On Friday, a Sanford Hardee's restaurant that was severely damaged by the April 16 tornadoes in North Carolina will reopen to the public.

The building at 3002 S. Horner Blvd. in the Southside Plaza shopping center sustained severe damage. The tornado blew out all of the restaurant's windows and ruined the air conditioning units attached to the roof. The store is directly across the street from the Lowe's Home Improvement store that was nearly demolished in the storm and sits between the Lowe's and other businesses like Big Lots and Tractor Supply Co. that sustained the heaviest damage.

Boddie-Noell Enterprises, the Rocky Mount-based Hardee's franchisee for the area, has had crews working around the clock since the day after the tornado to repair the damage and reopen the store.

“We want the community and our customers to know that we stand with them as many people and businesses are still hurting,” said Mike Boddie, president of Boddie-Noell’s restaurant division.

The restaurant will reopen at 11 a.m. on Friday. Boddie-Noell will donate 10 percent of the store's sales through May 15 to the Red Cross.

This week, Hardee's restaurants in our area are debuting a new premium Columbian Blend coffee, and they really want you to try it.

Rocky Mount-based Boddie-Noell Enterprises, which operates all of the Triangle Hardee's, is offering free 4 ounce sample cups "for the foreseeable future" throughout the day for dine-in customers.

In addition, large cups of coffee will be offered at a discounted price of 99 cents (instead of the regular $1.49). Seniors can get a small coffee for 59 cents with free refills. For now, there's no end date for the promotion.

If nothing else, Hardee's is hoping folks like the slogan for the campaign: "So good our biscuits are jealous."

Boddie-Noell Enterprises has blessed the latest TV ads for Hardee's, which feature a bikini-clad Miss Turkey promoting the fast-food chain's new turkey burger.

Rocky Mount-based Boddie-Noell is the country's largest Hardee's franchisee. The family owned business also is known for its conservative culture: Boddie-Noell bosses previously have refused to run other provocative Hardee's promotions in this market.

The new TV spots will begin airing Thursday night during the NCAA tournament games, said spokesman Rick Rountree. The ads promote Hardee's new line of "under 500-calorie" turkey burgers, which are an effort to attract customers seeking healthier fare.

Hardee's may be known for monster-size burgers with eye-popping calorie counts, but the chain is trying out a turkey burger that's a little more diet-concious.

The turkey burger will be available in Hardee's restaurants this week. In North Carolina, there are about 240 Hardee's, including about 25 in the Triangle.

Boddie-Noell, the Rocky Mount-based Hardee's franchisee for the area, started introucing the burgers today in Rocky Mount. It will be offering three turkey burger varieties in all of its stores by Wednesday, said chief marketing officer Jerry Allsbrook. There's a traditional burger with lettuce, tomato and all the normal toppings. There's a barbecue ranch version. And there's a mushroom and swiss version. Prices range from $2.99 to $3.49.

Well apparently, Tar Heel fans really love their chicken 'n biscuits.

Hardee's is extending its "Tar Heel Tender Tuesdays" for UNC basketball fans this year. The promotion, which was in effect during football season, offers customers at all 230 Hardee's locations across North Carolina a three-piece chicken tenders combo for $3.99 (normal price $5.89).

The offer is good win or lose every Tuesday through March 8. And, it's a good one to keep in mind for low-scoring games. Last month, Bojangles' introduced a deal where Tar Heel fans can get two sausage biscuits for $1 on the day after a home game in which the Tar Heels score 100 points or more (with presentation of your ticket stub).

Is there a brawl of the Carolina biscuit makers brewing? I guess only time will tell...

Fast food junkies will tell you that some of the most popular items at the drive-through were actually invented by franchisees. The Big Mac and Egg McMuffin, for instance, both originally came from single franchisees in the McDonald's chain.

Now Rocky Mount-based Boddie-Noell Enterprises is hoping that the Hardee's new Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders will soon be added to that list.

The tenders, which are dipped in buttermilk, breaded and fried fresh in restaurants, actually began in the kitchens of the Texas Steakhouse & Saloon chain, which is owned by Boddie-Noell. Along with owning the steakhouse chain, Boddie-Noell is also the largest single Hardee's franchisee, operating all of the Hardee's stores in the Triangle.

Boddie-Noell officials introduced the chicken tenders to Hardee's officials, who then added them to the menu. They will be in all Hardee's stores by the end of the month. The strips sell in three-piece and five-piece orders for $2.99 and $4.99, respectively, and come with honey mustard, creamy buffalo or ranch sauce. (There's a coupon here if you are planning to try them.)

It's not the first time Boddie-Noell chefs have influenced the national Hardee's menu. The local company is also responsible for the origination of the chain's Made from Scratch Biscuit campaign, which is now a cornerstone in Hardee's stores and advertising nationwide.

The parent corporation of the Hardee's fast-food chain agreed to a higher buyout offer over the weekend.

CKE Restaurants agreed to be acquired by affiliates of private equity firm Apollo Management for $694 million. The per-share price of $12.55 trumped the February bid from Thomas H. Lee Partners, which was worth about $619 million, or $11.05 per share.

CKE shares closed Friday at $12.85.

The new deal will put Hardee's and the Carl's Jr. chains in new hands. Hardee's was started in Greenville and was based in Rocky Mount for many years.

Rocky Mount-based Boddie-Noell Enterprises is the country's largest Hardee's franchisee, operating nearly 350 stores in four states.

Like the rest of the fast-food industry, California-based CKE has been hurt by consumers cutting back during the recession. CKE's fourth-quarter revenue fell nearly 5 percent.

The parent of the Hardee's fast-food chain reported weaker fourth-quarter sales as the economic slump and tougher competition hurt business.

CKE Restaurants, which last month agreed to be bought by a private equity firm, reported that revenue fell 5 percent in the quarter that ended Jan. 31 to $311.7 million. Sales at Hardee's outlets owned by CKE fell 2.5 percent.

CKE officials have until April 6 to solicit higher takeover offers, but the company's stock fell below the proposed takeover price today, suggesting that investors don't expect a better offer to come along.

The corporate parent of Hardee's, the restaurant chain with deep roots in eastern North Carolina, agreed to be bought by a private equity firm for about $928 million.

CKE Restaurants, which bought Hardee's in 1997, this morning announced the deal with Thomas H. Lee Partners LP.

CKE investors will receive $11.05 in cash for each share. That's 24 percent more than CKE's closing price of $8.91 on Thursday.

The company's shares jumped $2.26 to $11.17 in morning trading. That price suggests that investors expect a better price from Thomas Lee or another suitor.

As part of its deal, CKE has until April 6 to solicit better offers. Thomas Lee is a Boston-based buyout firm.

Many companies step up their efforts to give back around the holidays.

Life's optimists say it's just generosity to help the needy or less fortunate. Cynics point out the marketing benefits of doing good.

Whatever the motivation, on Saturday Café Carolina and Bakery will feed about 350 troops who are traveling through Raleigh-Durham International Airport to get home. The chain's employees will serve two meals, at 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., with USO of North Carolina.

"Café Carolina and Bakery is proud to support the service men and women of our country and always makes giving back to our community a top priority," said director of operations Ron Hines, in a prepared statement.

The restaurant chain has six locations in Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill, Greensboro and Charlotte. It's owned by Rocky Mount-based Boddie-Noell Enterprises, a family-run business that also is the country's largest Hardee's franchisee.