CKE Restaurants, Inc.

Welcome to the Year of Goodness! Today, Hardee’s and multiplatinum artist Thomas Rhett announced a new partnership, celebrating shared values and interests like giving back to our community, family, first responders, and of course, college football. As part of the partnership, Thomas Rhett recently stopped by the restaurant to spend time with teams, thank them for their hard work and even try a hand at baking our famous Made-from-Scratch Biscuits himself. There’s much more goodness where that came from, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

Yesterday, Carl's Jr. corporate, restaurant and franchise teams came together to provide meals for first responders at the California Highway Patrol's LA command center. In addition to statewide personnel, the center is currently housing 1,800 members of the U.S. National Guard, who were thankful for a quick bite to eat as they re-upped on supplies and headed back out to fight fires and support impacted communities. Thank you to everyone who is serving, in the unique way they can, during this difficult time. It means the world to our teams on the ground.

Happy New Year from CKE Restaurants and iconic global restaurants brands Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s! This year at Carl’s Jr., we leaned into our craveable flavors and bold, audacious brand personality with new advertising and creative campaigns, new core menu items like the cult favorite El Diablo burger and celebrity influencer partnerships. At Hardee’s, we embraced our brand anthem of “Goodness in the Making,” our commitment to quality ingredients, value and abundance, exceptional guest experiences and pride in the communities we call home. Across both brands, we’re thankful to have amazing guests, teams and partners. We’re looking forward to an even better 2025, and can't wait to see you in our restaurants very soon.

There are few things in life that evoke the warmth and nostalgia of the holidays like the scent of a freshly baked Hardee’s Cinnamon ‘N’ Raisin Biscuit. To celebrate its much-anticipated return, we treated some of the biscuits' most passionate fans to a special surprise: a limited-edition candle capturing that delicious aroma. Launched exclusively on Hardee’s Instagram, the 100 candles disappeared in under an hour, snapped up by our fastest-thumbed followers. It’s a testament to the love for this seasonal favorite and the goodness it brings along with it. Here’s to celebrating the little moments that make the holidays special!

In 1941, Carl N. and Margaret Karcher borrowed $311 against their automobile, and Margaret added another $15 from her purse, to purchase a hot dog cart. Today, the Carl's Jr. brand operates more than 1,000 restaurants across the U.S. and has a presence in 24 countries worldwide. For his visionary entrepreneurship and leadership, Carl N. Karcher was posthumously inducted into the Orange County Hall of Fame this week, with family, friends and longtime team members in attendance for the ceremony. Of the honor, son Carl Leo Karcher said, "I thank the Orange County Supervisors for inducting my dad into the Hall of Fame. He was a great leader for his family, employees and franchisees, and we miss him dearly.”

Exciting news from Tampico, Mexico this week, where Carl’s Jr. celebrated its 400th restaurant opening in the country! For more than 30 years, our international team has been dedicated to bringing the craveable flavors Carl’s Jr. is known for around the world to Mexico, and this is just the beginning. A big shoutout to our amazing Mexico operations team, led by Julio Luis S., our dedicated franchise partners, and of course, our loyal guests – this milestone wouldn’t be possible without you. Here’s to the delicious moments ahead. 🎉🍔

Nothing says goodness quite like scratch-made biscuits, friendly football rivalries and giving back to those in need. In that spirit, Hardee's has announced it’s teaming up with Atlanta-based nonprofit Caring For Others to serve those just beginning to recover from recent hurricanes. On November 16, our teams will come together for a tailgate-style fundraiser for hurricane relief at Hardee’s just outside of Athens, Ga. alongside multi-platinum entertainer Thomas Rhett who is known for his philanthropic efforts across the southeast, and for being a long-time University of Georgia football fan. For those local to the event, we encourage you to come out and share in some food, fun and community as we work to support those who need us most in this moment. Learn more about our partnership and the event here: https://lnkd.in/gSFyp3aG.

From our restaurants around the world, to our restaurant support center in Franklin, Tenn, CKE is proud to work alongside veterans and support veterans causes year round. Thank you to everyone who's served this Veterans Day, from our family to yours.

Earlier this month, Hardee’s corporate and franchise leaders gathered for the 2024 Independent Hardee’s Franchise Association conference in Las Vegas. The annual event provides an opportunity to learn, grow and celebrate team and individual successes and plan for an even stronger 2025. Conference highlights included crowing 2024 Biscuit Baker Champion Heather Holthaus and giving back to our non-profit partners as part of the 2024 Stars for Heroes Campaign. Thanks to everyone for a great event and another great year of partnership. #GoodnessintheMaking

Who doesn’t love a down-home brunch and Made-from-Scratch Biscuits? This year, Hardee’s was a proud sponsor of the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, hosted right here in our hometown of Franklin, TN. Alongside can’t-miss performances, Hardee’s was on site with free biscuits for new and existing My Rewards loyalty program members all weekend and samples of cold brew and Cinnamon ‘N’ Raisin Biscuits to Sunday crowds. Hardee’s also hosted a VIP sweepstakes, giving one lucky winner the opportunity for an “Eat & Greet” with Country Star Lukas Nelson. Thanks to our brand and culinary teams for representing us with goodness and pride and to the Pilgrimage Team for an amazing event.