Hardees To Close Dozens Of Locations, With Several In Illinois

I hate to think of think of it this way, but this may be my fault because I just realized I haven't been to a Hardees in over ten years. Have you?

Even though I haven't been thinking much at all about them, Hardee’s is making headlines after announcing the closure of about 77 restaurants across Illinois and nine other states as part of a larger shake-up tied to a major franchisee bankruptcy and legal dispute. The closures are not exactly a “chain-wide retreat,” but they’re still significant enough that longtime fans are noticing.

The Illinois impact has been especially noticeable in southern and central parts of the state. Reports show multiple locations have already shuttered in recent years, including Marion, Du Quoin, Carterville, Anna, and Springfield-area restaurants. Some closures came abruptly, with signs simply directing customers to nearby stores that may or may not still exist.

If You're Like Me And Haven't Been To A Hardees Since The Flip-Phone Era, You're In Good Company

But just like a former romantic partner may have said to you at one time "It's not you, it's me," the problems the company is facing aren't all based upon your lack of attendance.

At the center of the story is ARC Burger, a major Hardee’s franchise operator that filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy after accumulating more than $29 million in debt and allegedly failing to pay millions in royalties and fees. That filing triggered the closure or restructuring of dozens of locations across multiple states.

Hardee’s itself, part of the CKE Restaurants family, has been around since 1960 and is known for its heavy hitters like charbroiled burgers and oversized breakfast biscuits. You know, the kind of food that feels like it should come with a nap warning label.

The good news is that not all of these closures are permanent. The company has already started reclaiming and reopening some restaurants under new management, meaning the Hardee’s footprint is shrinking in one place while quietly rebuilding in another.