[4] The company has its roots in the Carrols hamburger restaurant chain which operated in parts of the U.S. beginning circa 1960.

The domestic locations were converted to Burger King restaurants beginning in 1975, though the brand survived in other parts of the world until as late as 2012 in Finland.

For a time following the 1975 conversion to Burger King, the company also owned the restaurant chains Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana.

During the 1960s, a yellow slug character served as Carrols' first mascot, replaced in 1974 by a young blonde boy wearing a tweed suit and a Fedora hat.

[6] Most Carrols restaurant locations were converted to Burger King franchises in 1975, with less profitable stores shuttered.

On January 16, 2024, Burger King and Popeyes owner Restaurant Brands International (RBI) announced that it would buy Carrols in an all-cash transaction worth approximately US$1.0 billion.

RBI said it intended to rapidly remodel 600 Carrols-owned Burger King locations to current company standards, and refranchise them back to smaller local operators.