In 1961, George R. Johnson became interested in a young restaurant company based in Rocky Mount, North Carolina…Hardee’s Food Systems. After much consideration, he purchased franchise rights to several counties in the Athens, Cleveland and Chattanooga areas and opened his first Hardee’s on White Street in Athens, Tennessee in 1966, just five and a half years after the first Hardee’s was opened by Wilbur Hardee in North Carolina. In 1967 the first Cleveland Hardee’s opened for business on Keith Street which was across the street from the current location. Many Clevelanders remember this location as the North Turn of the cruising route used by teens and young adults in the late 60’s and 70’s.
Today, J&S Restaurants continues to be a customer-driven company, with 42 Hardee’s locations throughout East Tennessee and Northwest Georgia along with plans for several more.
George R. Johnson left a strong legacy that we are proud to say is being carried on today by his family. An award-winning company founded more than fifty years ago by an ambitious citizen of Cleveland, Tennessee. We are proud of our heritage and the numerous awards we receive yearly for our biscuits. We make them from scratch every morning because that’s the way you make biscuits.
We LOVE Our Biscuits!
J&S Restaurants is truly a homegrown and locally-based food services company with a long tradition of excellence!
Come be a part of our team!
