Hartzog began his career in the food business as a bookkeeper at A&P Groceries. He later moved to Food Center Groceries in Memphis, Tennessee, as a manager. In 1964, he relocated to Houston to open 25 Hart's Kentucky Fried Chicken[1] restaurants within 2½ years. Colonel Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, signed up Hartzog as the last franchisee and considered him a friend. In 1968, Hartzog expanded his ventures by franchising 20 Roy Rogers Roast Beef restaurants in Texas, Arizona, California, and New York. Two years later, he acquired Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. In 1972, Hartzog started his own chicken restaurant chain, Hartz Chicken, which eventually grew to 45 stores across Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. He sold the chain in 1986 and retired in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.
