The Great Franchisee: Jimy Patel, Checkers & Rally’s, Wilmington, DE

Jimy Patel has 15 years of experience working in the quick service restaurant segment. Patel started his career as an employee at Subway, where his boss gave him key insights into business ownership. From there, Patel went on to work with other iconic franchise brands, such as Taco Bell and Checkers* & Rally’s, of which he currently owns two. This summer, Patel is preparing to add another Checkers & Rally’s location to his portfolio with the acquisition of an existing location in Wilmington, Delaware.

1851 Franchise: Tell us your story – what did you do before franchising?

Jimy Patel: I have 15 years of experience working in operations with fast food restaurants like Taco Bell. This is my third Checkers & Rally’s location, as I have one in Pennsylvania and another in New Jersey. 

The location I purchased in Wilmington had a previous owner and management team and was closed for about one year. I’m excited to come in with a new perspective and revamp the location with my expertise. 

1851: How did you initially find out about franchising and what was your perception of franchising before becoming a franchise owner?

Patel: Before I worked in the fast food industry, I was looking for something in IT/business. There were only contract positions available, and it was really competitive to get a job. The food industry started calling me, and I worked at a Subway. I learned a lot from my boss there and began thinking about opening up my own restaurants. 

1851: How did you decide you wanted to be a franchisee?

Patel: The IT/business industry was competitive, so I started exploring options in fast food.

1851: How did you perform your research?

Patel: The owner at the Subway where I worked taught me a lot about franchising and how to successfully own your own business.

1851: Why did you pick Checkers & Rally’s? What excited you most about the potential?

Patel: Initially, while I was working at Taco Bell in Harrisburg, PA, there was a formerly closed McDonald’s. It was the perfect place for a burger restaurant, and it was something I really wanted to test out. I surveyed the area to see what people wanted, and Checkers was the winner because of their fries. It was a cheaper conversion, too, since the McDonald’s was previously located there.

1851: What are your dreams with the business? What does the future look like?

Patel: I’m looking forward to opening more Checkers in Delaware and bringing the community some different options when it comes to fast food.

1851: What advice would you have for others looking at buying a franchise?

Patel: Fast food is a tough industry. If you’re dedicated and open to experiencing challenges, you’ll be successful.

1851: What do you do in your personal time?

Patel: I use my free time as a time to learn more, develop business skills and research new business opportunities. 

ABOUT CHECKERS & RALLY’S RESTAURANTS, INC.

Based in Tampa, Fla., Checkers & Rally's Restaurants, Inc., an iconic and innovative drive-thru restaurant chain known for serving up wins to hardworking people with its craveable fun food, exceptional affordability, and commitment to the communities it serves. With more than 840 restaurants and room to grow, Checkers & Rally's is a proven brand with flexible building formats that is aggressively expanding across the country. Checkers & Rally's is dedicated to being a place where franchisees and employees who work hard can create opportunities for themselves, their families, and their communities. In recent years, the brand has earned several of the industry's most prestigious awards including: "#1 Most Craveable Fries'' by Restaurant Business in 2021; “Best Franchise Deal” and "Best Drive-Thru in America'' by QSR Magazine; “Top Food and Beverage Franchise” by Franchise Business Review; the "Hot! Again" award from Nation's Restaurant News, and the company has consistently been ranked on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500. For more information about Checkers & Rally’s, please visit www.checkers.com and for franchise opportunities, please go to www.checkersfranchising.com.