# Why are all the Hardees going under? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 31, 2002, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724 "2002-07-31T17:28:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hayduke\_Lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Hayduke\_Lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hayduke_Lives)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/1 "2002-07-31T17:28:38Z")
I’ve noticed that at least 20 Hardees in Wisconsin have gone out of beeswax. This has been happening over the last 2 years or so. A business associate of my dad’s told him that he had heard they were all going to be changed to Carl’s Jr., which is basically the same restraunt with a different name. But this hasn’t happened yet. What’s the dope on these closings? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/2 "2002-07-31T17:42:22Z")
Well, every time I’ve eaten in a Hardees, I’ve gotten the Galloping Sh\*ts. Could _that_ be one of the reasons? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/3 "2002-07-31T17:48:28Z")
CKE Restaurants, the company that owns Hardees, hasn’t been doing all that well the past few years, so they’ve been reorganizing so they can make a profit. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/4 "2002-07-31T18:34:26Z")
Because they quit putting Hot Ham ‘n’ Cheese on a nice seeded bun, and started using cheap hamburger buns instead! Bastards . . . ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/5 "2002-07-31T19:57:21Z")
I was going to post a similar thread, but I keep forgetting to. I’ve had the same question, though. I can’t think of one Hardee’s in Minnesota that is still open. The one in my husband’s hometown in Wisconsin is gone, too. They are boarded-up closed. There is no talk of reopening them under another name–in fact, one of them that I know of was bought and remodeled and has been a Burger King for over a year now. They didn’t all close at once, though. They just slowly disappeared. My mother’s theory is that Hardee’s overexpanded their menu. Were they a hamburger place, a sandwich place, a chicken place, or what? They had to have too much pre-prepared for the small markets they usually were in, and larger markets already had hamburger places, chicken places, etc. Are there states where Hardee’s is still going strong, or is at least not almost or completely dead? ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/6 "2002-07-31T20:28:00Z")
There’s a few fairly successful ones still in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Only place I’ve seen any, though. THen again, the UP is vaugely reminiscent of Jurassic Park, so I’d take that with a grain of salt… ---
**Author:** ![Regina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d78d45/32.png) [@Regina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regina)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/7 "2002-07-31T20:30:10Z")
Almost dead in Alabama. I thought it was because they were trying to be the cheapest kid on the block at the expense of quality. They’ve stunk here since just before the fried chicken roll-out. They have these crappy local-looking commercials with trashy-looking people saying with a big smile, “It’s cheap!” (I’m not kidding). About a year ago they had on their sign, “Baloney biscuit $.99.” Baloney biscuit. How low can you go? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/8 "2002-07-31T21:15:57Z")
Most of the Hardees in Georgia seem to do a booming breakfast business. (Mainly because they make a fine biscuit. Do they even serve those in Minnesota?) **AlaItalia** , how do you figure Hardees is “almost dead” in Alabama? Have there been closings? I see plenty of Hardees along the interstate between Atlanta and Birmingham. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/9 "2002-07-31T21:27:51Z")
Hardees has been out of metro Detroit for years now. Instead of Hardees, we have Tim Horton’s. I’m not complaining. I love Tim’s. ---
**Author:** ![Regina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d78d45/32.png) [@Regina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regina)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/10 "2002-07-31T21:31:59Z")
OK maybe that was wishful thinking. There are two or three I know of which have closed, and I haven’t seen any new ones. Wrong of me to come to that conclusion on such sparse evidence. 😮 ---
**Author:** ![knarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@knarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knarf)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/11 "2002-07-31T21:39:40Z")
They seem to be doing pretty well in North Alabama. They recently had ads for “Anything, Anytime”, serving their complete menu all day. Kind of nice to still get a sausage biscuit at 11:30 when I sleep in on the weekends. A former co-worker had been a manager there in the late 80s-early 90s, and claimed that him and other managers tried to get the owner/supervisor to let them close after lunch to save money. BTW, does anyone remember Hardee’s characters in the 70s? I seem to remember agood sheriff-type dressed in orange, and a villain dressed in purple. ---
**Author:** ![dead0man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@dead0man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dead0man)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/12 "2002-07-31T22:06:17Z")
Most of the Hardee’s in the Omaha area have closed as well. There is one at a big Truck Stop on I-80 and a couple of more around the city. After they changed to a more Carl’s Jr type burger they became my favorite fast food burger. Have you had the 6$ burger? Good stuff. Its no fancy resteraunt burger or a good home made burger, but its the best fast food burger IMO. Now I have to drive 30 minutes to get one ☹ dead0man ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/13 "2002-07-31T22:09:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tamex \* > \*\*Are there states where Hardee’s is still going strong, or is at least not almost or completely dead? \*\* Pretty popular in parts of Tennessee, at least from casual observation. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/14 "2002-07-31T22:48:02Z")
They’re shut down in SW Ohio. Which sucks, because their bisuits and gravy kciked some ass. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/15 "2002-07-31T22:48:40Z")
In locations where Hardees is surviving, are any in larger cities? It had been my impression that early on Hardees staked out the small towns while McDonald’s and Burger King fought over the cities and suburbs and that as McD’s and BK have edged out into the boondocks, they have been forcing out the Hardees. (Similar to the urban Dairy Queen, suburban A&W, rural Dogs ‘n’ Suds story with DQ and A&W eventually invading the Dogs ‘n’ Suds territories.) (I’m asking the question based on personal observation, not asserting “the Truth.”) ---
**Author:** ![Motog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/16 "2002-07-31T22:53:32Z")
It’s because **Sofa King** used to keep spitting in their food. (See about half way down this thread) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=128299](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=128299) ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/17 "2002-07-31T23:07:56Z")
[CKE restautants](http://www.ckr.com/about/) were started by Carl Karcher in the forties, in the fifties, he began his Carl, Jr. restautants. In 1997, they bought [Hardee’s](http://www.hardeesrestaurants.com/about_text.html), and started converting them to Carl, Jr.s, but met some resistance. They did add the famous star to all of 'em. _You all got a web, use it._ ---
**Author:** ![Swede\_Hollow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Swede\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swede_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/18 "2002-07-31T23:41:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tamex \* > **I can’t think of one Hardee’s in Minnesota that is still open.** There are two in St. Paul: Midway area just off of I-94 and Hamlin and (I think) the one on Rice Street off of I-694 finally reopened. Just when I thought the closings were finished the one closest to me was closed to make room for a new drug store. QUOTE]\*Originally posted by spoke- \* **Most of the Hardees in Georgia seem to do a booming breakfast business. (Mainly because they make a fine biscuit. Do they even serve those in Minnesota?)** [/QUOTE] They do sell a decent breakfast (biscuit sandwich, biscuits & gravy…), they used to be the only big fast food place selling breakfast but almost everyone sells breakfast now (I’ve even seen a couple Subways selling breakfast sandwiches). ---
**Author:** ![SlickRoenick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SlickRoenick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlickRoenick)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/19 "2002-08-01T00:22:21Z")
Here in Maryland I haven’t seen a Hardees since I was in grade school a meer 9 years ago. I thought the whole chain was goneskees. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@MC\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_E)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2002, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724/20 "2002-08-01T00:34:40Z")
There’s a really good Hardee’s on Rt. 175 just west of Ft. Meade in Maryland. It’s nice because you order and pay at the counter and they bring it out to you. Are they all like that? They also have Vanilla and Cherry Cokes, made with real syrup and Coke. MC$E [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-the-hardees-going-under/121724.md?page=2)