| Margaret Karcher | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 2, 1915 Big River, Wisconsin, United States |
| Died | June 6, 2006 (aged 91) Scottsdale, Arizona, United States |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Spouse | Carl Karcher (1939–2006, her death) |
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 dogs and Mexican tamales. 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.
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