1
                                                                  EXHIBIT 23.6

                   [HOULIHAN LOKEY HOWARD & ZUKIN LETTERHEAD]



July 2, 1996



                    Consent of Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin


We consent to the use in the Registration Statement of CKE Restaurants, Inc.
and in the Proxy Statement of Summit Family Restaurants Inc. of our opinion to
the Board of Directors of Summit Family Restaurants Inc., dated June 26, 1996,
and to the references to us in the Supplement, dated July 2, 1996, to the
Summit Proxy Statement and to the CKE Restaurant, Inc. Prospectus.


Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin, Inc.
Los Angeles, California



By  /s/ WILLIAM EPSTEIN 
   ---------------------------
   William Epstein
   Sr. Vice President