Consider yourself lucky if you actually find a Carl's Jr. on the East
Coast of the U.S. since they're dominant mostly on the West Coast and
nearby states. They did buy Hardee's a couple of years ago and thus
there's a few Hardee's around including the Greyhound Bus Terminal in
Washington, D.C., near Union Station.
One reason Hardee's hasn't done too well is because they need to
advertise. Sheesh, even the Roy Rogers restaurant chain is starting to
expand again even though they haven't advertised on TV in awhile.
Unless it has been removed, there's even one in New York City near the
Roseland Ballroom. Biggest growth in fast food on the East Coast is
Five Guys (burgers made with a philosophy similar to In-N-Out Burger),
Baja Fresh (Tex Mex from Wendy's who bought te idea from the founders),
Chipotle (Tex Mex though marinated; owned by McDonald's), plus a bunch
of new places such as Potbelly Sandwich Works, and Cosi Sandwiches.
Nice thing about Baja Fresh and California Tortilla (actually from
Bethesda, Maryland! Yep, they're beginning to expand a little...) is
that both did go all out for my business... since before Baja Fresh
opened in D.C. downtown, I walked by their location a week or two
before they opened and got a coupon for a free burrito, a refillable
sports cup (with 99 cent refills), a menu, and a call-in menu; and
California Tortilla had a similar deal in that one got a free burrito
with coupon. Best location for California Tortilla is across the
street from the Uptown theater in D.C. near the zoo and with the Uptown
being where I attended one of the world premieres of the Nicolas Cage
movie "Windtalkers" a few years ago.
Now are you, Dave Ritchie, going to plead the Twinkie defense???
Wear a different AC/DC shirt each day you're here in the States? If
you go as far north as Georgia, yep, you can even visit a Piggly
Wiggly, the original supermarket chain.
There's Gonna Be Some Rockin'...