Carl’s Jr.

There used to be a Carl’s Junior across from St Jerome’s in Phoenix and I used to wish I was going there instead, or Captain Bill’s Sub Shop instead of youth group. The next one I remember was the one that the church bus stopped at in Needles, CA on the way to Magic Mountain at 3:00 am and how remarkably disgusting my food was; even when I was 15 and not very discerning and was rather excited about any opportunity to eat fast food. The next time I ate Carl’s Jr was on at the Powell Street BART station in San Francisco not because I wanted to. But because the my alarm clock went off at the wrong time and I took off walking from the Adelaide hostel and had the wits scared out of me on Turk and Taylor, before realizing that the BART station wouldn’t be opened for another hour. There were several people sleeping inside in spite of the no loitering signs and time limits. the security guard asked me if I had any spare change and also if I wanted to go out with him or move into his apartment. I don’t remember what I ate. Five years later I get this coupon in the mail and decide to try a breakfast burrito on the way to work. I was kinda scared by the guy outside with the facial tattoos wearing shorts on the day it was 19 degrees out. When he said something to me, I assumed he was asking for spare change or a cigarette like everyone else. After ordering my food, I sat down next to someone with a full spread of breakfast items on the table in front of him. He was face down in a plate of biscuits and gravy. I didn’t want to necessarily look at that while I ate my burrito, so I moved to different seat. That’s when I really noticed that much like the Powell Street Carl’s Jr., – in spite of signs specifically limiting the sorts of belongings prohibited in the dining room – large backpacks and shopping carts – most of the people there seemed homeless. I guess that’s nice of Carl’s Jr. to take care of the homeless like that, but their signs are sort of confusing; they go to the trouble to put up signs like they don’t want people to know that they are running a homeless shelter. From my new seat, I could see that the guy with the biscuits and gravy was in and out of consciousness; apparently alternating between a opiate nod and enthusiastically scarfing his biscuits and gravy and unaware that it was all over his face. That’s when the guy with the facial tattoos reappears, bringing a pile of napkins and handfuls of Sweet and Low. He tells the guy that he has food all over his face and helps to reorient him. From the way he said, «here, I brought you your sugar,» I assumed they knew each other and thought maybe the guy was his dad or at least an older friend from prison. It was sort of endearing. Next the guy asked me how I like my bike, which is a low end Walmart bike with a broken petal. I told him that it kind of sucks so he told me which pawn shops I could find a better one for cheap and then said, «have a nice day mam.» The point is that Carl’s Jr is universally bizarre. Though I know it wasn’t very healthy, there was nothing visibly wrong with my food and it taste okay and the counter service was polite. Someday, I guess I’ll go to another Carl’s Jr when I’m stranded somewhere and nothing else is open.

5 stars for one thing — Desiray Corona, who worked the drive through. When I ordered two sandwiches, she made sure that I got the special promotion going on for them (which other drive-​thru workers at this location have failed to do) and she was extremely friendly and fun, even for such a quick trip!

This place is a FAIL. From the start. Not the best area in town. The first time I came inside and was given free entertainment. at lunch time with a angry guy who whipped out his… well and started pissing all over the front counter… lol ok. Then the drive thru today was also a FAIL! …Only on central in Albuquerque… What is it with Central that is a magnet to crazys ??

Waited in drive through over 7 minutes (before giving up). They knew I was there, because they said «just a minute.» But, the two cards ahead of me were not moving. So, I ran in, one person working counter and a line there too. Mind you, this was at 12:15, so it’s not like they were surprised by a lunch crowd.
Sorry Carl. Went to Wendy’s across the street.

This carls junior has accurate orders and decent food, any of the chicken sandwiches or chicken strips are good.