Global premium burger chain Carl’s Jr. opened its first restaurant in Chile pursuant to a franchise agreement signed between Carl’s Jr. Restaurants LLC and Corachi SpA. Located in Santiago’s beloved Providencia district at Av. Nueva Providencia 2124, Providencia, the new two-story restaurant offers premium, affordable menu items including a line of 100 percent Black Angus Beef Thickburgers and the world-famous Western Bacon Cheeseburger served with best-in-class customer service in an urban-contemporary design.
Carl’s Jr.’s arrival in Chile bears special significance for both the brand and the country. The franchisee’s Managing Director Ron Santolaya, is one of Carl’s Jr.’s longest-standing and most respected franchise operators, having been with the company since the 1980s. He previously helped open the first Carl’s Jr. in Mexico with Junior Foods S.A. de C.V., and is credited by the company as having been instrumental in building the brand into a powerhouse in that country. Now, the Chilean-native returns home, and together with corporate partner Richycarls S.A. de C.V., is bringing Carl’s Jr.’s bigger, better burgers to Chileans.
“South America is one of our most important growth markets. We see tremendous opportunity here and we are poised to deeply invest in this region for years to come. That is why we’re thrilled to be bringing the Carl’s Jr. brand to Chile. We’re even more thrilled that Ron Santolaya, along with Richycarls S.A. de C.V., are the ones leading the charge,” says Ron Coolbaugh, senior vice president International Franchise Operations at CKE Restaurants. “Ron helped plant the flag and firmly establish the brand in Mexico over 25 years ago and we are confident that he will have the same success here in Chile.”
To celebrate the grand opening, Fox Sports Chile anchorman, Fernando Solabarrieta, and several other well-known television personalities were in attendance. The restaurant will also offer fans the chance to win a one-month’s supply of free burgers for themselves and a friend.
“Carl’s Jr. is embraced by burger lovers all over the world thanks to its bigger, better burger experience and variety of authentic, affordably priced menu items. I know Chileans will love our Black Angus Beef Thickburgers that include mouth-watering varieties like Guacamole Bacon and Portobello Mushroom. Chile has long awaited a premium, iconic and global brand like Carl’s Jr. to enter the market and really set the stage for what an exceptional fast-food experience should be. We can’t wait for locals to see and taste the difference,” says Santolaya.
The Carl’s Jr. restaurants will satisfy the hunger of people in Santiago with a wide range of innovative menu items such as the Western Bacon Cheeseburger Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders and Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Shakes.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2016, Carl’s Jr. has recently expanded its global presence into new markets such as Australia, Japan, Cambodia and now Chile. Carl’s Jr. and sister banner Hardee’s have grown to almost 3,800 locations in 41 countries, and plan to continue to accelerate the expansion of their brand in 2017.
“We offer a satisfying and premium product that is made of high quality ingredients, made fresh to order and served at our guests table,” says Coolbaugh. “People around the world love Carl’s Jr., and we can’t wait to show the people of Chile our best-in-class products and warm, friendly service.”
