( CNN ) -- When it comes to fast food , the big chains ca n't help going over the top . April brought consumers the Double Down heard around the world -- a bunless bomb o ' meat from KFC touting the slogan `` It 's real . '' Bloggers taste-tested it , The New York Times 's restaurant critic reviewed it , it was a top trending topic Twitter alongside the likes of Justin Bieber - and after two weeks , did the company 's Double Down wager pay off ? The stakes are high indeed , especially after KFC 's sales fell 5.8 percent in 2009 , according to food industry research firm , Technomic . `` Unfortunately , we are not able to provide sales information , '' KFC 's Public Relations Manager , Rick Maynard , told CNN . Those numbers only become available from Yum ! Brands , the chain 's parent company that also owns Taco Bell and Pizza Hut , during its quarterly reporting . `` It [ the Double Down ] continues to generate a tremendous amount of online buzz , from videotaped taste tests on YouTube to real-time , in-store reviews via Twitter . If social media is an indication , the Double Down is developing quite a cult following . '' Maynard said . But does the adage `` any publicity is good publicity '' hold true ? `` Stunt food has been a part of restaurant life probably since the first time a chef put a napkin over a customer 's head in order to serve him a whole , rare , roasted ortolan , '' ( a legendarily decadent meal of a fatty bird , bones and all ) wrote Sam Sifton , The New York Times restaurant critic . If the past is any indicator , the Evil Knievels of the fast food realm have worked . Though their calorie count is a lot more Evil than Knievel . St. Louis-based Hardee 's Food Systems Inc. rolled out its now-infamous Monster Thickburger in 2004 . The self-proclaimed `` monument to decadence '' features two 1/3 pound Angus beef patties , four bacon strips , three slices of American cheese , and mayonnaise on a buttered sesame seed bun - and clocks in at approximately 1,420 calories and 107 grams of fat . For Hardee 's , the sales for the fast food chain have risen steadily since it found its niche in behemoth burgers . The Monster Thickburger produced an 8 percent growth in sales during its first year alone . `` And I have to give KFC credit for doing something to get rid of all that grilled chicken , '' said Jenna Petroff , public relations and social media manager of Hardee 's Food Systems . `` Oh , and we 've been doing that non-bread-as-a-carrier-thing since 2003 with the Low Carb Thickburger and Low Carb Six Dollar Burger . '' Lettuce replaces the bun in these creations . In 2005 , Burger King went against the fast food industry trend of offering more healthy choices by introducing the Enormous Omelet Sandwich -- two eggs , two slices of cheese and three slices of bacon and sausage on a large bun . The 760-calorie no-utensils-required meal helped increase Burger King 's breakfast sales by 20 percent . The sandwich has since been discontinued in United States stores . Though these successes contain one thing the Double Down is fairly modest in : calorie count . The Double Down weighs in at 540 calories , 32 grams of fat , and 1,380 milligrams of sodium . While that 's still well over half the average adult 's recommended recommended daily allowance of sodium and nearly half a day 's fat intake , it 's practically a novelty compared to other chains ' dietary assaults . According to Advertising Age , this type of product could muddy KFC 's image after the chain heavily promoted the ostensibly healthful release of its grilled chicken in 2009 and most recently , its `` Buckets for the Cure '' affiliation with cancer-fighting charity powerhouse , the Susan G. Komen Foundation . `` The series of stunts drove buzz and the introduction of grilled chicken spiked short-term sales , the moves also contributed to a lack of consistent brand positioning and a distraction from KFC 's flagship product -- both of which have hurt the chain , '' said Emily Bryson York . Despite the buzz , the Double Down is still planned for a limited time only release -- through May 23 .
KFC launched its a bunless bomb o ' meat -- but did Double Down boost sales ? Advertising Age : KFC stunts contributed to a lack of consistent brand positioning . But Hardees got a boost in sales from its Monster Thickburger . In 2005 , Burger King got a boost from its Enormous Omelet Sandwich .