View source for CKE Restaurants

{{short description|American restaurant company}}
{{Redirect|CKE}}
{{Infobox company
| name = CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.
| logo = CKE Restaurants logo.png
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| founder = [[Carl Karcher]]
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1956}} in [[Anaheim, California]], US
| location_city = [[Franklin, Tennessee]]
| location_country = US
| key_people = Joe Guith ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]])
| industry = [[Restaurant]]s
| revenue = {{increase}} [[United States dollar|US$]]1.280 billion (2012)
| operating_income = {{increase}} US$68.897 million (2012)
| net_income = {{increase}} US$-6.261 million (2012)
| assets = {{decrease}} US$1.480 billion (2012)
| equity = {{decrease}} US$414.7 million (2012)
| owner = 
| num_employees = 20,200 (Jan 2012)
| parent = [[Roark Capital]]
| subsid = {{ubl|[[Carl's Jr.]]|[[Hardee's]]|Green Burrito|Red Burrito}}
| homepage = {{URL|https://ckr.com}}
| footnotes = <ref name="CKE-Restaurants-Apr-2012-10-K">{{cite web |url=http://pdf.secdatabase.com/1771/0001193125-12-159019.pdf |title=CKE Restaurants, Form 10-K, Annual Report, Filing Date April 11, 2012 |publisher=secdatabase.com |access-date=March 26, 2013}}</ref><ref name="2020 fact sheet" /><ref name="LA Biz 2018" />
}}
'''CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.''' (an acronym for '''Carl Karcher Enterprises''') is an American [[fast food]] corporation and is the parent organization for the [[Carl's Jr.]], [[Hardee's]], Green Burrito, and Red Burrito brands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/377/129993313000526/filing-main.htm |title=CKE RESTAURANTS INC Form 8-K Current Report Filed 2013-03-18 |publisher=Edgar.secdatabase.com |access-date=2017-02-15}}</ref><ref name="CKE-Restaurants-Dec-2012-10-Q">{{cite web|url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/175/91962812000011/filing-main.htm|title=CKE Restaurants, Form 10-Q, Quarterly Report, Filing Date December 12, 2012|publisher=secdatabase.com|access-date=March 26, 2013}}</ref> CKE Restaurants is headquartered in [[Franklin, Tennessee]].<ref name="2016 move">{{cite web|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/real-estate/2016/03/05/hardees-parent-moving-hq-nashville-area/81366088/|title=Hardee's parent moving HQ to Nashville area|work=[[The Tennessean]]|access-date=2020-10-17}}</ref>

In October 2020, CKE Restaurants operated or [[Franchising|franchised]] to locations in 44 US states and 43 foreign countries and [[US territories]].<ref name="2020 fact sheet">{{Cite web |title=Fact Sheet |url=https://www.carlsjr.com/fact-sheet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017215917/https://www.carlsjr.com/fact-sheet |archive-date=2020-10-17 |access-date=2020-10-17 |website=Carl's Jr. |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://investor.ckr.com/press-release/cke-restaurants-holdings-inc-opens-700th-international-restaurant|title=CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. Opens 700th International Restaurant {{!}} CKE Restaurants Investor Center|website=investor.ckr.com|access-date=2020-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223192904/http://investor.ckr.com/press-release/cke-restaurants-holdings-inc-opens-700th-international-restaurant|archive-date=2016-12-23|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== History ==

=== 1940s ===

In 1941, Carl's Jr. founder, [[Carl Karcher]], entered the fast food market by purchasing a [[hot dog cart]] in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]].<ref name="2020 fact sheet" /><ref name="Anaheim office">{{Cite web |last=Luna |first=Nancy |date=2017-01-19 |title=Bye, bye Carl's Jr.: Parent company CKE moving California HQ to Nashville |url=https://www.ocregister.com/articles/company-707286-offices-anaheim.html |access-date=2020-10-17 |website=Orange County Register |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== 1950s ===

In 1956, Karcher opened the first Carl's Jr. restaurants in [[Anaheim]] and [[Brea, California]].<ref name="LA Biz 2018">{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=I-Chun |date=2018-11-20 |title=Carl's Jr. parent CKE closing shop in Anaheim |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2018/11/20/carl-s-jr-parent-cke-closing-shop-in-anaheim.html |access-date=2020-10-17 |website=L.A. Biz |publisher=[[The Business Journals]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Malnic |first=Eric |date=2008-01-12 |title=Carl Karcher, 90; entrepreneur turned hot dog stand into a fast-food empire |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-karcher12jan12-story.html |access-date=2020-10-17 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== 1990s ===

In 1996, CKE acquired Rally's and [[Taco Bueno]]. The plan was to rebranded Rally's into the Carl's Jr. imaging, though they later determined later in the year that Rally's was not suitable.

In 1997, CKE acquired Hardee's from Canadian-based company [[Imasco]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/2319/89256997001235/filing-main.htm|title=CKE RESTAURANTS INC (Form Type: 8-K, Filing Date: 05/05/1997)|website=edgar.secdatabase.com|access-date=2016-04-05}}</ref> By 1998, CKE rebranded Hardee's into the Carl's Jr. imaging including the Happy Star logo and parts of its lunch menu but kept the Hardee's name and left the breakfast menu intact. 

Rally's was later sold to Checkers in 1999. [[Checkers and Rally's]] then followed a similar regionalization concept as CKE has for its Carl's Jr. and Hardee's chains. Taco Bueno was sold in 2001 when private investment group Jacobson Partners purchased the chain for US$72.5 million dollars to help aid CKE Restaurants in a debt battle.<ref>{{cite news|title=CKE WILL SELL ITS TACO BUENO UNIT FOR $72.5 MILLION|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/15/business/company-news-cke-will-sell-its-taco-bueno-unit-for-72.5-million.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=29 May 2011|date=15 March 2001}}</ref>

=== 2000s ===

In September 2000, [[Andrew Puzder]] was named CEO.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Melanie |first1=Trottman |last2=Jargon |first2=Julie |last3=Bender |first3=Michael C. |date=2016-12-08 |title=Trump Picks Fast-Food Executive Andy Puzder as Nominee for Labor Secretary |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-expected-to-name-fast-food-executive-andy-puzder-as-labor-secretary-1481210445 |access-date=2020-10-18 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Prior to becoming the CEO, Puzder had been the personal attorney to the founder Karcher since 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramirez |first=Jaclyn |date=2020-01-16 |title=Andy Puzder, Former CEO of CKE Restaurants, Named Senior Fellow at Pepperdine School of Public Policy |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200116005823/en/Andy-Puzder-Former-CEO-of-CKE-Restaurants-Named-Senior-Fellow-at-Pepperdine-School-of-Public-Policy |access-date=2020-10-18 |website=[[Business Wire]] |language=en}}</ref>

In March 2002, CKE purchased [[Santa Barbara Restaurant Group]] (SBRG) and acquired direct ownership of the [[Green Burrito]] brand as part of the sale.

=== 2010s ===

On February 26, 2010, [[THL Partners]] agreed to acquire CKE Restaurants.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/2685/129993310000835/filing-main.htm|title=CKE RESTAURANTS INC (Form Type: 8-K, Filing Date: 02/26/2010)|website=edgar.secdatabase.com|access-date=2016-04-05}}</ref>  However, CKE Restaurants was, instead, acquired by Columbia Lake Acquisition Holdings, an affiliate of Apollo Management VII in July 2010, after CKE accepted a $693.9 million takeover offer from [[Apollo Global Management]], ending the earlier takeover agreement with THL Partners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/509/129993310001658/filing-main.htm|title=UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION}}</ref>

On November 20, 2013, [[Roark Capital Group]] acquired a piece of CKE from Apollo Global Management for $1.65–$1.75 billion.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cke-roark-idUSBRE9AJ01O20131120|title=Roark Capital to buy CKE Restaurants from Apollo|date=2013-11-20|newspaper=Reuters|access-date=2016-04-05}}</ref>

On March 4, 2016, CKE Restaurants Holdings announced that they would be consolidating their corporate offices in [[St. Louis, Missouri]], and [[Carpinteria, California]], and moving them to [[Franklin, Tennessee]].<ref name="2016 move" /><ref name="Anaheim office" /> CKE's Anaheim, California, office remained open until it was consolidated with the Franklin headquarters in 2018, with most of the Anaheim office's jobs outsourced to India and the Philippines.<ref name="LA Biz 2018" />

In December 2016 Andrew Puzder was nominated by President-elect [[Donald Trump]] as [[US Secretary of Labor]] and resigned from CKE Restaurants as CEO in March 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cao |first=Rachel |date=2017-03-21 |title=Former secretary of Labor pick Andy Puzder resigns as CEO of CKE Restaurants |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/21/former-secretary-of-labor-pick-andy-puzder-resigns-as-ceo-of-cke-restaurants.html |access-date=2020-10-17 |website=[[CNBC]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Everett |first1=Burgess |last2=Palmeri |first2=Tara |last3=Levine |first3=Marianne |date=2017-02-15 |title=Labor nominee Puzder withdraws |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/senate-republicans-tell-white-house-to-withdraw-puzder-nomination-235062 |access-date=2020-10-17 |website=[[Politico]] |language=en}}</ref> Puzder ultimately withdrew from the nomination after his own admission of hiring an undocumented immigrant, failing to pay taxes and controversy from his companies' labor violations became public during the confirmation process.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Noguchi |first=Yuki |date=2017-02-15 |title=Trump Labor Nominee Andrew Puzder Withdraws, First Cabinet Pick To Fall |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/02/15/515425370/trump-labor-pick-andrew-puzders-nomination-appears-in-jeopardy |access-date=2020-10-17 |website=[[NPR]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="TCF labor violations">{{Cite web |last1=McCormack |first1=Michael |last2=Glenn-Gregg |first2=Simon |date=2017-01-12 |title=Mapping Andy Puzder's Labor Violations |url=https://tcf.org/content/facts/mapping-andy-puzders-labor-violations/ |access-date=2020-10-18 |website=[[The Century Foundation]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Robaton |first=Anna |date=2017-01-27 |title=Labor Secretary nominee's company underpays workers, group says |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/andrew-puzder-trump-labor-secretary-wages/ |access-date=2020-10-18 |website=[[CBS News]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="NELP labor violations">{{Cite web |last=Nass |first=Rachel |date=2017-01-12 |title=Carl's Jr. Workers Detail Mistreatment at Puzder's Restaurants |url=https://www.nelp.org/blog/carls-jr-workers-highlight-mistreatment-at-puzders-restaurants/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200503030251/https://www.nelp.org/blog/carls-jr-workers-highlight-mistreatment-at-puzders-restaurants/ |archive-date=2020-05-03 |access-date=2020-10-18 |website=National Employment Law Project}}</ref>

On March 21, 2017, CKE announced the selection of Jason Marker as CEO for the company, succeeding Andrew Puzder. Marker, a [[New Zealand]] native, had previously served as the president of [[Kentucky Fried Chicken|Kentucky Fried Chicken US]], a subsidiary of [[Yum! Brands]] which is a direct competitor to CKE Restaurants. In June 2018, Marker was the subject of an age discrimination suit by a 58-year-old CKE marketing employee who was terminated in 2017 after 16 years of employment and had relocated with the company to Tennessee.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elliott |first=Stephen |title=New Hardee's, Carl's Jr. CEO accused of age discrimination |url=https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/legal/article/21011328/new-hardees-carls-jr-ceo-accused-of-age-discrimination |access-date=2020-10-17 |website=[[Nashville Post]] |date=28 June 2018 |language=en}}</ref> The suit alleged Marker "began to publicly and privately display his shock and disgust with the fact that the CKE executive and management team consisted primarily of employees over the age of 50.", with Marker reportedly saying it was "depressing" and "something had to be done" about it. The suit also listed four top officials in the company over 50 who had been replaced by younger employees.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Snyder |first=Eric |date=2018-06-29 |title=New Hardee's CEO accused of age discrimination |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2018/06/29/new-hardee-s-ceo-accused-of-age-discrimination.html |access-date=2020-10-17 |website=[[The Business Journals]]}}</ref>

On April 12, 2019, Ned Lyerly was named CEO and appointed to CKE's board of directors. Lyerly had worked with CKE for over 30 years at the time of his appointment and was previously the president of CKE's international operations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maze |first=Jonathan |date=2019-04-12 |title=Ned Lyerly named CEO of Hardee's, Carl's Jr. owner CKE Restaurants |url=https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/leadership/ned-lyerly-named-ceo-hardees-carls-jr-owner-cke-restaurants |access-date=2020-10-17 |website=Restaurant Business |language=en}}</ref>

=== 2020s ===

On March 17, 2023, CKE announced the appointment of Max Wetzel as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.{{cn|date=February 2025}}  Wetzel was previously Chief Operating Officer of Papa John's International, Inc., one of the largest franchisors of restaurants in the world, with over 5,000 restaurants across 48 countries and territories.

=== Fundraising ===

CKE conducts an annual Stars for Heroes in-store fundraising campaign by soliciting donations from customers at both Hardee's and Carl's Jr. restaurants to benefit US military [[veteran]]s and their families. Since the program's launch in 2011, Stars for Heroes raised nearly US$5 million by 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://investor.ckr.com/press-release/carls-jr/carls-jr-and-hardees-raise-14-million-us-military-charities|title=Carl's Jr. and Hardee's Raise $1.4 Million for U.S. Military Charities {{!}} CKE Restaurants Investor Center|website=investor.ckr.com|access-date=2020-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425085137/http://investor.ckr.com/press-release/carls-jr/carls-jr-and-hardees-raise-14-million-us-military-charities|archive-date=2016-04-25|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== International ==
{{As of|2020|10}}, there were over 3,800 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 44 US states and 43 foreign countries and US territories.<ref name="2020 fact sheet" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carlsjr.com/locations|title=Carl's Jr.|website=www.carlsjr.com|access-date=2016-04-05}}</ref>

== Criticisms and controversies ==
=== Hypersexualized ads ===
The 2005 launch of a commercial of [[Paris Hilton]] sensually washing a Bentley in a bikini, marked the start of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's supermodel-centric marketing strategy. Since then Carl's Jr. ads have featured a number of female celebrities including [[Heidi Klum]], [[Kim Kardashian]], [[Kate Upton]], and [[Katherine Webb]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 1, 2015 |title=Carl's Jr. debuts sexist Super Bowl 2015 commercial |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2015/02/01/carls-jrdebuts-sexist-super-bowl-2015-commercial/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 25, 2011 |title=Slutburgers Gone Wild! Carl's Jr. Ads Through The Years |url=https://www.eater.com/2011/4/25/6684911/slutburgers-gone-wild-carls-jr-ads-through-the-years#4294698}}</ref>
A study found that 52 percent of viewers surveyed found a Carl's Jr. commercial starring bombshell Charlotte McKinney offensive.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SEX DOESN'T SELL, ESPECIALLY FOR CARL'S JR., SAYS COPY-TESTING FIRM |url=https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/sex-sell-carl-s-jr-ameritest/297568 |website=Ad Age}}</ref> Carl's Jr. is led by parent company CKE Restaurants Holdings, and from 2000 to 2017, CKE was run by [[Andrew Puzder|Andrew F. Pudzer]], who was a very vocal advocate of the racy ads.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The CEO of Carl's Jr. Doesn't Care If You're Offended by the Chain's Sexy Ads |url=https://www.franchise500.com/article/246487 |website=Franchise 500 by Entrepreneur}}</ref>

By the end of 2019, the company decided to change their advertising direction after partnering up with [[72andSunny]] advertising agency.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CARL'S JR. AND HARDEE'S BRING BACK 72ANDSUNNY AS CREATIVE AGENCY |url=https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/carls-jr-and-hardees-bring-back-72andsunny-creative-agency/2214716 |website=Ad Age}}</ref> "Our plan moving forward is really about how to keep food at the center of what we're doing," said Chad Crawford, CKE's chief brands officer.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Carl's Jr.'s Marketing Plan: Pitch Burgers, Not Sex |work=The New York Times |date=13 November 2019 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/13/business/media/new-carls-jr-ads.html |last1=Hsu |first1=Tiffany }}</ref>

=== Animal Welfare Policies ===
In September 2007, after more than a year of discussions with [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]], CKE Restaurants announced a new animal welfare program that would phase in cage-free eggs, and began sourcing pork from suppliers that did not use [[gestation crate]]s for pregnant pigs. The plan also gave consideration to poultry suppliers that were willing to use controlled-atmosphere killing, which was the most humane form of slaughter available.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hardee's, Carl's Jr. and PETA reach deal |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna20990492 |website=NBC News|date=26 September 2007 }}</ref>

In July 2016 CKE Restaurants announced that it would work to ensure that its pork supply is purchased from suppliers who use group housing methods for pigs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CKE to End Gestation Crate Pig Confinement |url=https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/cke-end-gestation-crate-pig-confinement |website=QSR|date=6 July 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hardee's, Carl's Jr. commit to group sow housing |url=https://www.wattagnet.com/articles/25777-hardees-carls-jr-commit-to-group-sow-housing |website=Watt Poultry|date=31 January 2016 }}</ref> CKE also promised to switch to 100% cage-free eggs by 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Animal Welfare Statement |url=https://www.ckr.com/animal-welfare#:~:text=%2D%20We%20have%20committed%20to%20transitioning,our%20restaurants%20globally%20by%202025. |website=CKR}}</ref>

In December 2018 the chain became the first fast-food restaurant to serve [[Beyond Meat]] for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.{{cn|date=February 2025}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/11/business/11yum.html?ex=1278734400&en=8e1cf4ac612f5271&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Diners Walk Through One Door and Visit Two Restaurants]—Article in ''[[The New York Times]]'' on the strategy of multi-branding restaurants

==External links==
* [http://www.ckr.com/ CKE Restaurants corporate website]
{{Finance links historical
| name = CKE Restaurants
| sec_cik = 0000919628
}}

{{CKE Restaurants}}
{{Nashville companies}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:CKE Restaurants| ]]
[[Category:Restaurant chains in the United States]]
[[Category:Restaurants established in 1956]]
[[Category:Companies based in Franklin, Tennessee]]
[[Category:1956 establishments in California]]
[[Category:2010 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:2013 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:Private equity portfolio companies]]
[[Category:Companies formerly listed on the New York Stock Exchange]]