Restaurant Brands already operates KFC, Pizza Hut and Starbucks Coffee in New Zealand.
Carl's Jr restaurants are already operating in South Auckland, with the ownership linked to the family of former All Black flanker Michael Jones.
But Restaurant Brands now has the exclusive development rights to build restaurants throughout New Zealand to complement the existing franchisee's rights to develop a limited number of restaurants in Auckland.
The Carl's Jr brand, owned by United-States-based CKE Restaurants, offers a range of burgers and targets the younger market. It has partial table service, a made-to-order menu, all-you-can-drink beverage bars and breakfast menus.
CKE has placed a major emphasis on expanding its international operations with more than 400 restaurants in Mexico, the Middle East, Asia, Russia and Latin America.
Forsyth Barr broker Suzanne Kinnaird told the Otago Daily Times Carl's Jr was unlikely to have a significant effect on Restaurant Brands.
"The chain was founded in the 1950s but internationally, has only around 4% of the number of outlets of McDonalds - 10% including Hardee's, the other main brand in the CKE stable."
In the US, both chains offered some US-style quasi-Mexican menu items. Restaurant Brands had shown interest in Taco Bell in the past, she said.
The current New Zealand franchisee had plans for 25 outlets in New Zealand, and would retain rights to a number of Auckland outlets.
"We don't know at this stage how many Auckland outlets beyond the existing two it has rights to, nor the extent of Restaurant Brand's expansion plans for the chain," Ms Kinnaird said.
Restaurant Brands chief executive Russel Creedy released the group's third-quarter sales figures yesterday, which showed a fall to $71.9 million in the 12 weeks ended December 5. The fall was 3.1%, or $2.3 million, on the equivalent period last year.
The sales reduction was mainly attributed to store closures in Christchurch after the earthquakes and to the sale of Pizza Hut stores.
KFC total sales were up $500,000, or 0.9%, compared with a 6.2% increase in the previous corresponding period. Starbucks had an increase of 6.8% and Pizza Hut sales fell 1.6%.
The Christchurch earthquakes continued to adversely affect total sales during the quarter, Mr Creedy said.
Total estimated sales lost from the earthquake for the quarter were about $1.1 million.
Who, what and where is Carl's Jr?
• Carl's Jr is an American fast-food restaurant chain located mostly in the western and southwestern parts of the United States.
• The first store has opened in Canada. The chain is expanding to Mexico, Malaysia, Denmark, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Russia, Vietnam, Turkey and China.
• It was founded in 1941 by Carl N. Karcher, and is now owned by CKE Restaurants Inc.
• Carl Karcher's business was boosted with the opening of his first restaurant, Carl's Drive-In Barbeque. As this became successful, he opened up smaller chains of Carl's.
• In 1954, he changed the name to Carl's Jr and the fast-food chain took off.
• Combined with its sibling restaurant chain Hardee's, Carl's Jr is the fifth US fast food chain in size after Subway (33,000 locations), McDonald's (32,000) Burger King (11,500) and Wendy's (6700).
