Does Chesters ever offer franchises for non-traditional locations?
Chesters Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The CHESTER'S Restaurant franchises offered in this disclosure document are primarily for Restaurants to be located within and operated as part of other existing retail businesses, such as convenience stores (our "Restaurant-in-Store" concept), although we occasionally offer franchises for CHESTER'S Restaurants to be located at food court, strip mall, or other non-traditional locations (such as sports arenas or stadiums). Certain information appearing in this disclosure document, for example, outlet information in Item 20, covers all CHESTER'S Restaurants, regardless of their locations, because they operate under the same brand and sell the same products. We distinguish between these types of locations when necessary.
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.
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, Chesters does offer franchises in non-traditional locations. Chesters Restaurants are primarily located within existing retail businesses, such as convenience stores, which they refer to as their "Restaurant-in-Store" concept. However, Chesters also occasionally offers franchises for locations in food courts, strip malls, or other non-traditional venues like sports arenas or stadiums.
From 2008 to 2014, Chesters also offered franchises for CHESTER'S CHICKEN ON THE FLY Restaurants. These were smaller, self-service kiosks located within existing retail spaces, but Chesters no longer offers this franchise and there were none in operation as of December 31, 2023.
In addition to traditional franchises, Chesters also offers licenses to qualified individuals or entities, allowing them to sell Chesters' menu items within their existing foodservice or restaurant operations, including supermarkets. These are known as CHESTER'S Licensed Restaurants. As of December 31, 2024, there were 253 CHESTER'S Licensed Restaurants operating in the United States.