Checkers Drive-In
Encyclopedia
Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. is the largest chain of double drive-thru restaurants in the United States
. In June 2006, the Company went private through a merger with Taxi Holdings Corp., an affiliate of Wellspring Capital Management
, a private equity firm.
The company operates more than 815 Checkers and Rally' s restaurants in 28 states and the District of Columbia with restaurants also operating in Israel and American Samoa. They specialize in hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, and milkshakes.
. Checkers was founded in 1986 in Mobile, Alabama
, and went public in 1991. Rally's was founded in Louisville, Kentucky
in 1985, with its first location in Jeffersonville, Indiana
. From 1996 to 1999, Rally's was owned by CKE Restaurants
, parent company of Carl's Jr.
and Hardee's
.
Checkers and Rally's nutritional information is available through the company website.
Rally's has not bought into the "healthification" of fast food that can be witnessed in other franchises that have altered their menus to include salads, fruits, or alternative low-calorie options to the standard burger and fries fare. In fact, their slogan history since 2000's groundbreaking "You Gotta Eat," combined with the prominent display of substantial caloric information in on-site materials communicate an unashamed, if not proud, rejection of recent trends toward healthful-mindedness.
In 1991, a then-unknown Seth Green
starred in a Rally's commercial, giving life to the now-famous "cha-ching" interjection.
In September 2007, ML Rogers, LLC., a Madison Ave. advertising agency, won the advertising rights for Checkers Restaurants. They completely restructured the advertising campaign. Among one of the many changes is their new slogan, "little place. BIG TASTE." which can be seen in commercials airing since October 2007.
Checkers Restaurants' in-house advertising and marketing team is led by Kris Miotke (Senior Director of Advertising) and Nick Riegel (Marketing & Advertising Manager).
In 2008 Checkers awarded " Vendor of the Year" awards to 3 of over 200 vendors for their help and support:
In 2007, the chain used a character called Rap Cat, a stuffed animal cat who performs a rap song about the chain. The ad campaign became popular after it was posted on YouTube
, becoming a viral video
. The company gave away paper bags patterned like a basketball jersey to be worn by cats, with slots to cut out for the legs and tail, and asked customers to post videos of their cat wearing it to a Rap Cat website. This received criticism from animal rights activists, though Checkers stated that the packaging was "intended only as a creative extension of our television campaign."
Drive-thrus with new, late-night hours use the slogan "Devour the Night!"
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In June 2006, the Company went private through a merger with Taxi Holdings Corp., an affiliate of Wellspring Capital Management
Wellspring Capital Management
Wellspring Capital Management is a private equity firm focused on leveraged buyout investments in middle-market companies across a range of industries....
, a private equity firm.
The company operates more than 815 Checkers and Rally
History
Originally separate companies serving different geographic areas, Checkers and Rally's Hamburgers, Inc. merged in August 1999. The joint company houses its headquarters in Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. Checkers was founded in 1986 in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, and went public in 1991. Rally's was founded in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
in 1985, with its first location in Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville is a city in Clark County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. Locally, the city is often referred to by the abbreviated name Jeff. It is directly across the Ohio River to the north of Louisville, Kentucky along I-65. The population was 44,953 at the 2010 census...
. From 1996 to 1999, Rally's was owned by CKE Restaurants
CKE Restaurants
CKE Restaurants, Inc. is the parent company of the Carl's Jr., Hardee's, Green Burrito, and Red Burrito restaurant chains. Its headquarters are in Carpinteria, California. It was incorporated in 1964 by Carl's Jr. founder Carl Karcher as Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc.- History :In 2007, it sold...
, parent company of Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr. is an American fast-food restaurant chain located mostly in the Western and Southwestern United States. The first store has opened in Canada in Kelowna, BC. They are in the process of expanding to Mexico, Malaysia, Denmark, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Russia, Vietnam,...
and Hardee's
Hardee's
Hardee's is a restaurant chain, located mostly in the Southeast and Midwestern regions of the United States. It has evolved through several corporate ownerships since its establishment in 1960. It is currently owned and operated by CKE Restaurants. Along with its sibling restaurant chain, Carl's...
.
Image
Checkers and Rally's had similar concepts, being almost exclusively drive-thru with very little seating. After the merger, Rally's began redesigning its restaurants to follow the Checkers look. Today, with the exception of a different name on the sign, Checkers and Rally's restaurants look nearly identical.Menu
The menus of the two restaurants are nearly identical, differing in that Checkers' menu includes additional hamburgers (including the Bacon Choice Champs).The Checkers menu grew in size to include Burgers, Chicken, Fish, Hot Dogs, Classic Wings, Drinks, Fries and Desserts. The chain's french fries are also served with a spicy coating.Checkers and Rally's nutritional information is available through the company website.
Rally's has not bought into the "healthification" of fast food that can be witnessed in other franchises that have altered their menus to include salads, fruits, or alternative low-calorie options to the standard burger and fries fare. In fact, their slogan history since 2000's groundbreaking "You Gotta Eat," combined with the prominent display of substantial caloric information in on-site materials communicate an unashamed, if not proud, rejection of recent trends toward healthful-mindedness.
Advertising and promotions
Checkers and Rally's slogan from 1999 to 2000 was "High performance Human Fuel" and was then "You gotta eat!" from 2000 to 2007. A rap jingle accompanied several of the ads using that slogan. Although they still say it in some commercials, the new slogan is "Little Place, Big Taste".In 1991, a then-unknown Seth Green
Seth Green
Seth Benjamin Green is an American actor, comedian, voice actor, and television producer. He is well known for his role as Daniel "Oz" Osbourne in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as Dr. Evil's son Scott in the Austin Powers series of comedy films, Mitch Miller in That '70s Show, and the voice of Chris...
starred in a Rally's commercial, giving life to the now-famous "cha-ching" interjection.
In September 2007, ML Rogers, LLC., a Madison Ave. advertising agency, won the advertising rights for Checkers Restaurants. They completely restructured the advertising campaign. Among one of the many changes is their new slogan, "little place. BIG TASTE." which can be seen in commercials airing since October 2007.
Checkers Restaurants' in-house advertising and marketing team is led by Kris Miotke (Senior Director of Advertising) and Nick Riegel (Marketing & Advertising Manager).
In 2008 Checkers awarded " Vendor of the Year" awards to 3 of over 200 vendors for their help and support:
- Schwartz Consulting Partners, Inc.
- Coca-ColaCoca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
- HME
In 2007, the chain used a character called Rap Cat, a stuffed animal cat who performs a rap song about the chain. The ad campaign became popular after it was posted on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, becoming a viral video
Viral video
A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email...
. The company gave away paper bags patterned like a basketball jersey to be worn by cats, with slots to cut out for the legs and tail, and asked customers to post videos of their cat wearing it to a Rap Cat website. This received criticism from animal rights activists, though Checkers stated that the packaging was "intended only as a creative extension of our television campaign."
Drive-thrus with new, late-night hours use the slogan "Devour the Night!"
Slogan history
- 1989-1997 "Well at Checker's/Rally's, You Still Can"
- 1989-1997 "Checker's Has It Right" (also known as "Rally's Has It Right")
- 1997-1999 "Fresh. Because we just made it."
- 1999-2000 "High performance Human Fuel"
- 2000-2007 "You gotta eat!"
- 2007–2011 "little place. BIG TASTE."
- 2009-2010 "Devour the night!"
- 2011–present "Feast On"