DATE: Thursday, July 17, 1997               TAG: 9707170443

SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D3   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   20 lines

CKD/HARDEE'S DEAL COMPLETE

CKE Restaurants said Wednesday it completed its acquisition of Hardee's Food Systems for $327 million, giving it nearly 4,000 hamburger restaurants nationwide. The purchase from Montreal-based Imasco Ltd. was announced in April. Hardee's operates 3,119 restaurants in 40 states and 10 countries. CKE operates 668 Carl's Jr. and 26 Rally's fast-food restaurants, primarily in California and other Western states. CKE, based in Anaheim, Calif., has said it plans to sell 114 of the Hardee's restaurants and lay off a significant number of the 350 Hardee's employees at that firm's Rocky Mount, N.C., headquarters. Other plans include testing restaurants that incorporate both brands under one roof, featuring Hardee's breakfasts and Carl's Jr. burgers and chicken sandwiches.

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