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Do operators of Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants receive all the benefits of a Chesters Restaurant franchise?

Chesters Franchise · 2025 FDD

Answer 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, operators of Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants do not generally receive all the benefits of a Chesters Restaurant franchise and are not subject to the same restrictions and obligations. As of December 31, 2024, there were approximately 16 operators of Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants remaining in the United States. These licensed restaurants also did not pay a franchise or any other initial fee. Most of these locations continue to operate under the "CHESTER FRIED®" name.

Chesters offers operators of Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants the option to convert their units into franchised Restaurants if they meet the company's standards for a Chesters Restaurant franchisee and sign the standard 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, typically when these operators prefer not to acquire a full Chesters Restaurant franchise for their own business reasons.

It's important to note that Chester Fried Licensed Restaurants will continue to operate and may compete with franchised Chesters Restaurants if they are located in the same geographic area. However, Chesters anticipates that any competition from CHESTER'S Licensed Restaurants would not be substantial because CHESTER'S Restaurant franchises are more fully developed, branded units that implement various marketing initiatives, while CHESTER'S Licensed Restaurants involve only prepared products sold as "impulse-buy" items.

Disclaimer: This information is extracted from the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document and is provided for research purposes only. It does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decisions.