Checkers & Rally to debut ‘restaurant of the future’ design
Checkers & Rally's iconic drive-thru restaurants are getting a design update.
The first restaurant with the new design will be located in Lakeland, Fla., with construction expected to be completed by early summer 2021. The design rollout is a key piece of the brand's aggressive five-year growth plan that will be funded by the $20 million capital injection that was announced earlier this month from private equity firm and company owner Oak Hill Capital Partners IV. After the first reimage is opened this summer, the brand plans to perfect the design based on learnings, and then rollout the model to its existing restaurant base as well as new company and franchisee restaurant development in the fall.
The “restaurant of the future” design will bring a bold, contemporary style to Checkers & Rally's locations while honoring the brand's iconic image, the company said. It also has been created to provide better experiences at the walk-up windows, patios, and drive-thrus. At the same time, the restaurant's interior has been arranged for greater employee comfort, easier order taking and efficient service.
Similar to Checkers & Rally's current modular buildings, the new design fits on a smaller real estate footprint than most other quick-serve concepts, and the interior has been engineered for efficiency and speed.
"As an organization, we believe we have the opportunity to create big and small wins for our guests, employees, and communities every day, and this new building helps us do just that," said Frances Allen, president and CEO of Checkers & Rally's, which had 836 locations. "The new external design and reimagined kitchen will make it easier for us to serve hot, delicious food quickly for frictionless guest experiences. Our employees will be empowered to do a great job with new equipment in a building they can be proud of, and our new restaurants will be a bright, fun, stress-free places where members of our communities can feel appreciated and respected."
In 2020, the company added more than 70 locations to its pipeline, and approved 40 new franchisees to join our system.
“Moreover, we have plenty of room to grow, with 3x white space in our existing markets and opportunities to expand to new markets as well,” Allen said.