Has Checkersrallys registered the materials for which it claims copyright protection?

According to the 2025 Checkersrallys Franchise Disclosure Document, Checkersrallys claims copyright protection for its Operations Manual and printed advertising and promotional materials. However, Checkersrallys has not registered these materials with the U.S. Copyright Office.

While copyright protection exists automatically upon creation of a work, registration provides additional legal benefits, such as the ability to sue for infringement and to claim statutory damages and attorney's fees. The absence of registration means that Checkersrallys may face limitations in enforcing its copyright claims.

As a prospective franchisee, it's important to understand that Checkersrallys considers certain information, such as recipes, site selection criteria, marketing programs, supplier information, operating results, and computer systems, as trade secrets and proprietary information. Franchisees are obligated to protect this information and may be liable for unauthorized use or disclosure. While Checkersrallys does not have registered copyrights, they do require franchisees to disclose any materials created in connection with the franchise, which Checkersrallys can then deem their property.