Here's How Much Hardee's Employees Really Make

Heading to Hardee's for work on a Saturday morning may be a thing of the past for you, but for some, it's still a rite of passage. Serving up a plethora of what the official Hardee's website calls "made from scratch biscuits" and "hand-breaded chicken tenders," the restaurant has come a long way since its founder, Wilber Hardee, opened its doors in 1960. Though initially focusing on a homegrown experience with "15-cent hamburgers, 10-cent fries, and 20-cent milkshakes," the restaurant has grown to operate close to 2,000 restaurants throughout the country and can be found in 14 additional countries, too.

While many may still have advertisements featuring "scantily clad celebrities" embedded in their minds when someone mentions Hardee's, according to a 2020 article published by Forbes, things have since changed as the focus has now shifted to the brand's longtime "logo-turned-mascot, Happy the Star." Though the shift for ads definitely improved the way that consumers labeled the company in the past, in April 2020, the Nashville Business Journal reported that the restaurant's parent company, CKE Restaurant Holdings Inc. — which also owns Carl's Jr. — laid off 95 employees from their headquarters after just hiring an additional 100 two years prior.

This year, however, QSR Magazine noted that both Hardee's and Carl's Jr. are back with a brand new campaign that encourages consumers to "live their most flavorful lives" by doing none other than to "Feed Your Happy." With this new campaign though, does that mean new jobs opportunities will be available? And, more importantly, will the pay be worth it?

If you were considering applying at your local Hardee's restaurant or were just curious about what their pay rates looked like, Indeed reports that employees who work as crew members or cooks will bring in an average hourly rate of $9.39 and $9.35, respectively. Those who are considered restaurant staff, however, can expect to bring in around $10.47 an hour, while shift leaders and shift managers get paid in the $11 an hour range.

Sounds like decent enough pay. Still interested in hearing more? Well, general managers make $40,744 yearly, while restaurant managers make a bit more with $42,351 being their average salary. Fortunately for district managers, per-year pay comes in around $52,884, but those who are only able to be hired as a cashier can expect hourly payments around the $8 or $9 mark. Depending on how ambitious you are, however, you could always move up the ladder quickly to start raking in the bigger bucks.