Bigger Burgers, Lower Expenses Help CKE Turn Profit

Santa Barbara, California-Sticking with the plan of making a bigger, better burger helped CKE-which operates Carl's Jr. and Hardee's along with La Salsa Mexican Grill-turn a profit this year. It's the company's first showing in the black since 1999.

Aside from its menu items, including the successful "Six Dollar Burger" in the summer of 2001, another major component of CKE's turnaround was its ability to reduce its expenses on general and administrative costs by 20 percent. To achieve this goal, the company decided to consolidate its operations by uprooting its longstanding Carl's Jr. headquarters in Anaheim and relocating it to Carpinteria. CKE's corporate office, previously in Santa Barbara, moved to the new oceanfront location last month. Staff in the finance, accounting and information technology departments remained in Orange County. -Santa Barbara News-Press