CARL'S JR
Carl’s Jr. is a quick-service restaurant franchise offering a limited menu of breakfast, lunch, and dinner products, featuring charbroiled 100% Black Angus Thickburger sandwiches, Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders, Made from Scratch Biscuits, and other related quick-serve menu items, including some dual-concept locations with Green Burrito Mexican food. The business model centers on franchising standalone or multi-unit developments of these restaurants to qualified operators, with company support for training, operations, and system expansion. It targets consumers seeking convenient, affordable fast food options in competitive quick-service markets.
Franchise Costs
4% royalty + 6% ad fund + $188-$463/mo technology/software fees (Star University, Digital Tech, optional PAR Brink/CrunchTime support)
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 955 freestanding Carl's Jr. Restaurants (50 company-operated, 905 franchised) operated during the FY25 Period (January 30, 2024 to January 27, 2025). This representation excludes non-freestanding Carl's Jr. restaurants (e.g., in travel plazas, airports) and those not providing complete revenue data.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How CARL'S JR Compares
Key Insights
- Higher investment than 92% of Fast Food franchises
- Higher than average SBA loan default rate in Fast Food
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
CARL'S JR Current | $1.5M – $3.2M | $25K | 4.0% | 982 |
| MCDONALD'S | $1.5M – $2.6M | $45K | N/A | 12,772 |
| AFC | $45K – $151K | $6K | 9.5% | 3,572 |
| SONIC DRIVE-IN | $1.7M – $3.1M | $15K | 5.0% | 3,441 |
| JIMMY JOHN'S | $366K – $728K | $35K | 6.0% | 2,647 |
| ARBY'S | $645K – $2.5M | $38K | 4.0% | 2,316 |
Fast Food Average 126 franchises | $594K – $1.5M | $35K | 6.1% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 126 Fast Food franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2025)
Outlets by state across the United States
+1 more states
SBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for CARL'S JR franchisees (2011 – 2024)
Loans by Year
SBA 7(a) loan activity over time
* Data sourced from SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records. Default rate calculated from charged-off loans.
Franchisee Contacts
961 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
| Name | SBA Loan |
|---|---|
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
961 Contacts Available
Unlock all CARL'S JR franchisee contacts with verified contact information
Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Disclosure deficiencies, rescission, and breach of contract dispute with a Canadian developer/franchisee (settled 2022).
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
Frequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a CARL'S JR franchise ranges from $1,486,000 to $3,176,500. This includes a franchise fee of $25,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 4.0% of gross sales.
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