Carl’s Jr. Burger Chain is Coming to the Sunshine State

Carl's Jr. burger chain is finally making its way here in Florida! According to a Tuesday announcement, CKE Restaurants Inc., the parent company of Carl's Jr., is opening its first location in the Sunshine State. Now, is that really a big deal? I mean, have you ever heard of Hardee's? Same thing.

Hardee's and Carl's Jr., my friends, are basically two peas in a pod. They might have different names, but they're cut from the same greasy, delicious cloth. In fact, they're so similar that you could practically swap one for the other without anyone batting an eye.

They are both owned by the same company. They also are almost completelty identicle. Plus, For those of you who are curious, there's actually a Hardee's location in Fort Myers, right on Palm Beach Blvd. It's like a little slice of Carl's Jr. right here in Southwest Florida.

According to WFLA, the new Carl's Jr. will be nestled in Doral, Florida. They're even giving the place a "newly refreshed" look. I can only imagine what that means. The owner and Managing Director of RSMG Holding LLC, Ron Santolaya, said they're thrilled to introduce this iconic brand to Florida. It's a big responsibility, you know? Bringing Carl's Jr. to a whole new audience. But again... If you had Hardee's then you really had Carl's Jr. I don't get it to be honest.

The new location is expected to break ground this summer and open its doors in late 2023. So, mark your calendars. Soon you'll have a new spot to satisfy all your fast food cravings. And hey, with over 1,000 locations across the western United States, 300 locations in Mexico, and a presence in 34 other countries, Carl's Jr. must be doing something right.

Here in The Sunshine State we have so many amazing places to eat and one Florida restaurant tops a list of the best award-winning restaurants in America.

When it comes to food, everyone has their favorites. Whether it's a favorite style of food, favorite food item or a specific restaurant that is their favorite to eat at. For me, it's so hard to narrow it down. For instance, Mexican food is one of my favorite styles. And here in Fort Myers, I have a few go-to places. But then I also have my favorites in Lehigh Acres, Immokalee and Naples too. And that's just here in Southwest Florida! Of course then there's tacos, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas..impossible for me to pick just one. I also love Greek food, seafood, Vietnamese food, the list goes on. I think it would easier to list what I DON'T like at this point.

But if you want to know about the best of the best, Trips to Discover put together a list of the best award-winning restaurants in America. To compile their list they evaluated 3-Star Michelin, Five-Star Forbes, and AAA restaurants by looking at reviews written by customers and ratings on both Google and Tripadvisor. Very cool to see a Florida restaurant sitting at the top of the list.  Of the top 10, all of the restaurants are AAA Diamonds, 7 of them are Forbes Star-Rated and just 4 of them have Michelin stars.

To check out the full list, click here. Below are the top 5.

Le Bernardin is located in Midtown Manhattan and is one of the top seafood restaurants in the country. With over 6,300 reviews, they have the customer review score of 4.72 of 5.

Per Se is located in Midtown Manhattan. With just 10 tables, guests indulge in a five-hour meal featuring foie gras and truffles. They have over 3000 reviews and a customer review score of 4.73 out of 5.

The Inn at Little Washington has been welcoming guests for over 40 years. They have three Michelin stars, a Forbes Five-Star accolade and a  AAA Five-Diamond honor.

Cindy Wolf’s Charleston is known for their top-tier service, sublime cuisine, and refined ambiance with a customer review score of 4.79 of 5. 

 Victoria & Albert’s is located at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Many reviews describe their restaurant experience as fabulous, memorable, and perfect with a customer review score of 4.81 of 5.