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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D. C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 30, 2002

OR

For the transition period from              to             

Commission file number 0-19649

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (813) 283-7000

Securities registered pursuant to 12(b) of the Act:

None

Securities registered pursuant to 12 (g) of the Act:

Common Stock

(Title of Class)

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  þ

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes  þ      No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2).

Yes  þ      No  ¨

The number of shares outstanding of the Registrant’s Common Stock as of February 24, 2003 was 12,274,486 shares. The aggregate market value of the voting stock of the Registrant held by non-affiliates of the Registrant at the close of business on June 17, 2002 (the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter) was $84.4 million. For purposes of the foregoing calculation only, all directors, executive officers and affiliated corporations through directors of the Registrant have been deemed affiliates.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Part III of this 10-K incorporates information by reference from the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement, which will be filed on or before April 29, 2003.

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CHECKERS DRIVE-IN RESTAURANTS, INC.

2002 FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT

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PART I

ITEM 1.    BUSINESS

General

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. (“Checkers”), a Delaware corporation, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) is in the business of operating and franchising Checkers and Rally’s Hamburgers restaurants. We are the single largest chain of double drive-thru restaurants in the United States. Our Company is a combination of two similar quick-service restaurant chains, Checkers and Rally’s Hamburgers (Rally’s), which were merged in August 1999. Both companies were founded on a simple premise—serve the highest quality food, made fresh-to-order, served quickly and at a fair price.

The Company has developed and owns a comprehensive system for developing and operating double drive-thru restaurants, which includes trademarks, building designs and layouts, equipment, ingredients, recipes and specifications for authorized food products, methods of inventory control and certain operational and business standards.

At December 30, 2002, there were 784 restaurant locations, consisting of 248 Company-owned restaurants and 536 franchisee-owned restaurants. Of the 784 locations, 386 are Rally’s restaurants operating in 17 different states and 398 are Checkers restaurants operating in 20 different states and the District of Columbia. Two of the owned restaurants are owned by joint venture partnerships in which we have a 51% and 75% ownership interest. Checkers was founded in 1986 and Rally’s was founded in 1985.

Our financial information, including the information contained in this report filed on Form 10-K; quarterly reports on Form 10-Q; current reports on Form 8-K; and any amendments to the above mentioned reports, may be viewed on the Internet at www.checkers.com. Copies are also available, without charge, from Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., Investor Relations, 4300 West Cypress Street, Suite 600, Tampa, FL 33607. Alternatively, reports filed with the SEC may be viewed or obtained at the SEC Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., or at the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov.

Recent Developments

On January 6-7, 2003, we closed four Rallys’ restaurants in and around Bakersfield, CA. On February 25, 2003, we closed two additional restaurants, one located in Philadelphia, PA and another in New Orleans, LA. The related impairment charges and lease reserves associated with these closings were reported in the financial statements for fiscal 2002 because management commenced its plan for closing the restaurants during fiscal 2002.

On March 19, 2003, the Company announced that it would repurchase up to 1.3 million shares of its common stock. The repurchase plan calls for the Company to repurchase common stock from time to time in the open market or in privately negotiated block purchase transactions at the discretion of management.

Concept and Strategy

The Company operates under two brands “Checkers^®” and “Rally’s Hamburgers^®”. The Company’s operating concept for both brands are very similar which includes: (i) offering a limited menu to permit the maximum attention to quality and speed of preparation; (ii) utilizing distinctive restaurant design that features a “double drive-thru” concept and creates significant curb appeal; (iii) providing fast service using a “double drive-thru” design for its restaurants and a computerized point-of-sale system that expedites the ordering and preparation process; and (iv) unique and great tasting quality food and drinks made fresh to order at a fair price. The Company’s primary strategy is to serve the drive-thru and take-out segment of the quick-service restaurant industry.

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Restaurant Locations

As of December 30, 2002, there were 248 Company-owned and operated restaurants in thirteen states (including two restaurants owned by joint venture partnerships in which we have interests of 51% and 75%) and 536 restaurants operated by our franchisees in 25 states and the District of Columbia. The following table sets forth the locations of each restaurant:

During fiscal 2002, 10 restaurants were opened or reopened, consisting of 8 franchisee operated restaurants and two Company-owned restaurants. During the same period, 47 restaurants were closed, consisting of 40 franchisee operated restaurants and seven Company-owned restaurants. Also during fiscal 2002, we reacquired or repossessed 23 restaurants from franchisees and sold 5 company-owned restaurants to franchisees. Our growth strategy for the next two years is to focus on the controlled development of additional franchised and company operated restaurants primarily in our existing core markets and to further penetrate markets currently under development by franchisees. We also intend to develop select international markets.

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Site Selection

The selection of a site for a restaurant is critical to its success. Management inspects and approves each potential Company-owned restaurant site prior to final selection of the site. In evaluating particular sites, we consider various factors including traffic count, speed of traffic, convenience of access, size and configuration, demographics and density of population, visibility and cost. We also review competition and the sales and traffic counts of national and regional chain restaurants operating in the area. The majority of Company-owned and operated restaurants are located on leased land and we intend to continue to use leased sites where possible.

Restaurant Design and Service

Our double drive-thru restaurants have a highly visible, distinctive and uniform look that is intended to appeal to customers of all ages. Restaurants are generally 760 to 980 sq. ft., which is less than one-fourth the size of the typical restaurants of the four largest quick-service hamburger chains. New and many existing restaurants are moveable modular buildings. Our experience is that the building component of a modular restaurant generally costs less than comparably built outlets using conventional, on-site construction methods. Our restaurants, due to their small size, require only 18,000 to 25,000 square feet of land area, which is approximately one-third to one-half the land area used by the four largest quick service hamburger chains. As a result of the small size of the restaurant building, our restaurants generally require a smaller capital investment and have lower occupancy and operating costs per restaurant than traditional quick-service competitors. The size of the facility also permits somewhat greater flexibility with respect to the selection of prospective sites for restaurants.

The Rally’s standard restaurant presents a distinctive design which conveys a message of “clean and fast” to the passing motorist. The Checkers standard restaurant is designed around a 1950’s diner and art deco theme with the use of white and black tile in a checkerboard motif, glass block corners, a protective drive-thru cover on each side of the restaurant supported by red aluminum columns piped with white neon lights and a wide stainless steel band piped with red neon lights that wraps around the restaurant as part of the exterior decor. Both Rally’s and Checkers’ restaurants utilize a “double drive-thru” concept that permits simultaneous service of two automobiles from opposite sides of the restaurant. Although a substantial portion of the Company’s sales are made through its drive-thru windows, service is also available through walk-up windows. While the restaurants normally do not have an interior dining area, most have parking and a patio for outdoor eating. The patios contain canopy tables and benches, are well landscaped and have outside music in order to create an attractive and “fun” eating experience. Although each sandwich is made-to-order, the Company’s objective is to serve customers within 30 seconds of their arrival at the drive-thru window. Each restaurant has a computerized point-of-sale system which displays each individual item ordered in front of the food and drink preparers. This enables the preparers to begin filling a second order before the prior order is completed and totaled, thereby increasing the speed of service to the customer and the opportunity to increase sales per hour. It also provides better inventory and labor costs control and permits the monitoring of sales volumes and product utilization.

The Company’s restaurants are generally open from 12 to 15 hours per day, seven days a week, for lunch, dinner and late-night snacks and meals.

Menu

Extensive research and focus group testing indicates customers recognize the uniqueness and superior quality of our food over other competing quick-serve restaurant food products. The signature flavors and distinctive products that our menus offer keep people coming back, again and again.

The menu at Checkers is a hamburger product line including the original ¼ pound Champ Burger^®, a fully dressed and seasoned “made-to-order” burger, all white-meat chicken sandwiches, all beef hotdogs—including chili-cheese dogs, Checkers Famous Fries^™, Coca-Cola soft drinks, super thick shakes and ice cold soft-serve treats. The menu at Rally’s is a hamburger product line including the signature Big Buford^®, a fully dressed

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double cheeseburger, all white-meat chicken sandwiches, all beef hot dogs—including chili-cheese dogs, Rally’s seasoned fries, Coca-Cola soft drinks, super thick shakes and ice cold soft-serve treats. The limited menus are designed to deliver quality, a high taste profile and unmatched speed of delivery. We are engaged in product development research and seek to enhance variety through many, limited time only product promotions throughout the year.

Marketing Program

Our award winning marketing campaign focuses on our customers demanding lifestyles: carting several kids to-and-from sporting events, longer workdays, shorter lunch hours, pursuing numerous personal hobbies and interests, etc. With all these demands, a lot of meals are eaten while on the run. However, one fact remains constant—you gotta eat. That’s the premise we used as the blueprint to build our marketing campaign. We took those three words and made them our tagline, “You Gotta Eat^SM”. The campaign developed was music driven and centered around an energetic, singable, can’t-get-it-out-of-your-head song, with a message that resonated with our expanded target audience while capturing the flavor and personality that Checkers and Rally’s has long been known for with its loyal customer base. But not just a television advertising campaign, we put “You Gotta Eat^SM” on everything—cups, bags, wrappers, crew uniforms, and anything that had to deal with our brands. The campaign has proven to be very successful. When the campaign is launched in a given market, same restaurant sales have quickly and significantly moved up positively in an industry segment that remains relatively flat. Our markets continue to be on television more than ever before. We will continue to build on the tagline “You Gotta Eat^SM” in 2003 and beyond. Our updated 2003 advertising campaign creatively utilizes our extensive consumer research into how and why our customers seek Checkers and Rally’s to satisfy their appetite. Television is the primary medium for our advertising campaign, but it is also promoted through print, radio, point-of-purchase and outdoor signage.

Purchasing

All restaurants purchase food, beverages and supplies from Company-approved suppliers. All products must meet our standards and specifications, and management constantly monitors the quality of the food, beverages and supplies provided to the restaurants.

We believe that our continued efforts over time have achieved cost savings, improved food quality and consistency and helped decrease volatility of food and supply costs for the restaurants. All essential food and beverage products are available or, upon short notice, could be made available from alternate qualified suppliers. Among other factors, our profitability is dependent upon our ability to anticipate and react to changes in food costs. Various factors beyond our control, such as climate changes and adverse weather conditions, may affect food costs.

Management and Employees

A typical restaurant employs approximately 20 hourly employees, many of whom work part-time on various shifts. The management staff of a typical restaurant operated by the Company consists of a General Manager, one Assistant Manager and two Shift Managers. A General Manager is generally required to have prior restaurant management experience, preferably within the quick-service industry, and reports directly to an Area Manager. The Area Manager typically has responsibility for eight to ten restaurants and for assuring that each Company-owned restaurant consistently delivers high-quality food and service. Area Managers, in most cases, report to District Directors. The Company has an incentive compensation program for Area Managers and restaurant level managers that provides for a monthly bonus based upon the achievement of certain sales and profit goals.

As of December 30, 2002, we employed approximately 4,500 employees, substantially all of which were restaurant personnel. Most employees other than restaurant management and certain corporate personnel are paid on an hourly basis. We believe the Company provides working conditions and wages that are comparable with

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those of other companies within the quick-service restaurant industry. We also believe we have good employee relations. None of the Company’s employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

Supervision and Training

Each new franchisee and restaurant manager attends a comprehensive training program. The program was developed by the Company to enhance consistency of restaurant operations and is considered by management as an important step in operating a successful restaurant. During this program, the attendees are taught certain basic elements that we believe are vital to the Company’s operations and are provided with a complete operations manual, together with training aids designed as references to guide and assist in the day-to-day operations. In addition, hands-on experience is incorporated into the program by requiring each attendee, prior to completion of the training course, to work in an existing Company-operated restaurant. In addition, continuing training classes for both Company-operated and franchise restaurant personnel have been developed. After a restaurant is opened, we continue to monitor the operations of both franchised and Company-operated restaurants to assist in the consistency and uniformity of operation.

We also employ Franchise Business Consultants, who have been fully trained by us, to assist franchisees in implementing our operating procedures and policies once a restaurant is open. As part of these services, the Franchise Business Consultants rate the restaurant’s hospitality, food quality, speed of service, cleanliness and maintenance of facilities. The franchisees receive a written report of the Franchise Business Consultant’s findings with deficiencies, if any noted, and recommended procedures to correct such deficiencies.

Restaurant Reporting

Each Company-owned restaurant has a computerized point-of-sale system coupled with a back office computer. With this system, management is able to monitor sales, labor and food costs, customer counts and other pertinent information. The information gathered allows management to better control labor utilization, inventories and operating costs. Each system at Company-owned restaurants, and many at our franchise restaurants, are polled daily by our corporate office.

Joint Venture Restaurants

As of December 30, 2002, there were two restaurants owned by separate general partnerships in which we own interests of 51% and 75%. These restaurants are consolidated in our financial statements. We are the administrative partner of both joint venture restaurants and as such we receive a fee for management services of 1% to 2.5% of gross sales. In addition, both joint venture restaurants pay the standard royalty fee which is 4% of gross sales.

Inflation

Food and labor costs are significant inflationary factors in the Company’s operations. Many of our employees are paid hourly rates related to the statutory minimum wage; therefore, increases in the minimum wage increase the Company’s costs. In addition, some of our leases require us to pay base rents with escalation provisions based on the consumer price index, percentage rents based on revenues, and to pay taxes, maintenance, insurance, repairs and utility costs, all of which are expenses subject to inflation. We have generally been able to offset the effects of inflation to date through small menu price increases. There can be no assurance that we will be able to continue to offset the effects of inflation through menu price increases.

Working Capital

The restaurant industry in general, operates with a working capital deficit because most of our investments are in long-term restaurant operating assets. We do not normally require large amounts of working capital to

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maintain operations since sales are for cash, purchases are on open accounts and meat and produce inventories are limited to a three-to-five day supply to assure freshness. We do not have significant levels of accounts receivable or inventory, and we receive credit from our trade suppliers. Funds available from cash sales not needed immediately to pay our trade suppliers are used for non-current capital expenditures.

We ended fiscal 2002 with working capital of $5.3 million as compared to $2.5 million deficit at December 31, 2001. The change in liquidity was primarily due to the repayment of the current portion of $1.5 million of 14% debt, operating cash flows, and additional capital contributions of $2.6 million from the exercise of options and warrants into 1,402,874 shares of common stock.

Seasonality

The seasonality of restaurant sales due to consumer spending habits can be significantly affected by the timing of advertising, competitive market conditions and weather related events. While restaurant sales for certain quarters can be stronger, or weaker, there is no predominant pattern.

Franchise Operations

Strategy.    We encourage controlled development of franchised restaurants in our existing markets, as well as in certain additional states. The primary criteria considered by us in the selection, review and approval of prospective franchisees are the availability of adequate capital to open and operate the number of restaurants franchised and prior experience in operating quick-service restaurants. Franchisees operated 536, or 68%, of the total restaurants open at December 30, 2002. In the future, our success will continue to be dependent upon our franchisees and the manner in which they operate and develop their restaurants to promote and develop the Checkers and Rally’s concepts and our reputation for quality and speed of service.

Although we have established criteria to evaluate prospective franchisees, there can be no assurance that franchisees will have the business abilities or access to financial resources necessary to open the number of restaurants the franchisees currently anticipate to open in 2003, or that the franchisees will successfully develop or operate restaurants in their franchise areas in a manner consistent with our concepts and standards. We have registered our trademarks in various foreign countries in the event we develop additional international markets. The most likely format for international development is through the issuance of master franchise agreements and/or joint venture agreements. The terms and conditions of these agreements may vary from the standard area development agreement and franchise agreement in order to comply with laws and customs different from those of the United States.

Franchisee Support Services.    We maintain a staff of well-trained and experienced restaurant operations personnel whose primary responsibilities are to help train and assist franchisees in opening new restaurants and to monitor the operations of existing restaurants. These services are provided as part of the Company’s franchise program. Upon the opening of a new franchised restaurant by a franchisee, we typically send a team to the restaurant to assist the franchisee during the first four days that the restaurant is open. This team monitors compliance with the Company’s standards as to quality of product and speed of service. In addition, the team provides on-site training to all restaurant personnel. This training is in addition to the training provided to the franchisee and the franchisee’s management team described under “Restaurant Operations—Supervision and Training” above. We also employ Franchise Business Consultants (“FBC’s”), who have been fully trained by the Company to assist franchisees in implementing the operating procedures and policies of the Company once a restaurant is open. As part of these services, the FBC rates the restaurant’s hospitality, food quality, speed of service, cleanliness and maintenance of facilities. The franchisees receive a written report of the FBC’s findings, with deficiencies, if any, and noted, recommended procedures to correct such deficiencies.

Franchise Agreements.    The franchise agreement grants to the franchisee an exclusive license at a specified location to operate a restaurant in accordance with the Checkers and Rally’s systems and to utilize the

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Company’s trademarks, service marks and other rights of the Company relating to the sale of its menu items. The term of the current franchise agreement is generally 20 years. Upon expiration of the franchise term, the franchisee will generally be entitled to acquire a successor franchise for the restaurants on the terms and conditions of the Company’s then current form of franchise agreement if the franchisee remains in compliance with the franchise agreement throughout its term and if certain other conditions are met, including the payment of a fee equal to 25% of the then current franchise fee.

In some instances, we grant to the franchisee the right to develop and open a specified number of restaurants within a limited period of time and in a defined geographic area (the “Franchised Area”) and thereafter to operate each restaurant in accordance with the terms and conditions of a franchise agreement. In that event, the franchisee ordinarily signs two agreements, an area development agreement and a franchise agreement. Each area development agreement establishes the number of restaurants the franchisee is to construct and open in the Franchised Area during the term of the area development agreement (normally a maximum of five years) after considering many factors, including the residential, commercial and industrial characteristics of the area, geographic factors, population of the area and the previous experience of the franchisee. The franchisee’s development schedule for the restaurants is set forth in the area development agreement. The Company may terminate the area development agreement of any franchisee that fails to meet its development schedule.

The franchise agreement and area development agreement require that the franchisee select proposed sites for restaurants within the franchised area and submit information regarding such sites to us for our review, although final site selection is at the discretion of the franchisee. We do not arrange or make any provisions for financing the development of restaurants by our franchisees. Each franchisee is required to purchase all fixtures, equipment, inventory, products, ingredients, materials and other supplies used in the operation of its restaurants from approved suppliers, all in accordance with the Company’s specifications. We provide a training program for management personnel of our franchisees at our corporate office. Under the terms of the franchise agreement, the Company has mandated standards of quality, service and food preparation for franchised restaurants. Each franchisee is required to comply with all of the standards for restaurant operations as published from time to time in the Company’s operations manual.

We may terminate a franchise agreement for several reasons including the franchisee’s bankruptcy or insolvency, default in the payment of indebtedness to the Company or suppliers, failure to maintain standards set forth in the franchise agreement or operations manual, continued violation of any safety, health or sanitation law, ordinance or governmental rule or regulation or cessation of business. In such event, we may also elect to terminate the franchisee’s area development agreement.

Franchise Fees and Royalties.    Under the current franchise agreement, a franchisee is generally required to pay application fees, site approval fees and an initial franchise fee together totaling $30,000 for each restaurant opened by the franchisee. If a franchisee is awarded the right to develop an area pursuant to an area development agreement, the franchisee typically pays the Company a $5,000 development fee per restaurant, which will be applied to the franchise fee as each restaurant is developed. Each franchisee is also generally required to pay the Company a semi-monthly royalty of 4% of the restaurant’s gross sales (as defined) and to expend certain amounts for advertising and promotion.

Competition

Our restaurant operations compete in the quick-service industry, which is highly competitive with respect to price, concept, quality and speed of service, location, attractiveness of facilities, customer recognition, convenience and food quality and variety. The industry includes many quick-service chains, including national chains which have significantly greater resources than the Company that can be devoted to advertising, product development and new restaurants, and which makes them less vulnerable to fluctuations in food, paper, labor and other costs. In certain markets, we will also compete with other quick-service double drive-thru hamburger chains with operating concepts similar to the Company. The quick-service industry is often significantly affected

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by many factors, including changes in local, regional or national economic conditions affecting consumer spending habits, demographic trends and traffic patterns, changes in consumer taste, consumer concerns about the nutritional quality of quick-service food and increases in the number, type and location of competing quick-service restaurants. We compete primarily on the basis of speed of service, price, value, food quality and taste. All of the major chains have increasingly offered selected food items and combination meals, including hamburgers, at temporarily or permanently discounted prices. Increased competition, additional discounting and changes in marketing strategies by one or more of these competitors could have an adverse effect on the Company’s sales and earnings in the affected markets. In addition, with respect to selling franchises, we compete with many franchisors of restaurants and other business concepts.

Trademarks and Service Marks

We believe that our rights in our trademarks and service marks are important to our marketing efforts and a valuable part of our business. We own a number of trademarks and service marks that have been registered, or for which applications are pending, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office including but not limited to: “Rally’s Hamburgers^®”, “One of a Kind Fries^®”, “Big Buford^®”, “Checkers^®”, “Checkers Burger·Fries·Colas^®”, “Champ Burger^®” and “You Gotta Eat^SM”. It is the Company’s policy to pursue registration of its marks whenever possible and to vigorously oppose any infringement of its marks.

Foreign Operations

The Company receives royalties from franchisees in a foreign market. Royalty revenues recorded for fiscal 2002 were approximately $3,000 for Israel. All of the franchise locations in Puerto Rico and Israel were closed during 2002.

Government Regulation

The restaurant industry is subject to numerous federal, state and local government regulations, including those relating to the preparation and sale of food and building and zoning requirements. In addition, the Company is subject to laws governing its relationship with employees, including minimum wage requirements, overtime, working and safety conditions and citizenship requirements. Many of our employees are paid hourly rates based upon the federal and state minimum wage laws. Recent legislation increasing the minimum wage has resulted in higher labor costs to the Company. An increase in the minimum wage rate, employee benefit costs or other costs associated with employees could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operation.

The Company is also subject to extensive federal and state regulations governing franchise operations and sales which impose registration and disclosure requirements on franchisors in the offer and sale of franchises and in certain cases, dictating substantive standards that govern the relationship between franchisors and franchisees, including limitations on the ability of franchisors to terminate franchisees and alter franchise arrangements.

Environmental Matters

The Company is subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws. These laws govern discharges to air and water from the Company’s restaurants, as well as handling and disposal practices for solid and hazardous waste. These laws may impose liability for damages for the costs of cleaning up sites of spills, disposals or other releases of hazardous materials. The Company may be responsible for environmental conditions relating to its restaurants and the land on which the restaurants are located or were located, regardless of whether the restaurants or land in question are leased or owned and regardless of whether such environmental conditions were created by the Company or by a prior owner, tenant, or other third party.

We are not aware of any environmental conditions that would have a material adverse effect on our businesses, assets or results of operations taken as a whole. We cannot be certain that environmental conditions

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relating to prior, existing or future restaurants will not have a material adverse effect on the Company. Moreover, there is no assurance that: (1) future laws, ordinances or regulations will not impose any material environmental liability; or (2) the current environmental condition of the properties will not be adversely affected by tenants or other third parties or by the condition of land or operations in the vicinity of the properties.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this Form 10-K under “Item 1. Business,” “Item 3. Legal Proceedings”, “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in this Form 10-K constitute “forward-looking statements” which we believe are within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Also, when we use words such as “believes”, “expects”, “anticipates” or similar expressions, we are making forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of the risks that should be considered include:

(i)  The fact that we compete with numerous well established competitors who have substantially greater financial resources and longer operating histories than us, which enables them to engage in heavy and sustained discounting as well as substantial advertising and promotion. While this competition is already intense, if it increases, it could have an even greater adverse impact on revenues and profitability of company and franchise restaurants.

(ii)  The fact that we anticipate the need to continue the improvement in same restaurant sales if we are to achieve improved profitability. Sales increases will depend, among other things, on the success of our advertising and promotion efforts and the success of other operating and training initiatives, all of which are speculative.

We may also be negatively impacted by other factors common to the restaurant industry such as changes in consumer tastes away from red meat and fried foods; consumer acceptance of new products; consumer frequency; increases in the costs of food; paper, labor, health care, workers’ compensation or energy; an inadequate number of available hourly paid employees; and/or decreases in the availability of affordable capital resources; development and operating costs. Other factors which may negatively impact the Company include, among others, adverse publicity; general economic and business conditions; availability, locations, and terms of sites for restaurant development; changes in business strategy or development plans; quality of management; availability, terms and deployment of capital; the results of financing efforts; business abilities and judgement of personnel; availability of qualified personnel; changes in, or failure to comply with, government regulations; continued NASDAQ listing; weather c