Hardee’s Plans 35 Stores in Chicago Area

On the heels of announcing its return to the Northeast, Hardee’s is adding restaurants in the Windy City. The St. Louis chain will open 35 new units in the Chicago area during the next seven years; two have opened in the last month. The expansion into Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts is expected to include about 200 new units in the next five years; the first unit will open within 18 months. Hardee’s, which has nearly 2,000 restaurants nationwide, is a division of CKE Restaurants.