Franchise

Checkers Drive In Corporate Office

Founded in 1986 by Jim Mattei, Checkers Drive-In is one of America’s largest drive-through restaurants. The company operates both Rally’s and Checker names and began as a Checkers Drive-In located in Mobile, Alabama. The companies merged in 1999.

The company was sold in 2014 to a private equity group, Sentinel Capital Partners. Checkers Drive-In is now headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Both Rallys and Checkers offer little or no seating areas but have double drive-throughs on both sides of the location. A few older locations have drive and park service.

Checkers was sold to another private equity group, Oak Hill Capital Partners, in 2017 for $525 million.

Checkers Drive-In offers standard American food such as hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, and milkshakes. As of 2014, the company had 784 locations.

In 2018, the company announced that it would be expanding into the Pittsburgh area with more than 2 dozen locations planned.

In December 2022, Checkers opened a new location in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The company maintains a corporate office in Tampa, Florida.

Checkers Drive In

History

Checkers was sold to another private equity group, Oak Hill Capital Partners, in 2017 for $525 million.

Checkers Drive-In offers standard American food such as hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, and milkshakes. As of 2014, the company had 784 locations.

In 2018, the company announced that it would be expanding into the Pittsburgh area with more than 2 dozen locations planned.

In December 2022, Checkers opened a new location in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The company maintains a corporate office in Tampa, Florida.

Great American Cookies Corporate Office

Great American Cookies was founded in 1977 by Michael Coles and Arthur Karp. Each partner invested $4,000 to open a store inside the Atlanta Premier mall. The basic recipe for the cookies was one that was used by Karp’s grandmother.

The original Atlanta store is still in operation today. While it was originally believed that the company would not do well outside of mall locations, the company now has 290 locations across the U.S., not all of them located in shopping malls. The company has been sold several times, most recently in 2010 to Global Franchise Group.

In October 2020, co-founder Michael Cole published a book about leadership.

Great American Cookies makes and sells gourmet cookies such as chocolate chip, white chocolate macadamia nut, and peanut butter cookies with M&M’s. The company also sells fudge brownies and cake cookies for special occasions.

Great American Cookies

History

In October 2020, co-founder Michael Cole published a book about leadership.

Blimpie Corporate Office

Blimpie was founded in 1964 in Hoboken, New Jersey. The company is a submarine sandwich shop with approximately 2,000 locations around the world. Almost all Blimpie locations are franchised.

Blimpie began testing a low calorie menu in 1989 that proved to be successful, but the company ran into difficult times in the 1990’s. After trying different concepts and products, Blimpie found success with Pasta Central in 1999, and Smoothie Island, a mixture of fresh fruit and fruit juice, in 1998.

In 2001, Blimpie was purchased by a private investor group for $25.7 million. A controlling interest by Kahala Corporation in 2013. Kahala Corp. has since changed their name to Kahala Brands.

Blimpie

Blimpie was founded in 1964 in Hoboken, New Jersey. The company is a submarine sandwich shop with approximately 2,000 locations around the world. Almost all Blimpie locations are franchised.

In 2001, Blimpie was purchased by a private investor group for $25.7 million. A controlling interest by Kahala Corporation in 2013. Kahala Corp. has since changed their name to Kahala Brands.

History

Long John Silver’s Corporate Office

Long John Silver’s was founded in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1969. The company operates a chain of fast and casual seafood restaurants. As of 2011, the company operates as part of LJS Partners, LLC.

Early style restaurants were known for their Cape Cod style buildings and blue roofs. Interiors featured items such as wooden ship wheels, floors that looked like gang planks, thick ropes, nets, and sword shaped door handles. The name of the restaurant, hence the style, was a pirate theme, after the novel Treasure Island.

Today, the company has 1,200 restaurant locations worldwide and employs more than 8,400 people. Long John Silver’s was once part of the Yum! brands but was sold to a group of franchises in 2011.

Long John Silver's

Long John Silver’s was founded in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1969. The company operates a chain of fast and casual seafood restaurants. As of 2011, the company operates as part of LJS Partners, LLC.

Today, the company has 1,200 restaurant locations worldwide and employs more than 8,400 people. Long John Silver’s was once part of the Yum! brands but was sold to a group of franchises in 2011.

History

Captain D’s Seafood Corporate Office

Captain D’s Seafood was founded in Donelson, Tennessee, in 1969. The company offers casual dining and a seafood menu which includes items such as hand battered fish filets, local fish entrees, seafood sandwiches, and regional favorites. The restaurant chain also serves cole slaw, French fries, green beans, and baked potatoes, along with other side dishes.

As of January of 2016, the company has 520 locations, most of these being franchise operations. The company went through bankruptcy proceedings in 2000. Since this time, the chain has been sold several times. In 2013, the company was sold to Centre Partners.

Captain D’s Seafood has received several awards, including National Restaurant News award for Best Menu Revamp in 2007 and other awards locally. The company has also seen 18 quarters of increased growth at almost all locations.

Captain D's Seafood