Carl's Jr.: History, Key Facts and Reviews

1941-1955: Carl Karcher’s hot dog cart and Anaheim drive-in

Carl’s Jr. started with a single hot dog cart in Los Angeles. In 1941, Carl Karcher and his wife Margaret borrowed $311 against their Plymouth and added $15 of savings to buy a cart at the corner of Florence and Central avenues (Wikipedia). On July 17, 1945, they opened Carl’s Drive-In Barbecue at 1108 North Palm Street in Anaheim, California, a full-size restaurant serving hamburgers.

1956-1996: Carl’s Jr. grows across California and into Mexico

The Carl’s Jr. name dates from 1956, when the Karchers opened two smaller versions of their drive-in in Anaheim and Brea. The company was incorporated as Carl Karcher Enterprises, the CKE of today, in 1966. By 1975 it had more than 100 restaurants in Southern California, and in 1979 it opened its first one outside the state, in Las Vegas (Carl’s Jr.). It went public in 1981 with 300 restaurants and began franchising in 1984. The first restaurant abroad opened in 1991 in San Pedro Garza García, near Monterrey, Mexico (Milenio).

1997-2017: Hardee’s, the Six Dollar Burger and private equity

CKE doubled in size when it bought Hardee’s for $327 million in 1997, adding about 2,500 restaurants, mostly in the South and Midwest. In 2001 Carl’s Jr. launched the Six Dollar Burger, and in May 2005 a TV ad starring Paris Hilton for the Spicy BBQ Six Dollar Burger drew national attention. Carl Karcher died on January 11, 2008, at 90. Apollo Global Management bought CKE in 2010, then Roark Capital Group acquired it on November 20, 2013, for $1.65 to $1.75 billion. Our Carl’s Jr. Famous Star copycat recipe recreates its classic single burger.

2018-2026: Franklin, Tennessee, and growth abroad

Today Carl’s Jr. is run from Franklin, Tennessee, where CKE’s head office has been based since 2018. In January 2019 it rolled out a Beyond Meat burger across the US, which the company presents as a first for a fast-food chain. The US network is shrinking, to 992 restaurants and $1.43 billion in sales in 2025 (QSR 50). Growth comes from abroad. The chain opened its 400th restaurant in Mexico, in Tampico, in December 2024 (PR Newswire), and its first in the United Kingdom, in Cardiff, in April 2025. In October 2026, CKE gave Carl’s Jr. its own president, Iwona Alter, and counted it in 24 countries. Our guide to Carl’s Jr. in Cancún shows the Mexican side of the brand.

Key dates

• 1941: Carl and Margaret Karcher buy a hot dog cart in Los Angeles.
• 1945: Carl’s Drive-In Barbecue opens in Anaheim on July 17.
• 1956: the first two Carl’s Jr. restaurants open in Anaheim and Brea.
• 1991: first restaurant outside the US, in San Pedro Garza García, Mexico.
• 1997: CKE buys Hardee’s for $327 million.
• 2013: Roark Capital Group acquires CKE.
• 2018: CKE moves its headquarters to Franklin, Tennessee.
• 2024: the 400th Mexican restaurant opens in Tampico.