Hardee’s customers across Northwest Georgia were met with locked doors this week after several locations closed without warning.
What’s Happening: Multiple Hardee’s restaurants in the region shut down abruptly, with closure signs posted on the doors. The closures include locations in Rome and Resaca, according to local reports.
- In Rome, Hardee’s restaurants on Turner McCall Boulevard, Cedartown Highway at Five Points, and in the Six Mile area were reported closed.
- In Resaca, the Hardee’s on Highway 41 North also closed.
- Additional closures were reported in Calhoun and Adairsville.
What’s Important: Hardee’s has not released a statement explaining why the Northwest Georgia restaurants closed or whether they will reopen.
What We Know About Why: The shutdowns appear connected to a broader dispute between Hardee’s and one of its major franchise operators, ARC Burger. Hardee’s has filed a lawsuit alleging ARC Burger owes more than $6.5 million in unpaid royalties, rent, and marketing fees tied to 28 restaurants across several states.
Catch Up Quick: ARC Burger acquired many Hardee’s locations in 2023 after purchasing them out of bankruptcy from Summit Restaurant Holdings. Hardee’s says it terminated the franchise agreements after repeated defaults and failed attempts to resolve the financial issues, leading to closures at multiple locations, including those in Georgia.
