Fan favourites return with improved quality, brought to life through a humour-led storytelling campaign
Dubai, UAE – 03.02.2026 – Hardee’s Middle East has reintroduced two of its most requested sandwiches, Roast Beef and Chicken Ranch, following long-standing customer demand across the region. The relaunch is simple at its core: two classics back on the menu, brought to life through a storytelling-led campaign that puts humour and indulgence at the centre of the narrative.
The “Sorry, We’re Back!” tagline anchors the campaign, which uses playfulness as a way of acknowledging how long customers have waited and turning that anticipation into a humorous moment of awareness. Hardee’s is bringing back its two most popular items to show their customers they listen to them and want to give them back what they have repeatedly asked for, but in an improved way. This campaign is also aligned with Hardee’s overall branding message of having a bold flavour and an unapologetic approach to creating indulgent products and continues to stay true to the brand’s heritage while directly responding to its customers’ needs.
“This project was rooted in one simple consumer truth: when a product becomes an obsession, it never really leaves you,” said Görkem Akyavuz, Senior Regional Marketing Manager at Hardee’s Middle East. “Even when a product disappears from the menu, it can remain top of mind, is remembered, requested and talked about.” Over the years, customers continued to ask for the return of Roast Beef and Chicken Ranch, building a quiet anticipation that became part of the brand’s ongoing conversation. Hardee’s translates that sentiment into a humour-driven, character-led narrative that exaggerates real emotional attachment, without relying on typical fast-food clichés.
The campaign reflects Hardee’s belief that listening to its fans is central to keeping the brand relevant in a competitive category.
“Hardee’s has always been built on bold flavor and unapologetic indulgence,” said Zeina Karake, Regional Marketing Director at CKE Restaurants. “This campaign reflects the brand’s heritage while keeping it relevant for today’s audiences, showing how staying close to our customers and brand lovers continues to inspire the return of iconic products in a way that feels authentic, entertaining, and true to who we are.”
The relaunch is relevant across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain
Watch the campaign film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSaAaN8thNk
About Hardee’s Middle East
Hardee’s is known for its bold innovations that introduce new flavors to its customers in the MENA region, and differentiates itself through its offering of chargrilled burgers, premium quality & superior ingredients, bigger portions, and a range of staple regional iconic menu items.
Americana restaurants is the largest global franchisee for CKE restaurants, having opened our first Hardee’s restaurant in 1980 and since then have steadily expanded into ten countries in the MENA. Hardee’s aims at being the ultimate destination for craveable and indulgent burgers in the QSR segment.
About Americana Restaurants
Americana Restaurants is the largest restaurant operator in the MENA region and Kazakhstan in terms of number of restaurants in its countries of operations. Americana Restaurants operates iconic global brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee’s, Krispy Kreme, TGI Fridays, and recently added Peet’s Coffee, along with proprietary brands such as Wimpy and Chicken Tikka across the MENA region and Kazakhstan for over fifty years.