Restaurant veteran named CKE Restaurants CEO

Joe Guith joins CKE Restaurants from Church's Texas Chicken.

The parent company of quick-serve chains Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s has named its new chief executive.

CKE Restaurants has appointed Joe Guith as CEO, effective immediately. Guith arrives at CKE from Church's Texas Chicken, where he had served as CEO since August 2022. Under his leadership, the quick-serve fried chicken chain saw improvements in unit-level profitability, sales, and traffic, in addition to expanding its footprint to more than 1,500 locations across 23 countries.

Former CKE Restaurants CEO Max Wetzel left the company last year after nearly two years as chief executive to become CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

“Joe brings a blend of industry expertise and visionary leadership that perfectly aligns with our goals for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's,” said Sarah Spiegel, CKE board member who had been serving as interim CEO since November. “We are confident that his proven track record in brand growth and operational excellence will drive our company forward, allowing us to reach new levels of success and innovation."

Guith has more than two decades of restaurant industry experience. Prior to his time at Church’s Texas Chicken, he held senior leadership roles at GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands), McAlister's Deli, Cinnabon and The Coca Cola Company.

"I am honored to join such a respected and iconic company,” said Guith. “Carl's Jr. and Hardee's have a rich history of delivering craveable flavors and exceptional service, and I am eager to work with the talented team and franchisees to build on this legacy."

Based in Franklin, Tenn., CKE Restaurants operates more than 3,600 franchised or company-operated restaurants domestically and more than 35 international markets and U.S. territories.