Hamburger Mary's vs Checkers Drive-In Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Hamburger Mary's vs Checkers Drive-In including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
	Hamburger Mary's Franchise	Checkers Drive-In Franchise
Investment	$417,150 - $955,500	$259,000 - $1,431,000
Franchise Fee	$50,000	$30,000
Royalty Fee	4% (on first $150K monthly gross), 3% (on monthly gross above $150K)	4%
Advertising Fee	-	4.5%
Year Founded	1972	1986
Year Franchised	1999	1989
Term Of Agreement	5 years	20 years
Term Of Agreement	5 years	20 years
Renewal Fee	-	-
Business Experience Requirements
	Hamburger Mary's Franchise	Checkers Drive-In Franchise
Experience	Industry experience One partner must have bar/restaurant management experience	Industry experience General business experience
Financing Options
	Hamburger Mary's Franchise	Checkers Drive-In Franchise
	In-House/3rd Party	In-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees	No/No	No/Yes
Start-up Costs	No/Yes	No/Yes
Equipment	No/Yes	No/Yes
Inventory	No/Yes	No/Yes
Receivables	No/No	No/Yes
Payroll	No/Yes	No/Yes
Training & Support
	Hamburger Mary's Franchise	Checkers Drive-In Franchise
Training	-	On-The-Job Training: 160-220 hours Classroom Training: 32-40 hours Additional Training: In training restaurant
Support	Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations	Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection
Marketing	-	Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising
Operations	8% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 40 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)	-
Expansion Plans
	Hamburger Mary's Franchise	Checkers Drive-In Franchise
US Expansion	-	Yes
Canada Expansion	No	No
International Expansion	Yes	Yes

Company Overviews

About Hamburger Mary's

Started in San Francisco in 1972, Hamburger Mary's serves homestyle meals prepared using fresh and healthy ingredients, including low-fat beef, farm-fresh chicken and turkey, and salads, as well as desserts including carrot cake, snicker's pie and cheesecake. The restaurants include a full bar and a kids' menu.

About Checkers Drive-In

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. is the largest double drive-thru restaurant chain in the United States. Checkers develops, produces, owns, operates, and franchises quick service “double drive-thru” restaurants under the two brand names “Checkers" and “Rally’s Hamburgers". The restaurants are designed to provide fast and efficient automobile-oriented service and appeal to guests of all ages. The double drive-thru concept allows Checkers' and Rally’s Hamburgers to capitalize on the fact that approximately fifty percent of all quick-service food business is drive-thru. Guests can also enjoy a 1950’s flashback with walk-up ordering and outdoor dining in the outside picnic area at most locations.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Checkers Restaurant (excluding real estate and related costs) is: $780,000 to $1,431,000 for a new modular design single drive-thru restaurant; $320,500 to $787,000 for a site built, conversion or used modular drive-thru restaurant; $259,700 to $648,000 for an endcap strip-center and gas/convenience restaurant; and $254,000 to $514,000 for a Non-Traditional, Walmart or in-line restaurant in a high-density market. This includes $10,000 to $50,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate, plus $10,000 for each additional restaurant that you agree to develop under a development agreement.