Death Summary: Wilbur Hardee died at the age of 89 in Greenville, North Carolina… the same town where he opened his first Hardee’s restaurant. The cause of his death is undisclosed.

Who was Wilbur Hardee : Hardee, the founder of the fast food chain Hardee’s, opened his first restaurant in Greenville, North Carolina in 1960. It was an instant success, mainly due to its strong menu.

James Carson Gardner and Leonard Rawls formed a partnership with Hardee to further expand his chain. The company went public in 1963, but the partnership didn’t last much longer.

The way Hardee tells it Gardner and Rawls won a controlling share of the company from him in a game of poker. After realizing that he lost control over his namesake company, Hardee sold his remaining shares to them as well.

Hardee went on to launch over 85 different restaurants throughout the Southeast.

Categories: Business, Food Industry.