# Carl's Jr. Franchise Funding for Existing Owners

> Funding for existing Carl's Jr. franchisees: charbroilers, drive-thru AI and menu boards, co-branded sites and payroll, reviewed from each unit's deposits.

Source: https://mfebusinessloans.com/franchise-funding/brands/carls-jr/ (Merchant Fund Express, updated 2026-10-21)

## The short answer

Merchant Fund Express funds existing Carl's Jr. owners with working capital, equipment financing, business loans, lines of credit, revenue-based financing and merchant cash advances, from $25,000 to $5,000,000. Because many franchisees are on development schedules, we read open units' deposits after royalty, advertising and any host-site rent, and size payments around them. A complete file gets a same-day decision, and funding often follows the next business day.

## Who is this Carl's Jr. page for?

Franchisees with open Carl's Jr. restaurants, from one store to a group on a multi-unit development schedule. The brand sells freestanding restaurants and co-branded units in travel centers and convenience stores, so one owner's stores can deposit very differently. The kitchen centers on the charbroiler, and CKE is pushing drive-thru technology, including AI order-taking.
Read this with the burger franchise sector guide and our restaurant funding overview.

## What the franchisor publishes

Carl's Jr.: facts from official sources
Franchisor: Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC (named on the franchising site) (source)
Parent company: CKE Restaurants Inc. (CKE) (source)
Initial franchise fee: $25,000 to $35,000 per unit depending on the number of restaurants in operation, plus a $10,000 development fee (source)
Royalty: 4% of gross sales (source)
Advertising fund: Advertising fee up to 7% (source)
Total initial investment: $1,486,000 to $3,176,500 per unit (site refers to the 2024 FDD) (source)
Liquid assets / net worth asked of new franchisees: $300,000 liquid / $1,000,000 net worth (source)
Published formats: 2,500 to 3,037 sq. ft. units; franchised freestanding restaurants; co-branding in travel centers and convenience stores (source)
US franchising status: Actively franchising; multi-unit development preferred (3-restaurant minimum, target 10+) (source)
Checked Oct 2026 against official sources: the franchisor's own franchising site, its FDD or SEC filings, or the SBA Franchise Directory. Figures change; confirm current numbers in the latest Franchise Disclosure Document. Figures we could not confirm from an official source are left out.

## Every way to fund your Carl's Jr. location

Already running a Carl's Jr. location and need capital? Merchant Fund Express funds existing franchise owners with every product below. Terms depend on the business's revenue and history.
Franchise business loan: a term loan for a reimage of an open store.
Merchant cash advance: tied to card sales, for a travel-center unit with uneven seasons.
Revenue-based financing: flexible payments for a newer unit still ramping up.
Business line of credit: a revolving line for food orders and insurance, or for when a growth incentive steps down.
Equipment financing: charbroilers, fryers, drive-thru AI hardware and menu boards on a vendor quote.
Working capital: short capital for crew hiring before the next opening.

## Which problems do Carl's Jr. owners bring to a review?

Charbroiler and kitchen line replacement
The charbroiler defines the menu. Equipment financing on a quote replaces it; working capital covers repairs meanwhile. See repair or replace.
Drive-thru technology upgrades
AI order-taking and outdoor menu boards cost money up front. Shorter-life tech fits shorter terms; see POS and tech upgrade funding.
Opening costs on a development schedule
Open restaurants carry the overhead while new ones come online. Pre-opening payroll is a common need; see second location funding.

## Which product fits which Carl's Jr. need?

Need | Product | Published requirement it leans on | What to send |
Charbroiler, fryers, refrigeration | Equipment financing | Vendor quote and useful life | Quote, 3 months of statements |
Drive-thru AI and digital menu boards | Equipment financing or working capital | Quote; Tier 2: 6+ months, FICO 600+ | Quote, statements |
Pre-opening payroll at the next unit | Working capital | Tier 2: $60K verifiable revenue, $800 minimum daily balance | Statements of open units |
Reimage of an existing store | Business loan | Tier 1: 3+ years, FICO 650+, applicant owns 50%+ | Statements, contractor bid |
Seasonal travel-center unit | Revenue-based financing | Tier 2; up to 2 current advances | Statements for that entity |

## How does the review read a Carl's Jr. restaurant?

The signing entity. Usually one LLC per store; we read the account that receives the deposits.
Deposits by site type. Travel-center units can swing with travel seasons and host-site settlement timing.
Royalty and advertising drafts. Read as fixed costs; if an incentive is reducing them, we note when it steps down.
Supplier drafts. Food and paper are cost of goods.
Current positions. Equipment leases and advances are counted; a new structure can sometimes lower the combined payment.

## Which documents does a Carl's Jr. operator need?

About 3 months of business bank statements for each store entity, as bank-issued PDFs
The five-minute application; it opens with a soft credit pull
Quotes for charbroilers, kitchen equipment or drive-thru technology
A list of current advances, loans and equipment leases with payment amounts
Full financials only for requests above $250,000
Tax returns are not part of a typical first review. Spanish-speaking support is available for owners and general managers.

## A hypothetical Carl's Jr. budget scenario

Take one freestanding restaurant depositing $118,000 a month. Food and paper cost $36,000, payroll $34,000, royalty and advertising $11,000, rent $9,500 and existing payments $2,800. The owner wants drive-thru AI hardware and new outdoor menu boards quoted at $38,000.
Monthly deposits$118,000
Less food, payroll, franchisor drafts, rent, payments$118,000 - $36,000 - $34,000 - $11,000 - $9,500 - $2,800 = $24,700
$38,000 over 36 monthsabout $1,056/month before cost of funds
Share of what remains$1,056 / $24,700 = about 4.3%
Figures in this example are illustrations of the arithmetic, not an offer, quote or approval. Real terms depend on the file and the funder.

## What if you are buying or opening a Carl's Jr. instead?

A first Carl's Jr. with no deposits yet needs operating history before Merchant Fund Express can review it; start with opening a restaurant franchise. If your current stores are open and depositing, they carry the review for the next opening under your schedule. Buying an operating store from another franchisee is covered on franchise transfer financing.

## Keep reading

Burger franchise funding: how burger concepts are reviewed
Franchise brands we cover: other brand pages
POS and tech upgrade funding: drive-thru and ordering technology
Franchise working capital: short capital for payroll and openings
Repair or replace: the math on a failing kitchen line

## Common questions

### Can a Carl's Jr. franchisee with a development agreement apply?

Yes, based on the restaurants already open. Their deposits carry the review; units still under construction have no history to read yet.

### Do co-branded travel-center or convenience-store units qualify?

Yes, if the franchise entity has its own business account with regular deposits. We read how and when the host site settles sales to you.

### Can I finance drive-thru AI or menu boards for my Carl's Jr.?

Yes, on a vendor quote. Technology usually suits a shorter term than a charbroiler.

### How many bank statements does a Carl's Jr. owner send?

About three months per entity to start.

### Are you affiliated with Carl's Jr.?

No. Merchant Fund Express is independent. We use the Carl's Jr. name only to identify the owners this page is for; it does not mean the franchisor endorses or works with us.

Merchant Fund Express is independent. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Carl's Jr. or its franchisor.

Apply with Merchant Fund Express: https://merchantfundexpress.com/current-application.html?utm_source=mfebusinessloans.com&utm_medium=franchise&utm_campaign=franchise-funding&utm_content=carls-jr