the Reward Behind the Campaign

The free burger at the centre of the "Pass on Jack" offer is no afterthought. Carl's Jr. brought back its Sourdough Star last month for a limited time, and the campaign is being used as a vehicle to drive awareness and trial of the returning menu item. The Sourdough Star features a charbroiled patty topped with two strips of bacon, classic sauce, grilled onions, melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise, all served on toasted sourdough bread. It is a premium-feeling product that gives Carl's Jr. a specific quality story to tell alongside the competitive one- reinforcing the implicit message that passing on Jack is not just a matter of brand loyalty but of getting a genuinely better burger at the end of the drive. The limited-time framing adds urgency, while the loyalty programme mechanic ensures that the campaign builds the brand's digital relationship with its most engaged customers in the process.

Carl's Jr. Challenges Jack in the Box With a Boldly Competitive New Campaign

How the Campaign Works- and What Customers Need to Do

The VP of Marketing Makes the Competitive Intent Crystal Clear

Two California-Born Rivals With Deeply Overlapping Footprints

Both Chains Are Fighting Through a Period of Declining Sales

The Sourdough Star Returns as the Reward Behind the Campaign

Carl's Jr. Launches Pass on Jack Campaign to Rival

Carl's Jr. Challenges Jack in the Box With a Boldly Competitive New Campaign

How the Campaign Works- and What Customers Need to Do

The VP of Marketing Makes the Competitive Intent Crystal Clear

Two California-Born Rivals With Deeply Overlapping Footprints

Both Chains Are Fighting Through a Period of Declining Sales

The Sourdough Star Returns as the Reward Behind the Campaign

Editors' Picks

Jay Spongberg Named President, COO of WKS Restaurant Group

Smokey Mo's BBQ Hires Dine Brands Vet for Texas Growth

Wendy's Top Franchisee Bankruptcy Exposes Growth Risks

Jack in the Box Adds Starbucks CFO to Board

How to Rank Your Restaurant on Google Maps

How to Track Restaurant Inventory

10 Ways to Reduce Restaurant Costs With Technology

How to Forecast Restaurant Revenue and Expenses

everbowl Hires Two Jack in the Box Veterans

Mountain Mike's Pizza Names Sheena Dougher CMO

Become A Member Of The Restaurant Association!

Carl's Jr. Launches Pass on Jack Campaign to Rival

Carl's Jr. Challenges Jack in the Box With a Boldly Competitive New Campaign

How the Campaign Works- and What Customers Need to Do

The VP of Marketing Makes the Competitive Intent Crystal Clear

Two California-Born Rivals With Deeply Overlapping Footprints

Both Chains Are Fighting Through a Period of Declining Sales

The Sourdough Star Returns as the Reward Behind the Campaign