The company is partnering with BreadTalk Group Ltd. and Aspac F&B International Pte Ltd. to open franchises in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjan, as well as the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu, China. BreadTalk has 199 bakery outlets, including 83 company-owned sites in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand. Aspac is already a licensee in Singapore and Malaysia with 10 Carl's Jr. restaurants.

Richard Tan, chairman of Aspac, said in a statement that Chinese diners want American food options. "In the last five years or so, we have seen a significant rise in the demand for overseas premier brands in the quick-serve industry due to irreversible rising consumerism and economic conditions." A CKE spokesperson could not be reached in time for comment for this story.

Currently, CKE franchises 294 international units of both Carl's Jr. and Hardees, and plans to open its 300th restaurant on foreign soil during the second quarter of the fiscal year. Overall, the company has more than 3,000 franchised, licensed or company-operated restaurants in 42 states and 13 countries.