Popular Fast Food Chain With 15 Michigan Locations Suddenly Starts Shutting Down Stores

If you've noticed your favorite fast food joint with 15 Michigan locations suddenly going dark, you're not alone. A popular chain has begun quietly closing restaurants across the state, and many customers are left wondering why.

The chain hasn’t made any official announcements — just a series of quiet closures happening across the country, and Michigan locations could be next.

Hardee's and Carl's Jr. in Michigan

Although Carl's Jr. is not represented in the Mitten State, you'll find Hardee's restaurants in 15 Michigan cities, according to the fast food chain's website.

CKE Restaurants, which previously owned just Carl's Jr., acquired Hardee's in 1997. Although the branding has remained unique, the menus have become suspiciously similar over the last three decades. The chain has grown to more than 3,800 stores, spanning 44 U.S. states.

Fast Food Chains Face Mass Closures Nationwide

Nearly 40 Hardee's and Carl's Jr. restaurants were closed in 2023 after one of the company's franchisees filed for bankruptcy. According to MSN, this began a domino effect, with Hardee's shuttering at least seven locations in Illinois in 2024. It's reported that multiple locations have quietly shut down in 2025 as well.

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Carl's Jr. has also closed several locations in the first few months of 2025.

Are Michigan Stores at Risk?

While Carl's Jr. has no presence in Michigan, Hardee's operates 15 locations across the state. Since the chain doesn’t typically announce closures in advance, it has not indicated which locations — if any — may be in jeopardy.

At this time, there's been no confirmation that Michigan stores are on the chopping block, but the fate of homemade fast food biscuits and gravy — and Angus burgers — is far from guaranteed.