What is the required action for Checkers franchisees regarding advertising materials not prepared by the franchisor?
Checkers Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
| TYPE OF FEE Local Advertising Fee (see Notes 5 and 6) | AMOUNT The difference between the current NPF contribution rate and 4.5% of your Net Sales. | DUE DATE Must be spent on advertising and promotion during each of your fiscal quarters. | REMARKS (See Note 1) If your Franchised Restaurant is located in a geographical area where we have not established an advertising cooperative, then, we may require you contribute to an advertising purchasing collective that we establish and control. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery Administration Fee | 2% of the total price charged to a customer that orders certain approved food, beverage and other items ("Delivered Products") from a third-party delivery service provider approved by us (each a "DSP"). | Bi-monthly. | Payable only if you are eligible to provide delivery services, elect to provide delivery and enter into the delivery services participation agreement (the "Delivery Program"). See Note 7. |
| Order Ahead Program Administration Fee | 2% of the total price charged to a customer that orders certain approved food, beverage and other items (the "Order Ahead Products") from our optional "Order Ahead Program." | Bi-monthly. | Payable only if you are eligible and elect to enter the Order Ahead Program, which allows customers to pre-order the Order Ahead Products for pick-up from Restaurants. See Note 8. |
| Marketing, Advertising, Promotional and Point-of-Purchase ("POP") Materials | Actual costs, which may vary per Restaurant based on merchandising capacity and the materials you request. | Payable monthly. | Advertising materials not prepared by us must be submitted for approval prior to distribution. |
Source: Item 6 — OTHER FEES (FDD pages 21–30)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Checkers' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must submit any advertising materials not prepared by the franchisor for approval before they can be distributed.
This requirement ensures that all advertising and promotional efforts align with Checkers' brand standards and marketing strategies. By mandating prior approval, Checkers maintains control over the messaging and imagery used to represent the brand, helping to protect its reputation and consistency across all locations.
For a prospective franchisee, this means that any local advertising initiatives or materials they wish to create independently must first be vetted and approved by Checkers. This process may involve submitting the materials to the franchisor for review, potentially requiring revisions to meet their standards. Franchisees should factor in the time and potential costs associated with this approval process when planning their local advertising campaigns.