Hard Karl's

The old-world-style logo of the Hard Karl's brand.

Hard Karl’s is a Hieran chain of casual restaurants, catering largely to Serfs and Freepeople with its affordable prices and efficiency. The name is allegedly descended from the combination of two ancient restaurant chains in old, corrupted records. The restaurant chain is known for its burgers, Hieraschnitzel, and LaCrux beverage line, including dark beers, sodas, and sparkling waters.

## History

Started by famed Hieran restaurant magnate Herzogin Hasenpfeffer Helga, Hard Karl’s was named in honor of her role model and late grandfather, Justicar Hasenpfeffer “Justikarl” Karl. Helga has always been a strong proponent of improved conditions for Crucian Serfs, and was keenly aware of how difficult it was for them to find decent food at prices they could afford. She attributed a number of overlooked, widespread health problems in Hiera’s Serf population to this lack of good eating, and made it her mission to change things.

The concept was immediately a hit in Ven City, though competitors did their very best to hamper Helga’s success through whatever legal avenues they could find. Unfortunately, Hard Karl’s proved so successful so quickly that there was little hope of stopping its growth. As a consequence of Hard Karl’s success, many of its competitors were forced to improve the quality and pricing of their menu options to stay competitive, improving the overall food market for Serfs and Freepeople on Hiera. Locations were open in every major Hieran city within only a few years, and even in smaller towns by the end of the chain’s first decade.

## Locations

Hard Karl’s restaurants are noble-owned, but operated entirely by Serf or Freepeople staff under Noble management. All of their ingredients are sourced from local Hieran supply, and the restaurant has always made its best effort to balance quality with affordability.

Each location takes inspiration for its interior design from local culture and style, or is built to fit with local architecture if a new building must be constructed. Spacious seating, including booths and long, wooden tables are provided, and paint colors and lighting are generally chosen to make the space feel warm.

## Products

Each Hard Karl’s restaurant offers a number of unique food and drink options created by Helga Hasenpfeffer and her chefs. It was important to Herzogin Helga that Hard Karl’s have a number of unique offerings to set it apart from other local and sector-wide chains.

### **The Hard Karl**

The restaurant’s namesake burger, the Hard Karl is two thick beef patties with bacon, cheese, tomato, and lettuce served on a Pretzel Bun. Sides include King’s Wurst, fries, or salad.

### **Hieraschnitzel**

Originally Hierschnitzel, this tasty entree is branded off-world and to tourists as Hieraschnitzel. It’s made using pork chops, pounded thin, breaded, and fried in fat. Each order is served with dipping sauce, a choice of fries or salad, and a Hard Karl’s King’s Wurst. Hieraschnitzel variants can also be ordered as patty substitutes on any Hard Karl’s burger.

Hieraschnitzel has been one of the main focuses of a number of opponents of Hard Karl’s, who claim that it is decidedly not a “healthy” food option for Serfs and Freepeople. Hard Karl’s has countered that not all its options are “healthy” in a traditional sense, but rather are “healthier” by virtue of using better quality ingredients.

### **Karl’s Parlor Trick**

A dark, smoked beer, Karl’s Parlor Trick is particularly popular further from the Hieran equator in the colder north regions of the planet. Aired over an open flame, the malted barley used in producing the beverage acquires a distinctive smoky flavor.

### **The Double Dunk**

Sometimes called “The Double D,” The Double Dunk is a dark dunkel beer noted for its smoothness and low alcohol content. It incorporates five secret flavors and malts alongside the dunkel base to give it a unique, caramel flavor.

### **The Malty Falcon**

The darkest beer Hard Karl’s offers, the Malty Falcon is a Schwarzbier uniquely tuned to have a much higher alcohol concentration than many of its counterparts. A strong, hoppy flavor with a sweet aftertaste can be off putting to those unaccustomed to it, but many Crucians, Serf and Noble alike, enjoy the beer for its strength.

### **LaCrux Sparkling Waters**

Available in a wide range of subtle flavors, LaCrux sparkling waters are loved amongst both Crucian Serfs and Nobles for their low calorie content, no sugar, and pleasant taste. The beverage is sourced from snow and glacier melt stimulated by flamethrowers in Hiera's far north. Flavors include Berry, Juniper Citrus, Apple Hibiscus, and Grape Stout.

## Controversies

Despite Herzogin Helga’s apparent intentions, several controversies have sprung up around Hard Karl’s and its business practices.

While the business touts its focus on providing quality food at an affordable price, it has often been critiqued for its treatment of Serf staff members. Many Serf workers make little to no progress on their debts, and any spending stipend they receive is often very small or given in the form of Hard Karl’s meal vouchers.

The business also has what some term a “deceptive” view of what the term “healthy,” means, even their salads lathered in a buttery sauce. Hard Karl’s focuses on the quality of their ingredients and the labor practices of their suppliers to promote their food, but many insist this creates an intentionally misleading marketing image for people expecting low calorie options or vegan entrees, which Hard Karl’s does not offer.

This was reinforced several years before the War Against the Artificials by the emergence of the Swan Flu epidemic, an ailment affecting mostly Serf and Freepeople populations on Hiera. A certain percentage of meat imported to Hiera from House Cygnus was contaminated with the harsh disease that local news outlets dubbed the Swan Flu. Having entered a partnership with a Cygnus supplier, Hard Karl’s came under intense scrutiny as one of the primary buyers of the contaminated meat. The restaurant was fined by the Hieran government for false advertising, having still been marketing their food as “single-source, Hieran grown.” However, with tensions between Cygnus and Crux mounting, the crisis was eventually turned into anti-Cygnus propaganda, and Hard Karl’s involvement largely forgotten as war broke out.

Herzogin Helga has also been accused and investigated on no less than three separate occasions for using Hard Karl’s profits to allegedly “enhance her personal Levies above and beyond standard issue limits.” Helga’s Levies have been sent without authorization to respond to worker strikes at several outlying Hard Karl’s locations, often physically intimidating or threatening Serf or Freepeople staff to get back to work. Reports have claimed the Levies have been seen with weapons or equipment not legally permitted for standard Hieran Levies deployments, but the JES and Judiciary have had difficulty acquiring enough evidence to charge the Herzogin.

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