Carl's Jr.

Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC is an American fast food restaurant chain operated by CKE Restaurant Holdings, Inc.
==History==
In 1941, Carl Karcher, who was a truck driver, and his wife Margaret Karcher, borrowed $311 on their Plymouth automobile and added $15 in savings to purchase a hot dog cart on the corner of Florence and Central in Los Angeles. From their newly purchased cart, they sold hot dogs, chili dogs, and tamales for a dime, and soda for a nickel. https://www.americanantiquarian.org/proceedings/44525121.pdf Within a few years, Carl and Margaret owned and operated four hot dog stands in Los Angeles. In 1945, the Karchers moved the short distance to Anaheim, California, and opened their first full-service restaurant, Carl's Drive-In Barbecue at 1108 N. Palm St. http://www.anaheimcolonists.com/carls-drive-in-a-popular-hang-out-for-anaheim-high-students/ In 1946, hamburgers were added to the menu for the first time. 
In 1956, Karcher opened the first two Carl's Jr. restaurants – so named because they were a smaller version of Carl's Drive-In Barbecue restaurant – in Anaheim and Brea. http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-karcher12jan12-story.html The first local Carl's Jr. was built in 1956 on the former Janss Street next to St. Boniface Catholic Church about half a block away from Anaheim High School. 
By the end of the 1950s, there were four Carl's Jr. restaurants in Orange County, California. The restaurants also had a new supervisor, Donald F. Karcher, Carl's younger brother, who would later become the company's president. 
By the 1960s, Carl was operating 24 restaurants in Southern California. The company incorporated in 1966 as Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc., and launched a major expansion of the chain in 1968. The menus were limited for faster service, featuring charbroiled hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, and malts. https://web.archive.org/web/20040904181146/http://www.ckr.com/about_history.html 
Carl's Jr. chains had struggled to gain success in Arizona and Texas, perhaps diminishing hopes of expansion to other states, though later states like Nevada, Oregon, and Washington proved successful. During the 1990s, Karcher and the board of directors began clashing, often publicly, over marketing and business practices, including the chain's attempt at dual branding with such chains as The Green Burrito and its new advertising campaigns. Karcher was removed as chairman of the company by its board of directors on October 1, 1993. http://articles.latimes.com/1993-10-02/news/mn-41277_1_carl-karcher-enterprises Soon after, the board of directors took a new approach by cutting the menu, lowering prices, and introducing a new marketing campaign which targeted younger urban and suburban males. 
Following Don Karcher's death in 1992, a new management team was installed in 1994, headed by CEO William P. Foley II and President and Chief Operating Officer Tom Thompson. Carl Karcher Enterprises became a wholly owned subsidiary of CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. 
In 1997, CKE Restaurants acquired Hardee's, a restaurant chain with 2500 locations in the Midwest, South, and East Coast regions. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/71756/9-facts-you-might-not-know-about-carls-jr 
On January 11, 2008, Carl Karcher, the founder of hamburger chain Carl's Jr., died at the age of 90. A spokeswoman for CKE Restaurants said Karcher suffered from Parkinson's disease and was being treated for Parkinson's-related pneumonia when he died at St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, California. Many Carl's Jr. restaurants flew their flags at half-staff in memory of Karcher. 
In September 2017, CKE decided to re-brand its Poughkeepsie, New York, and Middletown, New York, Hardee's locations into Carl's Jr. in order to focus on lunch and dinner options for a Northeastern United States consumer base, however both those stores have closed. https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/entertainment/dining/2017/08/21/carls-jr-hardees-poughkeepsie/587786001/ 
Although, since 1997 both Hardee's and Carl's Jr operated essentially as one brand, 2018 saw CKE Restaurants announced plans to try to separate their identities. Part of the effort involved remodeling several Hardee's restaurants as well as giving both brands distinct ad campaigns. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/06/19/hardees-carls-jr-split-fast-food-shakeup/715586002/ Although both chains at the time of the split shared the same menu CKE noted that they would slowly change over time although with "some overlap." https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/marketing/carls-jr-hardees-two-are-better-one 
==Controversy==
===Insider Trading===
In 1988, Karcher and his family were accused of insider trading by the Securities and Exchange Commission. They had sold large quantities of stock before the price dropped. Karcher agreed to a settlement with the SEC and paid more than half a million dollars in fines. Schlosser, Eric (2001). Fast Food Nation. HarperCollins. 
==Channel==
Carl's Jr. Youtube channel was created on March 28th, 2006. They upload commercials about their new products.
==Notes==
==References==
Category:American YouTubers
Category:Users who joined in 2006
Category:Cooking YouTubers