Hardee's To Open 1,000 New Restaurants In The Northeast

Hardee's, the cult-favorite fast-food chain best known for its biscuits and Thickburger, has announced a massive expansion. According to the Business Journal, a franchise partner has been selected to open 200 new locations of the chain in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts within the next five years, with a goal of 1,000 new locations in total.

Hardee's was founded in Greenville, N.C., by Wilber Hardee in 1960, and today the company is owned by CKE Restaurant Holdings, which also owns Carl's Jr. The brand was once popular on the East Coast, but many locations had shut down by the 1990s. Currently, there are 1,965 Hardee's locations in total.

"It's a massive advance into prime territory and a tremendous opportunity for a highly anticipated return," Jim Sullivan, senior vice president of domestic franchise development for CKE, told Business Journal. "We've heard from residents all across the region for years, begging us to bring our food back to them. We just needed the right partner."

Burger chains, especially high-end ones, are everywhere on the East Coast these days, with staples like McDonald's joined by the increasingly popular Five Guys, Shake Shack, and the like. One thing all those chains are missing, though? A Pork Chop N' Gravy Biscuit.