ST. LOUIS (AP) — The fast-food chain Hardee's is expanding into the Northeast.
Hardee's officials say the plan calls for about 200 new restaurants over the next five years. The expansion will begin in New Jersey and New York, followed by Connecticut and Massachusetts.
The first of the restaurants should open in 12 to 18 months. The St. Louis-based chain says it could eventually have 1,000 restaurants in the region, but no timetable was given.
The move marks a return to the region for Hardee's. The company formerly operated restaurants in the Northeast, but all had closed by the 1990s.
Hardee's, known for its provocative advertising and huge hamburgers, is a division of Carpinteria, Calif.-based CKE Restaurants. Hardee's has nearly 2,000 restaurants.