Pop-Tarts and ice cream? Fast food summer is here

• Summer is when the fast food giants rely on unusual products to lure customers
• Carl%27s Jr. this week rolls out a Strawberry Pop-Tart Ice Cream Sandwich
• Chicken Waffle Tenders are on tap at Popeyes

Fast food giants are luring-in folks this summer with tongue-wagging food stunts.

Strawberry Pop-Tart Ice Cream Sandwiches roll out this week at Carl's Jr. Chicken Waffle Tenders — that's chicken battered in waffle-like coating — are on tap next week at Popeyes. And Lemon Meringue Pie Blizzards already are being blended at Dairy Queen.

Call it the summer of who'd-a-thunk-it fast foods and beverages. One driving force: an economy that's still got the jitters. Last month, sales at U.S. restaurants took an unexpected 1.2% downturn, the largest decline since February 2008, the Commerce Department reported.

"With the economy the way it is, the only way to grow is to take business from a competitor," says Andy Puzder, CEO of CKE Restaurants, whose Carl's Jr. chain is rolling out the Strawberry Pop-Tart Ice Cream Sandwich made with two halves of a Kellogg's Strawberry Pop-Tart and a hunk of vanilla ice cream stuffed in between. "Anything that gets attention can take business away from the other guy."

Wendy's just rolled out its Bacon Pretzel Cheeseburgers. Sonic has a new Cheesy Bacon Pretzel dog. Smashburger's got Peanut Butter & Jelly shakes. And Dunkin Donuts, of course, recently unearthed the Glazed Donut Breakfast Sandwich.

Summer is when fast food restaurants in particular work overtime to drive in the lion's share of business. Families are on vacation and kids are out of school. "Like vacation itself," says Jeff DeGraff, business professor at University of Michigan, the fast food stunts are really "about a change of scenery."

Most of these items are aimed at kids, notes Jerry McVety, a food service industry consultant. "So that reinforces the need for stunts to draw in business."

Executives at Popeyes insist that the Chicken Waffle Tenders, to roll out July 29, are not a stunt but part of a larger culinary trend mixing chicken and waffles. The combo is a "staple" in the South and particularly popular off of food trucks, says Dick Lynch, chief global brand officer.

Popeyes Chicken Waffle Tenders are made with white meat chicken that is marinated, then battered in a waffle-style coating and fried. For added decadence, the dish comes with a honey maple dipping sauce.

Carl's tested its Hand-Scooped Strawberry Pop-Tart Ice Cream Sandwich in April at 20 Orange County, Calif., locations, and, more than anything else, buzz in the blogosphere in the spring persuaded the 1,100-store chain to roll them out to all locations, Puzder says.

"We didn't even plan on doing it this year," he says. In fact, he says, Carl's wasn't even sure that Kellogg's could supply enough Pop-Tarts to meet demand. But after the internet buzz took off, he says, "We had no choice."

Talk about the power of the social media. "This is the first time I can remember where the blogosophere advanced our decision to roll out a product."