Checkers/Rally's Donates $135,000 to American Red Cross Katrina Relief Efforts Through Sale of NASCAR Combo Meals

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. , the nation's largest chain of double drive- thru restaurants, today announced that it is donating more than $135,000 to the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Checkers®/Rally's® raised these funds by donating $1 from every NASCAR® Combo meal sold between September 14th and October 16th at all Company-owned restaurants and select participating franchised locations.

"On behalf of Checkers/Rally's, I am proud to make this contribution to the American Red Cross, and I thank them for their tireless response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster," Adam Noyes, vice president of operations, Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., said in a press release. "I'd also like to thank our partners at NASCAR, our participating franchisees, and our guests who responded to this opportunity to help others in need."

In addition to the Red Cross donation, the Company announced today that it has raised more than $50,000 for the Checkers/Rally's Employee Relief Fund. Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. made an initial donation of $25,000 to commence the fund, and has since received generous donations from vendor partners, franchisees, employees and the public. Distributions from the fund have been made to dozens of Company and franchised employees impacted by the hurricane.

Checkers/Rally's now has 10 restaurants reopened in New Orleans and all of the 20 franchised locations in Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida that were closed due to Katrina have been reopened. The Company expects to reopen additional locations in New Orleans during the fourth quarter.