Carlisle

What Carlisle does

Carlisle Corp is a family-owned, privately held hospitality and real estate development holding company founded in 1974 and headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. The company operates through four core subsidiaries: Wendelta, a Wendy's franchisee running over 220 restaurants across 11 states (Michigan, Ohio, Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee and beyond); Carlisle Restaurant Group, which owns and operates multiple fine dining establishments including Amelia Gene's and Fancy's Fish House; Carlisle Development Company, a full-service construction firm that has developed over $115 million of quick service restaurants and overseen $265 million of commercial developments; and One Beale, a mixed-use hospitality and retail anchor in Downtown Memphis encompassing Hyatt Centric, Caption by Hyatt (the brand's first U.S. location), and a 350-room Grand Hyatt under development as part of a $190 million project.

The business model spans quick-service restaurant franchising, owned fine-dining operations, hotel and hospitality development, and commercial real estate construction. Carlisle generates revenue primarily through franchisee-level restaurant sales at Wendelta's 220+ Wendy's locations, owned restaurant and hotel operations (particularly across the One Beale campus), and development and construction fees through Carlisle Development Company. Its geographic footprint is concentrated in the southeastern United States, with Wendelta spanning 11 states and One Beale serving as the flagship Memphis-based capital project that integrates entertainment, sports, South Main, and Mississippi River Front districts.

The company's customer base is dual-pronged: end consumers served through its restaurant and hotel operations, and brand/franchisor relationships — most importantly Wendy's and Hyatt — that grant the right to operate under their brands. Family ownership, currently in its third generation under CEO Chance Carlisle, has enabled multi-decade capital deployment across long-duration real estate cycles, exemplified by the phased One Beale master plan and sustained Wendy's franchise scaling. Carlisle has earned sustained Wendy's system recognition including the Dave Thomas Hall of Fame Award (2006) and Founder's Awards for both Gene Carlisle and Chance Carlisle.

Name

Carlisle

Legal name

Carlisle Corp

Website

https://carlislecorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Carlisle Corp is a family-owned Memphis-based hospitality and real estate holding company operating 220+ Wendy's franchises across 11 states, fine-dining restaurants, and the One Beale mixed-use development featuring multiple Hyatt-branded hotels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Carlisle Corp is a family-owned restaurant and hospitality business rooted in real estate development since 1974. Its core offerings are operated through four wholly-owned subsidiaries: Wendelta (Wendy's franchisee operating 220+ quick-service restaurants across 11 U.S. states), Carlisle Restaurant Group (owned fine dining establishments in the Memphis area), One Beale (a luxury mixed-use hospitality and retail development in Downtown Memphis featuring Hyatt hotels, restaurants, and residences), and Carlisle Development Company (full-service development and construction firm specializing in mixed-use and QSR projects with $115M+ in QSR development and $265M in commercial development oversight).

Product overview

Carlisle is a family-owned restaurant and hospitality business rooted in real estate development since 1974. The company operates through four main subsidiary brands: Wendelta (a pioneering Wendy's franchisee operating over 220 restaurants across 11 states), One Beale (a mixed-use hospitality and retail development in Downtown Memphis featuring hotels, restaurants, and residential units), Carlisle Restaurant Group (a hospitality development and management firm for fine dining establishments), and Carlisle Development Company (a full-service development and construction firm specializing in mixed-use and quick service restaurant developments). The portfolio spans quick-service restaurant franchising, full-service dining, hotel/hospitality development, and commercial real estate.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wendelta (Wendy's Franchise Operations) A pioneering Wendy's franchisee operating over 220 Wendy's quick-service restaurants across 11 states in the United States, serving individual consumers seeking fast, affordable meals. Operates under Wendy's Founder Dave Thomas's five core values: Quality Matters, Treat Everyone with Respect, Do the Right Thing, Profit is not a Dirty Word, and Give Back.
• One Beale A unique hospitality and retail experience within a high-end, luxury neighborhood situated in the center of the Mississippi River Front District of Downtown Memphis. Features the Hyatt Centric, Caption by Hyatt (first U.S. location), Grand Hyatt (350-room, $190M project), multiple restaurants, and residential units. Serves hotel guests, tourists, business travelers, and local diners.
• Carlisle Restaurant Group A hospitality development and management firm that owns and operates multiple fine dining establishments in the Memphis area, responsible for building and launching multiple brands and overseeing day-to-day operations to create unique, polished dining experiences for individual consumers.
• Carlisle Development Company A full-service development and construction firm specializing in mixed-use developments and quick service restaurants, serving commercial clients. Has developed and built over $115 million of quick service restaurants and overseen $265 million of commercial developments.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Hyatt (Hyatt Centric, Caption by Hyatt, Grand Hyatt)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarlisle is developing multiple Hyatt branded hotels at One Beale in Memphis including Hyatt Centric (opened 2021), Caption by Hyatt (first U.S. location), and Grand Hyatt (350-room, $190M project). The Hyatt Centric was named one of 2021's best new hotels in the US. This represents a major strategic hospitality partnership for luxury and boutique hotel development.
• Wendy'scoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWendelta is a pioneering Wendy's franchisee operating over 220 Wendy's restaurants across 11 states. As an award-winning franchisee, Wendelta operates under Wendy's brand values including Quality Matters, Treat Everyone with Respect, Do the Right Thing, Profit is not a Dirty Word, and Give Back.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Flynn Restaurant Group: The largest Wendy's franchisee in the U.S., operating hundreds of Wendy's alongside Taco Bell, Arby's, Pizza Hut, and Panera. Most directly comparable to Carlisle/Wendelta on franchise scale, multi-brand restaurant operations, and Wendy's system leadership.
• Meritage Hospitality Group: Multi-brand Wendy's and other casual dining franchisee with similar portfolio strategy. Comparable as a public franchise operator with substantial Wendy's unit count and accompanying real estate holdings.
• Wenco Restaurant Group: A large multi-state Wendy's franchisee operating as a core operator within the Wendy's system. Directly comparable to Wendelta on franchise operations, multi-state geography, and unit-level performance focus.
• Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises: Privately held multi-concept restaurant group operating numerous distinctive dining brands across major U.S. cities. Comparable to Carlisle Restaurant Group for its multi-brand fine dining/hospitality strategy and family-style ownership.
• Hillstone Restaurant Group: Privately held operator of high-end American restaurant concepts (Hillstone, Houston's, Bandera). Comparable to Carlisle Restaurant Group for upscale casual dining brand portfolio and polished hospitality positioning.
• Thompson Hospitality: One of the largest privately held restaurant and hospitality companies in the U.S., operating multiple restaurant brands and university/hospitality contracts. Comparable as a diversified, family-influenced multi-segment restaurant operator.
• RK Centers: Real estate investment and development firm specializing in mixed-use, retail, and restaurant-anchored properties. Comparable to Carlisle Development Company for QSR and commercial development specialization.

Broad incumbents

• Darden Restaurants: Public multi-brand full-service restaurant operator (Olive Garden, LongHorn, Capital Grille, Ruth's Chris). Relevant comparable to Carlisle Restaurant Group for fine dining operations and to the broader portfolio for multi-unit restaurant management expertise.

Regional players

• Ryman Hospitality Properties: Nashville-based hospitality REIT focused on large-scale group-oriented entertainment and hotel properties (Gaylord Hotels brand). Comparable to One Beale for large-scale, mixed-use hospitality-led real estate development in the Southeast U.S.

Others

• Hyatt Hotels Corporation: Strategic partner for Carlisle's One Beale hotels (Hyatt Centric, Caption by Hyatt, Grand Hyatt). Relevant as a hospitality ecosystem counterpart and benchmark for capital intensity and partnership economics in luxury hotel development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Carlisle.Corp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carlisle-corporation
• InstagramInstagram.com/carlisle.corp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Carlisle