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Healthy Food 'Not Our Personality,' Says Fast Food CEO

Fast Food CEO: Health Food Craze 'Not Our Personality'
By 

Associate Business Editor, The Huffington Post

Fast food can have a lot of calories and one CEO isn't afraid to keep in that way.

Andy Puzder, the CEO of CKE Restaurants which owns Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, told The Los Angeles Times that he isn't interested in making his menus healthier. Selling 20 times more bacon cheeseburgers with 740 calories than barbecue chicken sandwiches with 390 calories, Puzder plans to continue to provide the foods that his customers want most.

"It's not our personality and it won't become our personality," Puzder told The Los Angeles Times when asked about the healthy food craze. "All of our products are indulgent, decadent."

See the full story from The Los Angeles Times here

Despite the obesity problem plaguing the entire country, Puzder has remained firm that it is not the fast food industry's place to tell people what they can and cannot eat.

"We're not the food police," he said in an interview with the New Zealand Herald.

The CEO's stance runs contrary to the direction that a majority of the fast food industry seems to be taking. In July, McDonald's released its "Favorites Under 400 Calories" menu and more recently the fast food chain came out with a yolk-free version of its Egg McMuffin with 50 fewer calories than the original.

Burger King has also attempted to spruce up its menu with items it claims are more healthy like salads and smoothies.

Despite these efforts, customers should remain wary. A 2012 study found that while fast food menu items have grown to include items like yogurt parfaits and salads, the average number of calories in each item hasn't decreased significantly.

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Before You Go

10 Things The Fast Food Industry Doesn't Want You To Know
McDonald's Grew During The Recession(01 of10)
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McDonald's had higher sales growth in 2008 than in 2006 or 2007, opening nearly 600 stores that year, according to Slate. The chain was able to take advantage of Americans' recession tastes: Cheap, convenient food. (credit:Getty Images)
They Handle Food That Isn't Really Food(02 of10)
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One Reddit user claiming to be an ex-McDonald's worker said he once left a bag of chicken nuggets out on the counter for too long and "they melted. Into a pool of liquid." That didn't stop him from loving the nuggets, "still delicious," he wrote. (credit:Getty Images)
Fast Food Companies See Huge Profits On The Backs Of Low-Wage Workers(03 of10)
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More than 60 percent of low-wage workers are employed by big corporations, according to a July analysis by the National Employment Law Project. And more than 90 percent of those companies were profitable last year. (credit:Getty Images)
The Average Pay For A Fast Food Worker In New York City Is $9 Per Hour(04 of10)
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Fast food workers in New York City make an average of $9 per hour, according to the Village Voice. That comes to about $18,500 per year for full-time workers. (credit:Getty Images)
Fast Food Workers Are Unlikely To Get Paid Sick Days(05 of10)
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For 40 percent of private sector workers, taking a sick day and still getting paid isn't an option, according to the Baltimore Sun. Fast food workers are especially likely to be part of that 40 percent. (credit:Getty Images)
The Boss Can Threaten To Take Workers' Health Care Away(06 of10)
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Many fast food workers saw their health benefits put at risk this year, if they even had them at all. Papa John's CEO John Schnatter said he would likely reduce some of his workers hours so that he wouldn't have to cover them in response to Obamacare. Jimmy John's founder, Jimmy John Liautaud told Fox News in October that he would "have to" cut workers' hours so that he wasn't forced to cover them under Obamacare. (credit:Getty Images)
The Average Hourly Pay At Many Fast Food Eateries Is Less Than $8 An Hour(07 of10)
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The average hourly pay at McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King and Taco Bell is less than $8 an hour, according to salary data cited by CNBC. (credit:Getty Images)
The Median Age Of A Fast Food Worker Is 28(08 of10)
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As more workers fight for limited jobs, many older employees are gravitating towards the fast food industry. The median age of a fast food worker is 28, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited by the Atlantic. For women, who make up two-thirds of the industry's employees, that age is 32. (credit:Getty Images)
Labor Leaders Rarely Try To Unionize Fast Food Workers(09 of10)
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Fast food worker's went on strike in late November in New York City, showcasing a rare effort to organize the industry's workers. Labor leaders often don't make an effort to organize these workers because the high turnover makes the challenge daunting. (credit:Getty Images)
Fast Food Workers Are The Lowest Paid Workers In NYC(10 of10)
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For all their work, fast food workers get very little dough. The lowest paid job category in New York City is "Combined Food Service and Preparation Workers, Including Fast Food," according to Bureau of Labor Department Statistics cited by Salon. (credit:Getty Images)
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