Wilbur Hardee

Infobox Person
name = Wilbur Hardee

|100px
birth_date = birth date|1918|8|15
birth_place = Martin County, North Carolina, United States
death_date = death date and age|2008|6|20|1918|8|15
death_place = Greenville, North Carolina, United States
occupation = Restaurateur

Wilbur Hardee (August 15, 1918 – June 20, 2008) was the founder of the American fast-food restaurant chain "Hardee's", located mostly in the Midwest and Southeast regions.

Biography

Wilbur Hardee was born in Martin County, North Carolina in August 15, 1918. Raised on his family's farm, he eventually left the family business to become a musician and later a grill cook. Hardee joined the United States Navy during World War II, but upon his uncle's death, he returned to the United States. After returning he met and married met Kathryn Roebuck in 1945.cite web |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS137482+23-Jun-2008+PRN20080623 |title=Wilbur Hardee, Founder of Hardee's, Dies at 89 |publisher=Reuters|date=2008-06-23 |accessdate=2008-09-21]

With his wife, he opened a series of restaurants and inns in North Carolina, including the Do Drop Inn and Port Terminal Inn and the Silo Restaurant. He studied the things that the public seems to respond to the most at existing quick-serve restaurants at the time and an idea formed that would evolve into the first Hardee's restaurant concept. On September 3, 1960, he opened the first Hardee's location in his hometown of Greenville.cite web |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25338209/ |title=Hardee’s founder Wilbur Hardee dead at 89 |author=Christopher Leonard |publisher=MSNBC |date=2008-06-23 |accessdate=2008-09-21] Wilbur Hardee died in his home town of Greenville, North Carolina on June 20, 2008, and was cremated on June 22, 2008.

See also

* Burger Chef
* Carl's Jr.

External links

* [http://www.hardees.com/company/story/ The Hardee's Story]

References

See also

* CKE Restaurants