Founder Of Hardee’s Restaurants Dies

Greenville Daily Reflector:

Greenville native Wilbur Hardee, 89, founder of the Hardee’s Restaurant chain, died Friday, according to obituary information.

Hardee opened his first walk-up hamburger joint on the corner of Charles Boulevard and 14th Street in 1960, in the fashion of competitor McDonald’s. He served a limited menu in his store: “charco-broiled” hamburgers for 15 cents, cheeseburgers for 20 cents, shoestring fries, soft drinks and apple pies.

As customers lined the streets for blocks to get at Hardee’s burgers, two Rocky Mount businessmen, Jim Gardner and Leonard Rawls, saw the potential in Hardee’s concept and in 1961 entered into a partnership with him, opening the first company-owned red and white tiled Hardee’s.

Within five months, the company had a franchisee, Spartan Food Systems, then was joined by Boddie-Noell Enterprises.