When Robert Ruggieri acquired a Checkers & Rally’s location in the Price Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati, he saw a strong foundation and room to elevate the site’s performance. With steady traffic and strong local familiarity, the store was a prime candidate for investment.
“We loved the area and owned the real estate, so we wanted to invest in it,” says Ruggieri, managing member of Synergy Restaurant Group and owner of 14 Checkers & Rally’s restaurants across multiple states. That investment came through the brand’s reimage program, which gave the store a complete refresh, bringing the site up to modern standards from signage and parking to new menuboards.
Since the reimage, the store’s performance has dramatically improved. What had once been an $800,000-a-year location is now on pace for $1.2 million. “That’s a 50 percent increase,” says Ruggieri. “And it’s holding.” He estimates that $200,000 of that increase translates to additional cash flow annually, with the total investment sitting around $300,000. “The math is simple, and with results like that, we’d do it again all day long.”
Checkers & Rally’s is betting more franchisees will feel the same. After completing 17–18 reimages last year, the company is targeting 40 in 2025, positioning the program as a cost-efficient growth tool at a time when construction costs remain high.
According to JLL Research, projected construction costs are expected to rise between 5–7 percent in 2025, and for operators looking to upgrade aging assets, this reimage program offers a lower-risk path to boosting unit performance while staying aligned with today’s economic realities.
For Ruggieri, the financial return was only part of the value. The reimage shifted how the store functioned within the neighborhood. Customers regularly commented that while they had always loved the food, the store now “felt better” to visit. He also noticed a surge in employee applications. “We’re getting so many now that we can be more selective and even share applicants with other stores nearby,” Ruggieri says. “It’s helped us level up across the board.”
This ripple effect—from customer perception to hiring—has made the program even more appealing. But the economics remain at the core. Ruggieri emphasized the importance of managing payback periods in today’s environment, where building from the ground up can easily cross into the million-dollar range. “If you can do a full reimage for $300,000 and start seeing results in year one, that’s a smart use of capital,” Ruggieri says.
In addition to reimages, Checkers & Rally’s has two build options: a 1,008-square-foot double drive-thru model and a 570-square-foot single drive-thru. Both are designed to reduce startup costs, fit on smaller parcels, and streamline operations.
Ruggieri said the smaller footprint has made a big difference in site selection and scalability. “We can get onto lots that other brands can’t,” he says. “And with a more compact store and no dining room, it’s easier to operate with a smaller team.”
Ruggieri notes the support Checkers & Rally’s provided throughout the reimage process was hands-on when needed but never overbearing. “They pointed us toward the right vendors and checked in occasionally, but let us take the lead,” he says. “That worked well for how we like to operate.”
With another reimage slated for Ashland, Kentucky, and new builds under consideration, Ruggieri said the program has proven its value. “If you can park capital in something that gives you strong ROI, makes your employees more content, your customers happier, and even revitalizes the neighborhood, it’s a smart place to invest.”
To learn more about the Checkers & Rally’s reimage program and new franchise opportunities, visit their website.
By Drew Filipski
