Checkers
This drive-in fast food chain is more popular in the Southeast, whereas its sister company, Rally’s, is popular in the Midwest. However, the two are basically the same restaurant. Rally’s was founded in 1986, and Checker’s was founded the year after that. In 1999, they merged and their dual headquarters are in Tampa, Florida. In 2017, Oak Hill Capital purchased Checkers for $525 million and in 2018, Checkers announced it was expanding into Pittsburgh. To have more profitability for the new expansion, it is closing some of its Southeast locations.
KFC
Colonel Sanders founded Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in 1930, when he began selling his famous recipe at a Kentucky roadside stand during the Great Depression. He knew KFC would be great for franchising, so he franchised it back in 1952. It became a direct challenge to fast-food places like McDonald’s which only served burgers and fries. In 2020, KFC is closing down dozens of branches as it aims to increase profitability. The company is struggling to maintain dominance in the chicken market due to businesses like Chick-fil-A and Popeye’s which directly compete with their products.