factual

What kind of pre-opening guidance does Checkers provide to franchisees regarding locating and developing the Franchised Restaurant?

Checkers Franchise · 2025 FDD

Answer from 2025 FDD Document

assistance.

Pre-Opening Obligations

We will provide the following pre-opening assistance:

  1. We will provide guidance to you in locating and developing the Franchised Restaurant as we deem appropriate. (Franchise Agreement, Sections 3.02 and 3.03);

If you have suggested a location for the Franchised Restaurant which we approve before or concurrently with the execution of the Franchise Agreement, the location will be identified in the Franchise Agreement. If we and you have not agreed upon an approved location for the Franchised Restaurant before signing the Franchise Agreement, then you must select a site for the Franchised Restaurant within the geographic area we designate ("Designated Area"). You must, within 180 days after the date of the Franchise Agreement, locate and submit for our approval a site acceptable to us within the Designated Area for the Franchised Restaurant. We will approve or disapprove each site that you propose according to our general criteria for selection of a Checkers Restaurant or Rally's Restaurant site. The site must meet our criteria for demographic characteristics; traffic patterns; parking; character of neighborhood; competition from, proximity to, and nature of other businesses; size; appearance; and other physical and commercial characteristics. We will use reasonable efforts to help analyze your market area, to help determine site feasibility, and to assist in designating the location, although we will not conduct site selection activities for you. We will provide you with our standard site selection criteria and on-site evaluations of sites, as we deem appropriate. If you enter into a Development Agreement with us, you must select sites within your specified Development Area and we will approve them in accordance with our then current criteria for selection of a Checkers Restaurant or Rally's Restaurant site.

Before you acquire, by lease or purchase, any site for your Restaurant, you must submit a franchise site package to us in the form, content and substance as we then require. We will review each site package and determine whether to accept or reject the site after considering factors we deem appropriate, including the general location and neighborhood, demographic information, traffic patterns, access, visibility, location of other restaurants and food establishments, and size, configuration, appearance and other physical characteristics of the site. We will use reasonable efforts to approve or disapprove the proposed site within 30 days after receiving your written proposal. Upon our approval of a site, we will insert the address into Exhibit B of the Franchise Agreement, and it will be the Premises. Within 60 days after our approval of a site for the Premises, you agree to deliver a copy of the fully signed lease, sublease or purchase contract and the franchise addendum to lease agreement. In some cases, we may sublease the Premises to you, but we do not typically do so.

You must apply for all requisite government approvals and permits to develop the Premises within 60 days after you sign the proposed lease, sublease or purchase agreement. You must complete construction or installation of the Franchised Restaurant within 180 days from receipt of all government approvals and permits.

Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 46–57)

What This Means (2025 FDD)

According to Checkers' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Checkers will provide franchisees with guidance in locating and developing their franchised restaurant as Checkers deems appropriate. If the franchisee suggests a location that Checkers approves either before or when the Franchise Agreement is executed, that location will be identified in the Franchise Agreement.

If an approved location isn't agreed upon before signing the Franchise Agreement, the franchisee must select a site within a designated geographic area within 180 days of the Franchise Agreement date. The selected site is subject to Checkers' approval based on criteria such as demographic characteristics, traffic patterns, parking, neighborhood character, competition, size, appearance, and other physical and commercial characteristics. While Checkers will offer reasonable efforts to help analyze the franchisee's market area and determine site feasibility, they will not conduct site selection activities for the franchisee. Checkers will provide their standard site selection criteria and on-site evaluations as they deem appropriate.

Before a franchisee can acquire a site, they must submit a franchise site package to Checkers in the required form and content. Checkers will review the package, considering factors like location, neighborhood, demographics, traffic patterns, access, visibility, nearby establishments, and the site's physical characteristics. Checkers will use reasonable efforts to approve or disapprove the proposed site within 30 days after receiving the franchisee's written proposal. Upon approval, the site address will be added to the Franchise Agreement. Within 60 days of site approval, the franchisee must provide a copy of the fully signed lease, sublease, or purchase contract, along with the franchise addendum to the lease agreement. Franchisees must apply for all necessary government approvals and permits to develop the premises within 60 days after signing the lease, sublease, or purchase agreement. Construction or installation must be completed within 180 days of receiving all government approvals and permits, and the restaurant must open within 14 days after construction completion, or 19 days if the franchisee received training support.

Disclaimer: This information is extracted from the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document and is provided for research purposes only. It does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decisions.