This was our third visit to Carl's Jr in Guatemala City. The first two...well, somewhat underwhelming, to be honest, but now, after settling in for a few months, the Zone 10 location got it right.
The atmosphere: clean dining room, no clutter on tables, music...and television present but not too loud for table conversation. Overall the place was inviting.
The service: the young lady at the counter took our orders, repeated what we'd ordered, and quickly processed the credit card payment. Since Carl's Jr assembles sandwiches when ordered (there are not multiple dozens under heat lamps) another person brought us our burgers, and later returned, twice, to ask if we wanted drink refills, then to clear the table for us. Very polite, very efficient.
The food: We ordered a #8 and a #3. Both orders were exactly "as ordered," including a "hold the onion" on the #8. Both sandwiches were delicious, much better than our experience the first two visits. Our food was hot, obviously freshly-made and quite appetizing. The fries were especially good! One note about the #8--it's a bit messy since it includes a generous (and tasty) amount of guacamole; that's not a complaint, just the reality that guacamole on a burger is inherently messy. But that's why they have napkins at the tables, right?
The value: A similar meal at BK would be a bit less expensive, but BK lacks Carl's variety, and BK's service isn't as good. McD's...well, there's just no comparison as to the taste and quality of the product, even though McD's would be cheaper. It's a "you get what you pay for" situation. For the quality of the atmosphere, the service and the food, Carl's Jr is worth the cost of the meal.
Final analysis: Carl's Jr probably isn't the place for a romantic dinner, nor for an important business lunch, but it's good place to get a really good, US-style hamburger. I'm glad we gave them one more chance. They got their act together, and we'll be back.More