Hardee's franchise
Hardee's is a quick-service chain known for Thickburgers and made-from-scratch breakfast biscuits, mostly in the Midwest and Southeast. Some restaurants also sell Red Burrito Mexican food. At the end of its 2026 fiscal year there were 1,485 Hardee's locations in the US, 1,287 franchised and 198 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $1.39M–$2.64M
- Franchise fee
- $25,000
- Royalty
- 4%
- Locations, 2026
- 1,485−225 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- Franchisor based in
- Franklin, Tennessee
- Time to open
- 12 to 18 months after securing the site
- Territory
- No exclusive territory
- Financing
- None offered
From Hardee's Restaurants LLC’s 2026 filing.
How much a Hardee's franchise costs
Opening a newly developed Hardee's restaurant costs an estimated $1,385,000 to $2,637,395. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: Hardee's Restaurants LLC, 2026 filing, page 38
Hardee's franchise fee
The franchise fee is $25,000, per restaurant ($15,000 balance under a development agreement after a $10,000 development fee). You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Hardee's Restaurants LLC, 2026 filing, page 28
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 4% of gross sales, paid weekly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 4.25% of gross sales |
Source: Hardee's Restaurants LLC, 2026 filing, page 30
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Hardee's publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: it gives average revenue for 1,169 freestanding franchised and company restaurants open the full fiscal year. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Hardee's Restaurants LLC, 2026 filing, page 74
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,394 (−118) | 204 | 132 |
| 2025 | 1,369 (−25) | 202 | 33 |
| 2026 | 1,287 (−82) | 198 | 89 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating. Years are the franchisor's fiscal years, which end in late January.
Source: Hardee's Restaurants LLC, 2026 filing, page 76
How Hardee's compares
Of the 11 burger franchises on this site, Hardee's is the 6th cheapest to open and the 7th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Hardee's | Typical burger |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $1.39M | $1.39M |
| Royalty | 4% | 4.8% |
| Closed or left per year | 5.9% | 1.9% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | −14.9% | −2.4% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 9 of 11 |
Typical is the median across the 11 brands in burger franchises.
Other burger franchises
Hardee's franchise questions
How long does it take to open a Hardee's?
12 to 18 months after securing the site, according to Hardee's's 2026 filing. Finding a site, permits and build-out are what usually stretch it.
Does Hardee's help with financing?
No. Hardee's does not offer financing or guarantee loans or leases, so buyers arrange their own, usually a bank or SBA loan.
Do Hardee's franchisees get a protected territory?
No. Hardee's grants the right to run one location but no exclusive area, so another Hardee's can open nearby.
Is Hardee's growing or shrinking?
Over the last 3 years 28 franchised locations opened and 254 closed or left, a net change of −14.9%. About 5.9% of locations closed or left each year. That is above the 1.9% typical for burger franchises.
How does Hardee's compare with other burger franchises?
Of the 11 burger franchises here, Hardee's is the 6th cheapest to open (low end $1.39M against a $1.39M median) and the 7th largest by number of locations. Its 4% royalty is below the 4.8% median.
Does Hardee's say how much franchisees make?
Yes: it gives average revenue for 1,169 freestanding franchised and company restaurants open the full fiscal year. Your results can differ; the filing explains which locations are counted.
Where is Hardee's based?
Hardee's Restaurants LLC is based in Franklin, Tennessee.