BURGER CHEF

BACKGROUND INFO

• Burger Chef was an American fast food company originally founded by Frank and Donald Thomas in 1954 in Indianapolis, Indiana
• In its peak in 1973 the company had restaurants in over 1,050 locations
• Use to be the second largest fast food corporation in the United States next to McDonalds.
• General Foods Corporation, the then-owner of the Burger Chef trademark, started gradually selling the company to Hardee's in 1982.
• The last restaurant to carry the Burger Chef name closed in 1996.

AT THE COMPANIES PEAK

• The chain expanded all over the United States and at its prime, had over 1,050 locations.
• Burger Chef became very well known and spread all over West and East Coast.
• At one point the company was so popular that it was the most successful fast food franchise in the nation, next to McDonalds.
• The company was purchased by the General Foods Corporation in 1968, which only helped the company expand and become increasingly successful

THE COMPANIES DOWNFALL

• In 1982, General Foods proved unable to support Burger Chef's growth.
• Because of this General Foods sold Burger Chef to the Canadian company Imasco.
• Imasco also owned Hardee's so many Burger Chef locations were converted to Hardee's shortly after.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE

• To save the company, I would have had General Foods Corporation sell another part of their corporation to free up money.
• Or found another corporation that could provide the financial support that Burger Chef needed, but still allowed it to keep the same name.
• Either way could have potentially saved the company.