What is the difference between a CHESTER'S Restaurant franchise and a CHESTER FRIED® Total Program license?
Chesters Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Before the First Chester's began offering CHESTER'S Restaurant franchises on approximately March 1, 2004, our former affiliate, Giles Enterprises, Inc. ("Giles"), whose address was 2750 Gunter Park Drive West, Montgomery, Alabama 36121, licensed existing retail operators to operate quick-service chicken and sides restaurants similar to the Restaurant opportunity offered in our disclosure document in a program called the "CHESTER FRIED® Total Program" (the "Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants"). Giles began licensing operators to operate Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants in 1974; as of December 31, 2024, there were approximately 16 Operators of Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants remaining in the United States. Operators of Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants generally did not receive all the benefits of a CHESTER'S Restaurant franchise and also were not subject to all the same restrictions and obligations. For example, Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants did not pay a franchise or any other initial fee. Also, most Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants continue to operate under the "CHESTER FRIED®" name. We are now the licensor of those Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants. Operators of Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants have the right to convert their units to franchised Restaurants if they satisfy our standards for a CHESTER'S Restaurant franchisee. If they want to convert, they will sign our Agreement. There is no conversion agreement or similar document they must sign. In addition, in certain parts of the United States, we may continue allowing certain experienced foodservice operators, and chain accounts who already operate one or more Chester Fried Licensed
Restaurants, to develop and operate additional Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants. We generally anticipate doing so only when the experienced food-service operator or chain account prefers (for its own business reasons) not to acquire a CHESTER'S Restaurant franchise. With this exception, we focus on offering and granting CHESTER'S Restaurant franchises and CHESTER'S Licensed Restaurants (as described below). Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants will continue to operate for many years and might compete with you if they are located in the same geographic area where your Restaurant is located. We do not currently operate and have not operated any Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants or CHESTER'S Restaurants.
Source: Item 1 — THE FRANCHISOR, AND ANY PARENTS, PREDECESSORS, AND AFFILIATES (FDD pages 8–12)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Chesters's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a CHESTER'S Restaurant franchise and a CHESTER FRIED® Total Program license differ in several key aspects. The Chester Fried program, which began in 1974, was offered by Giles Enterprises, a former affiliate, before Chesters began offering CHESTER'S Restaurant franchises around March 1, 2004. As of December 31, 2024, approximately 16 Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants were still operating in the United States.
The document indicates that operators of Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants generally did not receive all the benefits of a CHESTER'S Restaurant franchise and were not subject to the same obligations. A significant difference is that Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants did not pay a franchise or any other initial fee. Furthermore, most of these licensed restaurants continue to operate under the "CHESTER FRIED®" name.
Chesters is now the licensor of these Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants, and these operators have the option to convert their units into franchised Restaurants if they meet Chesters' standards and sign the franchise agreement. In some parts of the United States, Chesters may continue to allow experienced foodservice operators and chain accounts already operating Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants to develop and operate additional licensed restaurants, particularly if they prefer not to acquire a CHESTER'S Restaurant franchise for their own business reasons. The FDD specifies that Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants will continue to operate for many years and might compete with a CHESTER'S Restaurant franchise if located in the same area.