Checkers & Rally's Announces Free Meal Program for Medical Workers and First Responders at More than 250 Restaurants

The initiative to provide free meals to those on the front lines marks another step in Checkers & Rally's mission to give back to local communities

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Checkers & Rally's Restaurants, Inc.

Apr 17, 2020, 08:00 ET

TAMPA, Fla., April 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Checkers & Rally's, an iconic and innovative drive-thru restaurant chain known for its exceptional value, people-first attitude and "Crazy Good Food," announced today a new program starting Saturday, April 18, that offers free meals to medical workers and first responders at more than 250 company-owned Checkers & Rally's restaurants across the country.

Uniformed medical workers and first responders will receive a free small combo, which includes the choice of a Big Buford®, Baconzilla!®, Cheese Champ®, 5pc Classic Wings Combo, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Deep Sea Double®, Half-Pound Chicken Bites, Chili Dog or BBQ Bacon Roadhouse with small Famous Seasoned Fries and a small drink. Employees at the 250 company-owned restaurants will also receive a free small combo on days they work. Employees of the 250 company-owned restaurants, also considered essential workers, will receive a free small combo on days they work.

"It has been heartwarming to see amazing acts of kindness throughout our system by our franchise owners, team members and customers over the last few weeks," said Frances Allen, CEO of Checkers & Rally's. "It is more important now than ever before to focus on giving back and supporting the communities that have supported us for more than 30 years."

Several Checkers & Rally's franchisees have implemented programs to give back in their local markets. Joe Hertzman, owner of 32 Rally's restaurants in the Louisville, KY, market, recently partnered with Jefferson County Public Schools to donate over 164,800 meals to kids in need. He also made a $5,000 personal donation to be used toward Chromebooks for students, and he's working with the Boys and Girls Club of Kentuckiana to donate 4,800 meals. Bruce Keehn, who owns seven Checkers locations in New Jersey, has always provided free meals for first responders, but he recently donated 2,750 additional meals for various local organizations including Community Medical Center and Make-A-Wish Foundation. Retired NFL player Donnell Thompson, co-owner of six Birmingham Rally's locations, is offering free lunch five days a week to kids while they're out of school, as well as giving free meals to first responders.

In March, the Checkers & Rally's system announced a $100,000 donation through its partnership with No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to end childhood hunger in America, enough to provide up to one million meals to children in need.

"As a brand, we are fortunate to be faring better than a lot of other restaurants, thanks to our drive-thru model, closed kitchens, contactless procedures and the proven delivery program that we rolled out last year," said Allen. "At the end of the day, the brands that survive this will be the ones that take the extra step — not just to make their food convenient and safe to access — but to give back to the communities they serve. We have come together as a brand and look forward to coming out of this a stronger, more united Checkers & Rally's."

ABOUT CHECKERS & RALLY'S RESTAURANTS, INC.
Based in Tampa, Fla., Checkers & Rally's Restaurants, Inc., an iconic and innovative drive-thru restaurant chain known for its "Crazy Good Food," exceptional value, and people-first attitude, operates and franchises both Checkers® and Rally's® restaurants. With nearly 900 restaurants and room to grow, Checkers & Rally's is a proven brand with flexible building formats that is aggressively expanding across the country. Checkers & Rally's is dedicated to being a place where franchisees and employees who work hard can create opportunities for themselves, their families, and their communities. In recent years, the brand has earned several of the industry's most prestigious awards including: "#1 Most Craveable Fries" by Restaurant Business; Best Franchise Deal and "Best Drive-Thru in America" by QSR Magazine; Top Food and Beverage Franchise by Franchise Business Review; the "Hot! Again" award from Nation's Restaurant News and has consistently been ranked on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500. For more information about franchise opportunities with Checkers & Rally's, please visit www.checkersfranchising.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Hoch
No Limit Agency
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SOURCE Checkers & Rally's Restaurants, Inc.