CKE Restaurants has appointed Alisa Gmelich as the new president of Hardee’s, a role she assumed immediately. With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, Gmelich will be responsible for driving growth, enhancing the overall experience for guests, and optimizing menus.
A press release from the company highlighted Gmelich’s extensive background in franchising, which includes leadership positions at notable brands such as Sprouts Farmers Market, Auntie Anne’s, IHOP, McDonald’s, and Burger King. She takes over from Christopher Bode, who left to become the CEO of Denny’s earlier this year.
Gmelich’s priorities at Hardee’s will include supporting growth, improving the guest experience, strengthening relationships with franchisees, and advancing the “Burger Revolution,” a cooked-to-order platform that originated at Carl’s Jr. This initiative involves enhancing the quality of burgers, improving ingredients, and introducing the Angus Maximus, a premium burger platform that has already “generated significant guest interest,” according to the press release.
The “Burger Revolution” aims to raise the build and ingredients of burgers, as well as launch new premium offerings like the Angus Maximus, which has sparked considerable interest among guests, as noted in the press release.
Previous Roles
Prior to joining CKE, Gmelich served as brand president and chief brand officer at Auntie Anne’s for over two years, where she oversaw growth and recovery efforts, helped transition the brand away from mall-centric locations, and launched co-branded drive-thrus with Jamba.
During her tenure at Auntie Anne’s, Gmelich also played a key role in launching a brand transformation and expanding the brand’s app and delivery ecosystem. Her experience also includes working at IHOP for over eight years and at Burger King for over seven years in various marketing leadership positions.
Gmelich’s appointment ensures that both Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s have distinct leadership, which is in line with CKE CEO Joe Guith’s strategy to provide a strong foundation for growth. This approach enables each brand to thrive under dedicated leadership.
According to Guith, “This leadership structure brings together the experience and capabilities needed to strengthen our brands, support our franchisees, and deliver memorable guest experiences. We are focused on building stronger brands and a culture where our people can thrive.”
Since joining CKE in 2025, Guith has made several key appointments, including Iwona Alter as Carl’s Jr. president, Ewan Davenport as president of international operations, Ben Halliwell as chief commercial officer, Danton Nolan as CFO, Mauricio Sirgo as chief supply chain officer, Nick Melka as vice president of strategy, and Cheryl Bowie as interim chief human resources officer.
CKE has experienced a mild decline in its system, largely due to a few Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s franchisees filing for bankruptcy protection this year. For instance, Superior Star, a 60-unit Hardee’s franchisee, filed for bankruptcy in July, citing unexpected expenses, tax levies, rental obligations, and sales challenges at older restaurants as contributing factors.
