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FAQ

  • Carl’s Jr. has an 80 year history of quality, innovation and growth – unlike the other brands, we have available territory to develop. Unlike some brands, we are delighted to see our franchisees own and develop their own real estate. We are smaller and therefore more agile and responsive. As a franchisee in our system, your voice will be heard and you will be special.

  • We do not; we select franchisees who have their own funds and their own sources of credit and financing to develop their restaurants. This is why our qualification process includes a detailed review of your financial statements as well as background / credit checks.

  • Internationally, we generally grant rights for entire territories or for regions of major countries. We use multi-unit agreements, usually starting at a five-restaurant commitment or higher depending on the territory.

  • In most markets, our model is a direct franchising model using the Area Developer arrangement – where the franchisee has a territory to develop, a development schedule and a multi-unit license agreement from which individual “New Development Riders” apply to each restaurant built. In some cases – where the candidate is a large, well-established existing organization with strong financial backing and a history of success in the restaurant industry – Carl’s Jr. will consider Master Franchising (where the franchisee operates some direct-owned restaurants and also sub-licenses others to operate sub-franchises which are supported by the Master Franchisee).

  • Each franchisee is responsible for understanding their market, submitting sites for Carl’s Jr. approval, acquiring real estate as well as contracting the construction of their restaurant. However, Carl's Jr. will provide professional, experienced assistance for market planning, site selection and restaurant design. Apart from a market plan for the region, for each location the franchisee must complete a Carl’s Jr.- specific Site Development Package. Once the Carl’s Jr. team receives each completed site package, it will be reviewed to determine acceptability of the site for a new location. A construction project manager will assist you with building requirements and design.

  • Once the restaurant is built, our ongoing support includes providing equipment, food and supplies for your restaurant. A Franchise Business Consultant (FBC) will be assigned to your restaurant to assist you in evaluating and improving all aspects of your business. Furthermore, the Research and Development team will provide ongoing research and testing of new products while also maintaining our existing high-quality products. The Marketing/Advertising team will assist you with point-of-sale advertising materials and local store marketing strategies, and will keep you informed of upcoming regional and international promotions.

  • We require the Operating Principal and up to three managers to attend and graduate from a 10-week Franchise Management Training Program (FMTP) in a Certified Carl's Jr. Training Restaurant. The FMTP is scheduled to be completed sufficiently in advance of your restaurant opening. In conjunction with the opening of your first restaurant, Carl’s Jr. will provide on-site training assistance in country with a team of All Star trainers, led by our head of Restaurant Excellence and your regional Carl’s Jr. team. Additionally, the entire Carl’s Jr. team will provide guidance for Grand Opening events, marketing, public relations and advertising. For your second opening, a limited team will be provided for guidance and support. By your third opening, you will be responsible for your own training and opening.

  • To become a multi-unit Area Developer, a “territory reservation fee,” also known as a “development fee,” must be paid to Carl's Jr. in the amount of US$10,000 per restaurant committed. Example: a 10 restaurant franchise development agreement must pay 10 x US$10,000 = US$100,000 upon signing the development agreement. Then, as each franchised restaurant is approved, a franchise fee of $37,500 per restaurant (current as of 2023, with inflation adjustments possible in future years). On an ongoing basis, franchisees pay royalties of 5% of gross sales per month and must contribute US$175 per month per restaurant to the international advertising production fund – other minimum local investment levels in marketing, advertising and promotions also apply (from 4% to 7% annually) and vary by region. Please ask us for details regarding your area.

  • We encourage prospective franchisees to conduct significant due diligence prior to committing to any new business venture. Existing Carl's Jr. franchisees are an excellent source for answering questions about operations, marketing, finances, etc. The amount of profit or loss is dependent on a number of factors including the franchisee's ability to manage the business, drive sales volume, and control operating costs. Names and phone numbers of existing franchisees are available by request.

  • If you feel that you meet the initial franchise requirements and are eager to become part of the CKE franchise system, we encourage you to begin your application process using the Get Qualified form here on the site. Additionally, we ask that you reach out directly to the contact listed on this website via e-mail to describe your situation in detail.