Born in Rocky Mount: The Early Days of Hardee's

It started when an Eastern North Carolina restaurateur had an idea for a better burger, and within two decades that one small drive-in had become the third largest fast food company in the nation. Driven largely by a group of childhood friends from the city of Rocky Mount, Hardee’s put its own distinctive mark on the industry with an emphasis on quality food and a strong people-first philosophy. Under the innovative leadership of men like Jim Gardner, Leonard Rawls, Jack Laughery and Mayo Boddie and through 55 years of setbacks and triumphs, Hardee’s has endured as a true American institution.