If purchasing an existing Checkers restaurant from the franchisor, what additional fee is required?
Checkers Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ted pursuant to a separate agreement between us and you or your Affiliate for multi-unit development of Restaurants (a "Development Agreement"), the initial franchise fee is subject to any applicable credit of a portion of the development fee against the initial franchise fee in accordance with the provisions of the relevant Development Agreement. If this Agreement is executed in connection with your purchase of an existing Restaurant from us or our Affiliate, then you must also pay us an asset transfer fee of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) in addition to the initial franchise fee, payable on or before closing of your purchase of the Franchised Restaurant's assets. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if this Agreement is executed in connection with your independent purchase of (or other receipt of transferred ownership interests in) the Franchised Restaurant's assets from a third party owner, then you will not pay us an initial franchise fee, but we must have received (on or before the Effective Date) the full amount of any associated transfer fee that was due to us in connection with that transaction.
The initial franchise fee (and asset transfer fee, if applicable) is fully earned by us as of the Effective Date and is non-refundable, except that we may provide you a refund of fifty percent (50%) of the initial franchise fee paid to us if: (a) you (i) are unable to obtain a site acceptable to us within the Designated Area for the Franchised Restaurant within the time period prescribed in Section 3.02, or (ii) despite having expended good faith best efforts (as we determine in our sole judgment), have not obtained all necessary permits, licenses
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 91–92)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Checkers' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, if a franchisee purchases an existing Checkers restaurant directly from Checkers or its affiliate, they must pay an asset transfer fee of $10,000 in addition to the initial franchise fee. This fee is due on or before the closing date of the asset purchase.
However, if the franchisee independently purchases the Checkers restaurant's assets from a third-party owner, they will not be required to pay Checkers an initial franchise fee. Instead, Checkers must receive any associated transfer fee that was due in connection with that transaction on or before the effective date.
The initial franchise fee and asset transfer fee (if applicable) are considered fully earned by Checkers as of the effective date and are non-refundable. There is an exception where Checkers may refund 50% of the initial franchise fee if the franchisee is unable to secure an acceptable site within the designated area within a specified timeframe, or cannot obtain the necessary permits and approvals despite good faith efforts. In such cases, both the franchisee and their owners must execute general releases of any claims against Checkers.