Franchise of The Day: This Savory Restaurant's Best Known for Its Midwestern Comfort Food Its options range from biscuits, burgers and chicken.

By Lindsay Friedman Mar 24, 2016

Share

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Founded in 1960, Hardee's was opened by Wilber Hardee in Greenville, N.C. In just five months, he had his first franchisee.

The company was acquired by another entity -- California-based CKE Restaurants Inc., franchisor of Carl's Jr. Restaurants -- in 1997.

The fast-acting business man, along with his roots and acquisition played a big part in why Hardee's is ranked as No. 12 in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list.

Lindsay Friedman

Staff writer. Frequently covers franchise news and food trends.

Lindsay Friedman is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

This Self-Made Millionaire Who Lived in a Trailer Park Before Starting a Business at 19 Reveals Her 'Superpower' — and 1 Quality That Sets Successful People Apart
The 15 Best Entrepreneur Conferences to Attend in 2025
Treasury Department Will Not Enforce BOI Requirements for U.S. Small Businesses. Here's What to Know.
This Lazy Approach to Your Career Could Help You Make More Money in 60 Days
5 Essential Takeaways From the 2025 International Franchise Association Convention
These Friends Launched Their College Side Hustle in Just 1 Hour — Then It Hit 6 Figures a Month: 'It Was a No-Brainer'

Most Popular

Business News

A Defense Startup With Billions in Contracts Launched a Recruiting Campaign Warning People Not to Work There

Anduril Industries is going viral for its "don't work at Anduril" recruiting campaign.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Side Hustle

These Are the 10 Highest-Paying 'Little-to-No-Experience-Required' Side Hustles Right Now

Want to start a side hustle? It pays to be strategic.

By Amanda Breen

Business News

AI Agents Can Help Businesses Be '10 Times More Productive,' According to a Nvidia VP. Here's What They Are and How Much They Cost.

In a new interview with Entrepreneur, Nvidia's Vice President of AI Software, Kari Briski, explains how AI agents will "transform" the way we work — and sooner than you think.

By Sherin Shibu

Business News

'We're Not Effective': Starbucks CEO Tells Corporate Employees to 'Own Whether or Not This Place Grows'

After layoffs, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said in an internal meeting that the company's operations had to change.

By Sherin Shibu

Thought Leaders

The Death of the Creative Agency – and What's Rising in Its Place

The traditional creative agency is collapsing. Those who embrace change, grieve the loss and adapt will find themselves not just surviving but thriving in a world that moves faster than ever.