TAMPA Fla. The parent of the Checkers and Rally's brands said it is offering two new building prototypes to franchisees that move away from the chains' signature double drive-thru format.
The two new building styles -- an end-cap store for strip malls and an in-line store for urban areas -- will allow the brands to expand into areas where double drive-thrus don't make sense, officials of Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc. said.
The end-cap model will feature in-store seating and a single drive-thru, and the in-line store will have no drive-thru at all, Checkers said.
"As a franchisor, we understand the challenges franchisees face with rising real estate costs and limited site opportunities in some parts of the country," Michael Arrowsmith, Checkers' senior vice president of development, said in a statement. "By now offering multiple building plans, we are able to access new venues, and many times at lesser costs."
Checkers officials estimated that the cost to build the new prototypes would range from $350,000 to $475,000, excluding real estate. That compares with the $700,000 to $800,000 needed to build a standard standalone unit.
Checkers officials indicated, however, that the double drive-thru would remain the primary driver of expansion for both brands.
Checkers operates or franchises 830 Checkers and Rally's units in 29 states and the District of Columbia.