How many Chesters Restaurant franchises were in operation as of December 31, 2007?
Chesters Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We currently have no parent companies or affiliates disclosable in this Item. As noted earlier, our predecessor for the CHESTER'S franchise program was the First Chester's. We acquired all existing CHESTER'S Agreements, the Marks, and related assets and obligations from the First Chester's by operation of law effective as of December 31, 2007, as a result of our merger with the First Chester's and another affiliate. We were the surviving entity in the merger. The First Chester's offered CHESTER'S Restaurant franchises from approximately March 1, 2004 through December 2007. There were 44 CHESTER'S Restaurant franchises in operation as of December 31, 2007. The First Chester's never offered franchises in any other line of business.
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, as of December 31, 2007, there were 44 Chesters Restaurant franchises in operation. The franchises were offered by The First Chester's from approximately March 1, 2004 through December 2007.
This information is relevant for prospective franchisees as it provides a historical snapshot of the franchise's growth and presence in the market. Knowing the number of operating franchises at a specific point in time can help potential franchisees understand the brand's development trajectory and market penetration. It also gives insight into the maturity of the franchise system.
It is important to note that the current franchisor, Chester's International, LLC, acquired the existing Chesters Agreements, Marks, and related assets and obligations from the First Chester's by operation of law effective as of December 31, 2007, as a result of their merger. This means that the 44 franchises operating at that time transitioned under the management of the new franchisor. This type of transition is not uncommon in franchising as brands evolve and consolidate.
Prospective franchisees should further investigate the performance and growth of these 44 franchises post-acquisition to assess the impact of the merger on the existing franchise network. Understanding the history and evolution of the franchise system is a crucial part of the due diligence process.