What's better than a single bacon cheeseburger? How about a cheeseburger with three different kinds of bacon?

WASHINGTON — What’s better than a single bacon cheeseburger? How about a cheeseburger with three different kinds of bacon?

Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. restaurants just put the Bacon 3-Way Thickburger on the menu.

It’s a one-third pound, charbroiled Black Angus burger with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and three different kinds of bacon. Two of them are traditional — thick-cut Applewood-smoked bacon and crumbled bacon — and the third bacon is bacon jam: bacon pieces with balsamic vinegar, caramelized onions and molasses.

“The real star is the bacon jam. It’s a little sweet, a little savory and a lot bacon-y,” said chief marketing officer Brad Haley.

Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, both owned by CKE Restaurants, are following the bacon jam trend.

According to market intelligence agency Mintel, bacon jam saw a compound annual growth rate of 50 percent on U.S. menus between 2013 and 2016.

The Bacon 3-Way Thickburger is $5.49. With fries and a drink, the combo is $6.99.

The Bacon 3-Way combo is also available on single patty and double patty burgers.