Carl's Jr. to open first East Coast location in Doral
MIAMI — A popular U.S. fast-food chain is finally breaking into the East Coast market — with its first location coming to Miami-Dade County.
Carl's Jr. announced that it will be bringing its "iconic big, bold flavors" to the Sunshine State with its first Florida restaurant in Doral.
The restaurant's business was brought into the Miami area in partnership with RSMG Holding LLC and Retail & Food International Brand, according to a Tuesday press release from the brand's parent company CKE Restaurants. Not only will it be the first location in Florida, it will also be Carl's Jr. first restaurant to open east of the Mississippi River.
According to the press release, the restaurant will boast the brand's newly refreshed look while featuring fan-favorite menu items, such as the 100% Black Angus Thickburgers, Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders, sandwiches and more.
"Carl's Jr. is known for serving impossible to ignore flavors, so we are excited to bring our iconic brand to South Florida where audacious is a lifestyle and we're sure to fit in," stated Chris Bode, chief operating officer of CKE Restaurants. "South Florida is an important part of our growth strategy and we're thrilled to welcome the South Florida community to experience our fan-favorite, authentically crafted menu items whenever the craving hits."
Ron Santolaya, owner and managing director of RSMG, along with partners Milko Grbic and Claudio Fernandez, are leading a team of investors with the primary mission of bringing Carl's Jr. to Florida and positioning the brand as a market leader.
RSMG is expected to break ground on the Doral location in summer 2023 as CKE Restaurants and RSMG actively search for new real estate partners with drive thru capabilities and working to develop an additional 35 locations across South Florida.
According to the press release, Santolaya has extensive and successful experience leading RSMG's operations of Carl's Jr. restaurants in the U.S., Canada and Latin America for nearly four decades.
"The CKE brands are beloved by people all over the world and we look forward to introducing this iconic brand to Florida with the opening in Doral," Santolaya stated. "This expansion will allow Carl's Jr. to reach the South Florida community for the first time and offer a refreshing, new dining experiences."
Currently, Carl's Jr. has more than 1,000 locations throughout the Western U.S. with a strong presence in California, where the company was born more than 80 years ago, according to the press release. Additionally, the brand boasts an international footprint across 35 countries including at least 300 locations in Mexico.
For more information about Carl's Jr., click here.
