Farmer Boys vs Checkers Drive-In Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
	Farmer Boys Franchise	Checkers Drive-In Franchise
Investment	$1,042,500 - $2,486,500	$259,000 - $1,431,000
Franchise Fee	$45,000	$30,000
Royalty Fee	5%	4%
Advertising Fee	3%	4.5%
Year Founded	1981	1986
Year Franchised	1997	1989
Term Of Agreement	20 years	20 years
Term Of Agreement	20 years	20 years
Renewal Fee	-	-
Business Experience Requirements
	Farmer Boys Franchise	Checkers Drive-In Franchise
Experience	Industry experience General business experience	Industry experience General business experience
Financing Options
	Farmer Boys Franchise	Checkers Drive-In Franchise
	In-House/3rd Party	In-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees	No/Yes	No/Yes
Start-up Costs	No/Yes	No/Yes
Equipment	No/Yes	No/Yes
Inventory	No/No	No/Yes
Receivables	No/No	No/Yes
Payroll	No/No	No/Yes
Training & Support
	Farmer Boys Franchise	Checkers Drive-In Franchise
Training	On-The-Job Training: 480 hours Classroom Training: 60 hours	On-The-Job Training: 160-220 hours Classroom Training: 32-40 hours Additional Training: In training restaurant
Support	Purchasing Co-ops Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform	Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection
Marketing	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social media SEO Loyalty program/app	Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising
Operations	20% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 30 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)	-
Expansion Plans
	Farmer Boys Franchise	Checkers Drive-In Franchise
US Expansion	Yes	Yes
Canada Expansion	No	No
International Expansion	No	Yes

Company Overviews

About Farmer Boys

During the 1970s, brothers Makis and Chris Havadjias worked in restaurants to earn money for college. They helped the owners of one of those restaurants rebuild the establishment, and later bought it. With the experience they gained at that first restaurant, the brothers bought a poorly performing restaurant in Perris, California, that they built into Farmer Boys. With the help of their three other brothers, the Havadjias expanded Farmer Boys throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties in Southern California. Each location serves hamburgers, sandwiches, salads and a full breakfast menu. The company began franchising in 1998.

#128 in Franchise 500 for 2021. Not ranked in 2020.

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.