Restaurants

Little Caesars Corporate Office

Little Caesars Pizza was founded by entrepreneur Mike Ilitch with his wife, Marian Ilitch, in 1959.

The first location opened in Garden City, Michigan and is still open today.

The company is famous for its slogan “Pizza! Pizza!” This phrase refers to two pizzas being offered for the price of one at competitor’s stores and was introduced in 1979.

The pizza chain has expanded nationwide through franchising.

Today Little Caesars Pizza is present in Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam, South Korea, Honduras, Slovakia, Mexico, Turkey, Ecuador, Egypt, Aruba, Guatemala, Curacao, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordon, Kuwait, Guam, India, El Salvador, Venezuela, UAE, Lebanon, Bahrain, and Peru.

The company is the third largest pizza chain in the world, with nearly 6,000 locations.

In June 2021, a video was posted online allegedly showing how the company makes its pizza sauce on the floor.

Little Caesars Pizza maintains a corporate office in Detroit, Michigan.

Little Caesars Pizza

Little Caesars Pizza was founded by entrepreneur Mike Ilitch with his wife, Marian Ilitch, in 1959.

The first location opened in Garden City, Michigan and is still open today.

History

The company is famous for its slogan “Pizza! Pizza!” This phrase refers to two pizzas being offered for the price of one at competitor’s stores and was introduced in 1979.

The pizza chain has expanded nationwide through franchising.

The company is the third largest pizza chain in the world, with nearly 6,000 locations.

In June 2021, a video was posted online allegedly showing how the company makes its pizza sauce on the floor.

Little Caesars Pizza maintains a corporate office in Detroit, Michigan.

Panda Express Corporate Office

The Panda Restaurant Group is the owner and operator of Panda Inn, Panda Express, and Hibachi-San.

The company was founded in 1983 by Andrew and Peggy Cherng and Andrew’s father, Master Chef Ming Tsai Cherng. They are from the Yangzhou region of China and started their first restaurant in Pasadena, California.

In 1983 Donahue Schriber Real Estate invited the Cherngs to develop a fast-food version of their restaurant Panda Inn, and Panda Express was born.

The chain expanded rapidly and by 2007 the Panda Restaurant Group reached $1 billion in sales.

Panda Express offers Asian-themed food in high-traffic locations such as malls, airports, and sporting arenas.

Hibachi-San offers a quick-service Japanese grill menu.

Panda Inn offers full-service dining.

Today Panda Restaurant Group has 2,200 locations and is the largest Chinese fast-food chain in the United States.

In August 2023, the company pledged $2 million in donations to the victims of the wildfires in Maui, Hawaii.

Also in August 2023, a Lancaster, California, Panda Express urged patrons to get hepatitis A vaccinations after a food worker was found to be infected.

Panda Express maintains a corporate office in Rosemead, California.

Panda Restaurant Group

The Panda Restaurant Group is the owner and operator of Panda Inn, Panda Express, and Hibachi-San.

History

In 1983 Donahue Schriber Real Estate invited the Cherngs to develop a fast-food version of their restaurant Panda Inn, and Panda Express was born.

The chain expanded rapidly and by 2007 the Panda Restaurant Group reached $1 billion in sales.

Panda Express offers Asian-themed food in high-traffic locations such as malls, airports, and sporting arenas.

Hibachi-San offers a quick-service Japanese grill menu.

Panda Inn offers full-service dining.

Today Panda Restaurant Group has 2,200 locations and is the largest Chinese fast-food chain in the United States.

In August 2023, the company pledged $2 million in donations to the victims of the wildfires in Maui, Hawaii.

Also in August 2023, a Lancaster, California, Panda Express urged patrons to get hepatitis A vaccinations after a food worker was found to be infected.

Panda Express maintains a corporate office in Rosemead, California.

California Pizza Kitchen Corporate Office

California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) was founded in 1985 by attorneys Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax.

The first location was on Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, California with an investment of $550,000. The company was an immediate success. By 1992 there were 26 restaurants in the chain.

In 1992 PepsiCo paid about $100 million for a 67% stake in the company.

PepsiCo began an aggressive expansion strategy, which proved to be a failure.

In 1997 private equity firm Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Company bought out PepsiCo’s two-thirds with the intention of taking the company public in 2000. They did so, and CPK was a public company, trading on the NASDAQ, from 2000 to 2011.

Another expansion was executed but it turned out that the people in charge were masking difficult financial information and were fired. Founders Rosenfield and Flax took over the company again.

In 2011 the company was acquired by private equity firm Golden Gate Capital.

Today California Pizza Kitchen has 265 casual-dining restaurants that specialize in pizzas with unique toppings and combinations, including duck, shrimp, pears, and salad.

California Pizza Kitchen

California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) was founded in 1985 by attorneys Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax.

The first location was on Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, California with an investment of $550,000. The company was an immediate success. By 1992 there were 26 restaurants in the chain.

In 1992 PepsiCo paid about $100 million for a 67% stake in the company.

History

PepsiCo began an aggressive expansion strategy, which proved to be a failure.

Another expansion was executed but it turned out that the people in charge were masking difficult financial information and were fired. Founders Rosenfield and Flax took over the company again.

In 2011 the company was acquired by private equity firm Golden Gate Capital.

Today California Pizza Kitchen has 265 casual-dining restaurants that specialize in pizzas with unique toppings and combinations, including duck, shrimp, pears, and salad.

Charlotte Russe Corporate Office

Charlotte Russe is a chain of clothing stores in the United States that is targeted to young women in their teens through twenties.

Daniel Lawrence and his two brothers formed the Lawrence Merchandising Corp. and opened a clothing store in 1975 in Carlsbad, California. They named the store Charlotte Russe after a favorite childhood desert.

The brothers quickly opened several more locations in San Diego.

In 1996 the company was acquired by the investment firm Saunders Karp & Megrue. The new owners implemented an ambitious growth strategy, making Charlotte Russe into a national chain of shopping mall stores and taking the company public in 1999.

The company was taken private by Advent International in 2009.

Today Charlotte Russe offers value-priced trendy apparel, shoes, and accessories in 500 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico.

Charlotte Russe

Charlotte Russe is a chain of clothing stores in the United States that is targeted to young women in their teens through twenties.

The brothers quickly opened several more locations in San Diego.

History

The company was taken private by Advent International in 2009.

Today Charlotte Russe offers value-priced trendy apparel, shoes, and accessories in 500 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico.

Hardee’s Corporate Office

Wilbur Hardee opened his first restaurant in Greenville, North Carolina in 1960.

More restaurants were opened quickly through franchising and, on a smaller scale, acquiring other restaurant chains.

Hardee’s Restaurant served distinctive burger items, including the Huskee, a hamburger for 15 cents, a cheeseburger for 20 cents, fries, and milkshakes.

In the 1970’s Hardee’s expanded to Germany and Austria.

In the 1980’s the company had over 4,000 locations in the United States.

In the late 1980’s Hardee’s was bought by Imasco and the new management made decisions that had negative affects.

Ten years later, Hardee’s was down to less than 2,000 locations.

In 1997 the chain was bought by CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Carl’s Jr.

Today Hardee’s has 5,812 locations in 30 states, mostly in the Midwest and Southeast. About 475 of the restaurants are operated by the company, while the rest are franchised.

In early October 2020, the company introduced prime rib menu items in an attempt to gain customers.

In February 2023, the company introduced the Philly Cheesesteak to its menu.

The parent company maintains a corporate office in Franklin, Tennessee.

Hardee's

Wilbur Hardee opened his first restaurant in Greenville, North Carolina in 1960.

More restaurants were opened quickly through franchising and, on a smaller scale, acquiring other restaurant chains.

History

Hardee’s Restaurant served distinctive burger items, including the Huskee, a hamburger for 15 cents, a cheeseburger for 20 cents, fries, and milkshakes.

In the 1970’s Hardee’s expanded to Germany and Austria.

In the 1980’s the company had over 4,000 locations in the United States.

In the late 1980’s Hardee’s was bought by Imasco and the new management made decisions that had negative affects.

Ten years later, Hardee’s was down to less than 2,000 locations.

In 1997 the chain was bought by CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Carl’s Jr.

Today Hardee’s has 5,812 locations in 30 states, mostly in the Midwest and Southeast. About 475 of the restaurants are operated by the company, while the rest are franchised.

In early October 2020, the company introduced prime rib menu items in an attempt to gain customers.

In February 2023, the company introduced the Philly Cheesesteak to its menu.

The parent company maintains a corporate office in Franklin, Tennessee.