USA Food Menu

Who Owns Carl’s Jr.?

CKE Restaurants, the company Carl Karcher founded, which also owns Hardee’s. CKE has been owned by Roark Capital since 2013.

1941 first hot dog cartCKE parent companyRoark owner since 2013Anaheim California roots

By Jahanzaib · · 2 min read

Short answer: Carl’s Jr. is owned by CKE Restaurants, the company started by founder Carl Karcher. CKE also owns Hardee’s, and since 2013 it has been owned by the private equity firm Roark Capital, which bought it from Apollo Global Management.

From hot dog cart to CKE

Carl Karcher and his wife Margaret bought a hot dog cart in Los Angeles in 1941. They opened Carl’s Drive-In Barbecue in Anaheim in 1945, and the first Carl’s Jr. restaurants opened in 1956.

Year What happened
1941 Carl and Margaret Karcher start with a hot dog cart in Los Angeles
1956 First Carl’s Jr. restaurants open in Anaheim and Brea
1997 CKE Restaurants buys Hardee’s
2010 Apollo Global Management takes CKE private
2013 Roark Capital buys CKE Restaurants

Is Carl Karcher’s family still involved?

No. Carl Karcher stepped back from running the company long before it was sold and died in 2008. CKE is now run by professional managers under Roark Capital, and most restaurants are franchised.

See the menu

Burger and combo prices are on the Carl’s Jr. menu.

Related Questions

Who founded Carl’s Jr.?

Carl Karcher, with his wife Margaret, starting with a hot dog cart in Los Angeles in 1941.

Who owns Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s?

CKE Restaurants, which is owned by Roark Capital.

Is Carl’s Jr. publicly traded?

No. CKE Restaurants is privately owned.

When did Roark Capital buy Carl’s Jr.?

In 2013, when it bought parent company CKE Restaurants.

Is Carl’s Jr. a franchise?

Yes. Most Carl’s Jr. restaurants are run by franchise owners.

What does CKE stand for?

Carl Karcher Enterprises.

More on Carl’s Jr.

Carl’s Jr. menuHardee’s menuJack in the Box menuAll Menus

About this guide. USA Food Menu is an independent reference site and is not affiliated with Carl’s Jr. or CKE Restaurants. Details come from public sources and were checked in October 2026. See current prices on the Carl’s Jr. menu.

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