Margaret Karcher
Encyclopedia
Margaret Magdalen Heinz Karcher (born March 2, 1915 in Big River (Wisconsin)
– died of liver cancer
on June 6, 2006 in Scottsdale, Arizona
) was an American
fast-food
pioneer who co-founded the Carl's Jr.
hamburger chain with her husband Carl Karcher
, which in turn now owned by parent company CKE Restaurants
.
Karcher and her husband started their first business, a hot dog stand, on July 17, 1941 in Los Angeles, California
when they borrowed $311 against their Plymouth automobile and added $15 from Margaret's purse. The stand initially sold hot dog
s and Mexican
tamale
s. On January 16, 1945, they opened their first restaurant, Carl's Drive-In Barbecue in Anaheim, California
. They also opened Carl's Sr.
Their restaurant quickly grew and they opened several more restaurants, numbering 100 by 1974 and more than 300 by 1981.
Big River (Wisconsin)
The Big River is a minor tributary of the Mississippi River in western Wisconsin in the United States. It flows for its entire length in western Pierce County, rising in the town of River Falls and flowing south-southwestwardly into the town of Oak Grove. It enters the Mississippi River about 6...
– died of liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
on June 6, 2006 in Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fast-food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
pioneer who co-founded the Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr. is an American fast-food restaurant chain located mostly in the Western and Southwestern United States. The first store has opened in Canada in Kelowna, BC. They are in the process of expanding to Mexico, Malaysia, Denmark, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Russia, Vietnam,...
hamburger chain with her husband Carl Karcher
Carl Karcher
Carl Nicholas Karcher, SMOM was an American businessman, founder of the Carl's Jr. hamburger chain, now owned by parent company CKE Restaurants, Inc.-Early life:...
, which in turn now owned by parent company CKE Restaurants
CKE Restaurants
CKE Restaurants, Inc. is the parent company of the Carl's Jr., Hardee's, Green Burrito, and Red Burrito restaurant chains. Its headquarters are in Carpinteria, California. It was incorporated in 1964 by Carl's Jr. founder Carl Karcher as Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc.- History :In 2007, it sold...
.
Karcher and her husband started their first business, a hot dog stand, on July 17, 1941 in Los Angeles, California
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
when they borrowed $311 against their Plymouth automobile and added $15 from Margaret's purse. The stand initially sold hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
s and Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
tamale
Tamale
A tamale — or more correctly tamal — is a traditional Latin American dish made of masa , which is steamed or boiled in a leaf wrapper. The wrapping is discarded before eating...
s. On January 16, 1945, they opened their first restaurant, Carl's Drive-In Barbecue in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
. They also opened Carl's Sr.
Their restaurant quickly grew and they opened several more restaurants, numbering 100 by 1974 and more than 300 by 1981.
External links
- Margaret Karcher, wife of Carl's Jr. founder, dies at 91 (CKE Restaurants press release)