Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. (Nasdaq: CHKR) reports that it has exercised its rights to purchase 8 restaurants in Georgia, located in Atlanta and Macon, from North Georgia Food Services II, LLC for the sum of $1,055,000. Checkers is also in the process of opening two additional company restaurants, which with this acquisition will boost Checkers® representation to 48 company-owned and operated and 18 franchised double drive-thru restaurants in the Atlanta/Macon markets.

"This was a great opportunity in a core market for us," says Daniel J. Dorsch, President and CEO. "We continue our examination of markets and the review of the best methods to improve system-wide operations, including acquisition of present franchise locations or re-franchising of non-strategic corporate operations. Atlanta is one of the company markets we have decided to grow because we have the people resources in place and the additional restaurants will improve our overhead allocation.''

"We instituted training efforts and optimized staffing levels in our Atlanta restaurants over the last year which have yielded a sales growth in excess of 12%," notes Adam Noyes, vice president of operations. "Most recent period sales have almost doubled that level of growth. These additional 8 locations give us the operational mass to drive operations and sales to that next level.''