She Returns to the Fast-Food Franchise to Oversee Its Properties and Investments
Checkers and Rally’s will look to Stephanie Grant, the new director of real estate, to maximize current and future restaurant sites for the double-drive-through burgers-and-fries brand. Grant brings more than a decade of residential and commercial real estate experience to the position and returns to the fast-food brand after working with Yum! Brands.
“I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the brand’s vigorous growth. My journey with Checkers and Rally’s has allowed me to connect with the franchise community on another level, earning their trust and respect. Having these relationships has given me valuable insights into the brand’s needs and how to tackle the challenges of real estate management while optimizing our portfolio,” Grant said in a statement.
The fast-food brand is well-known in Florida and has always been a favorite of hers. When the opportunity arose to join the corporate staff and Grant met the internal team, the decision was a no-brainer. She says she’s excited to help the franchise expand across the country.
The fast-food brand’s leadership looks forward to Grant taking on this role. “Her ability to build strong relationships and her passion for real estate management make her an asset for our brand, and we look forward to her contributions to our continued growth and success, solidifying our position in the industry,” said Kris McDonald, vice president of development at Checkers and Rally’s.
Franchising and Real Estate
Grant says real estate is the foundation of the house, while the operations is the building itself. In her experience, franchise owners must have a strong foundation, or the rest won’t matter. Since convenience is a large part of what drives sales, Grant explains that consumers must be able to easily see and access the brand’s locations. The most important factors that candidates and franchisors should focus on in terms of real estate are visibility and an understanding of customer demographics.
She says the best thing about franchising is helping franchisees build and grow into the American Dream. Franchisees spend countless hours to ensure their businesses succeed, “and I love helping them achieve their dreams.” Her advice to business owners is to be as hands-on as possible because it will make all the difference.
About Checkers and Rally’s
Merged in 1999 to form one concept, Checkers and Rally’s primarily operates through a franchise model. Prospective franchise owners can develop locations on half the size of competing drive-through concepts. Checkers and Rally’s has a strategy of targeting select markets such as Wisconsin, Ohio, New York-New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Las Vegas, Arizona, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, according to a press release. The Tampa-based fast-food concept now has over 800 locations.
