Checkers & Rally's Has Tasty Success

Checkers & Rally’s did much more than serve up some tasty eats throughout 2015; the iconic and innovative drive-thru restaurant chain also closed out Q2 with astounding growth.

“Franchisees continue to flock to the Checkers & Rally’s system thanks to our dedication to exciting growth potential, magnetic culture and strong consumer proposition,” said Jennifer Durham, vice president of franchise development for Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc. “From industry newcomers to franchise veterans, people recognize the unique opportunity to grow with our brand, and appreciate our focus on franchisee and franchisor alignment.”

Currently clocking in at over 800 restaurants and with still plenty of room to grow, Checkers & Rally’s is much more than a striking brand presentation—there are plenty of numbers to back up the all-American restaurant concept. The company has the lowest initial investment of the HQSR category while yielding best-in-class returns. In fact, average unit volumes increased by more than $150 thousand per restaurant over a four-year period, resulting in a 3 percent increase in average profits.

With drive-thru service averaging 50 seconds faster than ever, the quarter’s vast growth is surely a reflection of various operational improvements enacted by Checkers & Rally’s. Modifications including restaurant reimages for greater curb appeal, utilization of new data systems, scorecards to measure operational execution and a focus on faster service are credited as key contributors to the quarter’s dramatic uptick in growth.

Checkers & Rally’s is also looking to continue expanding its stake in the late-night dining category. Noticing a demand from its customers for after-hours fare, the brand is planning on more deliberately catering to night owls.

“We’ve also doubled down on providing our late-night guests with what they crave most,” Durham said. “We revamped our menu to better align with what guests want, and it’s resulted in our late-night business doubling. Twenty percent of our business now happens after 10 p.m.”

Building a menu off a foundation of bold flavor and unbeatable value, customers and franchisees alike have been resonating with Checkers & Rally’s in a big way. Guests are drawn to the brand’s constant menu innovation and product development, and franchisees are attracted to the repeat customers, with 85 percent of current franchisees planning to grow with the company.

Aside from its commitment to excellence in the kitchen and beyond, the reason why Checkers & Rally’s was voted No. 1 fast-food restaurant and No. 1 multi-unit restaurant concept in franchise satisfaction by the Franchise Business Review is clear– the company owns and operates restaurants alongside its franchisees, meaning it has even more reason to focus on costs, margins and promotions.

“We share the same values as our franchisees because we’re right there with them,” Durham said.

It’s this unique insight into what its franchisees want and need that has allowed Checkers & Rally’s to sign nearly 100 new franchisees in the last three years. The brand opened almost 40 new restaurants during 2014, and already has up to 50 in the pipeline for 2015.

Still, Checkers & Rally’s continues to search for passionate franchisees who wish to expand with the company. With over 2,000 locations available in new markets across the U.S., there remain plenty of opportunities for forward-thinking entrepreneurs to find out what current franchisees already know: Checkers & Rally’s is a cut above the competition.