Okay, the "official" company line from Hardee's (aka Carl Karcher Enterprises, or CKE, Inc.) about why some restaurants are called Carl's Jr.:
"Thank you for your e-mail. We are owned by Carl Karcher Enterprises in Santa Barbara, California. They also own Carl's Jr. but we are not the same restaurant, we both have different menu options. Thank you."
No name or anything on the email, either. Since Kowalski mentioned that Carl's has a "Six-Dollar Burger," I'm assuming that the two share some menu items. Maybe Carl's Jr.s offer regional specialties?
Also for Kowalski, I have seen A & W restaurants, but I don't remember where. I suspect they're up North, too. They have Root Beer Floats and serve A&W. They must have a website.
I guess the CKE group bought out Hardee's a while ago and incorporated some elements into the already established Carl's Jr. Hardee's once bought out the Burger Chef chain if anyone remembers those. I think Burger Chef was around as late as '84-'85. There was one in my "hometown" (I don't really claim it since it's a shitty little 'burg, and I hate it, but it's the place I lived longest when I was growing up).
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