BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Overview

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings”) is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Costa Mesa, California. Holdings and its direct and indirect subsidiaries are collectively known as “we,” “us” or the “Company.” The Company's activities are conducted principally through its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, El Pollo Loco, Inc. (“EPL”), which develops, franchises, licenses, and operates quick-service restaurants under the name El Pollo Loco® and operates under one operating segment. At September 26, 2018, the Company operated 212 and franchised 271 El Pollo Loco restaurants.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial statements and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments consisting of normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company's consolidated financial position and results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. Interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved for the full year. The condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes do not include all information and footnotes required by GAAP for annual reports. This quarterly report should be read in conjunction with the condensed consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2017.

The Company uses a 52- or 53-week fiscal year ending on the last Wednesday of the calendar year. In a 52-week fiscal year, each quarter includes 13 weeks of operations; in a 53-week fiscal year, the first, second and third quarters each include 13 weeks of operations, and the fourth quarter includes 14 weeks of operations. Every six or seven years, a 53-week fiscal year occurs. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 are both 52-week years, ending on December 27, 2017 and December 26, 2018, respectively. Revenues, expenses, and other financial and operational figures may be elevated in a 53-week year.

On July 13, 2018, the Company refinanced its credit agreement with Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, swingline lender, and letter of credit issuer, the lenders party thereto, and the other parties thereto, (the "2014 Revolver"), pursuant to a credit agreement (the "2018 Credit Agreement") among EPL, as borrower, the Company and EPL Intermediate, Inc. (“Intermediate"), as guarantors, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, swingline lender, and letter of credit issuer, the lenders party thereto, and the other parties thereto, which provides for a $150.0 million five-year senior secured revolving facility (the “2018 Revolver”). Under the 2018 Revolver, Holdings may not make certain payments such as cash dividends, except that it may, inter alia, (i) pay up to $1.0 million per year to repurchase or redeem qualified equity interests of Holdings held by past or present officers, directors, or employees (or their estates) of the Company upon death, disability, or termination of employment, (ii) pay under its income tax receivable agreement (the “TRA”), and, (iii) so long as no default or event of default has occurred and is continuing, (a) make non-cash repurchases of equity interests in connection with the exercise of stock options by directors, officers and management, provided that those equity interests represent a portion of the consideration of the exercise price of those stock options, (b) pay up to $0.5 million in any 12 month consecutive period to redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire equity interests of any subsidiary that is not a wholly-owned subsidiary from any holder of equity interest in such subsidiary, (c) pay up to $2.5 million per year pursuant to stock option plans, employment agreements, or incentive plans, (d) make up to $5.0 million in other restricted payments per year, and (e) make other restricted payments, subject to its compliance, on a pro forma basis, with (x) a lease-adjusted consolidated leverage ratio not to exceed 4.25 times and (y) the financial covenants applicable to the 2018 Revolver.

Holdings has no material assets or operations. Holdings and Holdings’ direct subsidiary, Intermediate, guaranteed EPL’s 2014 Revolver and guarantees the 2018 Revolver on a full and unconditional basis (see Note 4), and Intermediate has no subsidiaries other than EPL. EPL is a separate and distinct legal entity and has no obligation to make funds available to Intermediate. EPL and Intermediate may pay dividends to Intermediate and to Holdings, respectively.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Holdings and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and revenue and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. The Company’s significant estimates include estimates for impairment of goodwill, intangible assets and property and equipment, insurance reserves, lease termination liabilities, closed-store reserves, stock-based compensation, income tax receivable agreement liability, contingent liabilities and income tax valuation allowances.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly-liquid instruments with an original maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents.

Liquidity

The Company’s principal liquidity requirements are to service its debt and to meet capital expenditure needs. At September 26, 2018, the Company’s total debt (including capital lease liabilities) was $71.2 million. The Company’s ability to make payments on its indebtedness and to fund planned capital expenditures depends on available cash and its ability to generate adequate cash flows in the future, which, to a certain extent, is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory, and other factors that are beyond the Company’s control. Based on current operations, the Company believes that its cash flow from operations, available cash of $8.1 million at September 26, 2018, and available borrowings under the 2018 Revolver will be adequate to meet the Company’s liquidity needs for the next twelve months from the filing of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

Recovery of Securities Class Action Legal Expense

During the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 26, 2018, the Company received insurance proceeds of $2.0 million and $6.1 million, respectively, related to the reimbursement of certain legal expenses paid in prior years for the defense of securities lawsuits. See Note 7, Commitments and Contingencies, Legal Matters.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2017-09, "Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718)—Scope of Modification Accounting", ("ASU 2017-09") which provides clarity, reduces diversity in practice, and reduces cost and complexity when applying the guidance in Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, regarding a change to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. Specifically, an entity is to account for the effects of a modification, unless all of the following are satisfied: (1) the fair value (or calculated value or intrinsic value, if such an alternative measurement method is used) of the modified award is the same as the fair value (or calculated value or intrinsic value, if such an alternative measurement method is used) of the original award immediately before the original award is modified; (2) the vesting conditions of the modified award are the same as the vesting conditions of the original award immediately before the original award is modified; and (3) the classification of the modified award as an equity instrument or as a liability instrument is the same as the classification of the original award immediately before the original award is modified. The Company adopted ASU 2017-09 in the first quarter of fiscal 2018, and this adoption did not result in any impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, "Business Combinations (Topic 805)—Clarifying the Definition of a Business", ("ASU 2017-01") clarifying the definition of a business. ASU 2017-01 clarifies the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with the evaluation of whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The Company adopted ASU 2017-01 in the first quarter of fiscal 2018, and this adoption did not result in any impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, "Restricted Cash", ("ASU 2016-18"). ASU 2016-18 addresses the diversity in practice that exists regarding the classification and the presentation of changes in restricted cash on the statements of cash flows under Topic 230, Statements of Cash Flow, and other Topics. The amendments in ASU 2016-18 require that amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and the end-of-period total amounts set forth on the statements of cash flows. The Company adopted ASU 2016-18 in the first quarter of fiscal 2018, and this adoption did not result in any impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, "Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments", ("ASU 2016-15"). ASU 2016-15 addresses how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statements of cash flows under Topic 230, Statements of Cash Flow. The Company adopted ASU 2016-15 in the first quarter of fiscal 2018, and this adoption did not result in any impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, "Financial Instruments – Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities", ("ASU 2016-01"). The pronouncement requires equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting, or those that result in consolidation of the investee) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income, requires public business entities to use the exit price notion when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes, requires separate presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities by measurement category and form of financial asset, and eliminates the requirement for public business entities to disclose the method(s) and significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value that is required to be disclosed for financial instruments measured at amortized cost. The Company adopted ASU 2016-01 in the first quarter of fiscal 2018, and this adoption did not result in any impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)", ("ASU 2014-09") which supersedes nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under GAAP. The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is to recognize revenues when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 defines a five-step process to achieve this core principle and, in doing so, more judgment and estimates may be required within the revenue recognition process than are required under existing GAAP.

The revised revenue standard was effective for public entities for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods therein, using either of the following transition methods: (i) a full retrospective approach reflecting the application of the standard in each prior reporting period with the option to elect certain practical expedients, or (ii) a retrospective approach with the cumulative effect of initially adopting ASU 2014-09 recognized at the date of adoption (which includes additional footnote disclosures).

In addition, the FASB has issued the following Technical Corrections, Practical Expedients and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: ASU No. 2017-13 in September 2017, ASU No. 2016-20, in December 2016, ASU No. 2016-12, in May 2016, and ASU No. 2016-10, in April 2016.

The Company adopted ASU 2014-09, and all related ASU's in the first quarter of 2018. See "Changes in Accounting Policies," below and Note 10 for further details.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In August 2018, the SEC adopted the final rule under SEC Release No. 33-10532, “Disclosure Update and Simplification”, amending certain disclosure requirements that were redundant, duplicative, overlapping, outdated or superseded. In addition, the amendments expanded the disclosure requirements on the analysis of stockholders' equity for interim financial statements. Under the amendments, an analysis of changes in each caption of stockholders' equity presented in the balance sheet must be provided in a note or separate statement. The analysis should present a reconciliation of the beginning balance to the ending balance of each period for which a statement of comprehensive income is required to be filed. The Company anticipates its first presentation of changes in shareholders' equity will be included in its Form 10-Q for the first quarter of fiscal year 2019.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, "Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting", ("ASU 2018-07") which expands the scope of Topic 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from non-employees. ASU 2018-07 is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and for the interim periods therein. The adoption of ASU 2018-07 is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

In March 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-05, "Income Taxes (Topic 740)—Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118", "(ASU 2018-05") which adds various SEC paragraphs pursuant to the issuance of SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118. In particular, ASU 2018-05 amends Subtopic 740-10, Income Taxes, overall, to add information regarding income tax accounting implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as well as other paragraphs and sections related to the income tax accounting implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. There is no transition date related to this ASU, and there is no impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, "Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment", ("ASU 2017-04") simplifying the manner in which an entity is required to test for goodwill impairment by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. The Company will apply the provisions of this standard when assessing impairment of goodwill upon adoption. ASU 2017-04 is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019. The adoption of ASU 2017-04 is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases", ("ASU 2016-02"). ASU 2016-02 establishes a right-of-use ("ROU") model that requires a lessee to record a ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods therein. Early adoption is permitted. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-11 which provides an alternative transition method that allows entities to apply the new leases standard at the adoption date and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company plans to adopt the requirements of ASU 2016-02 effective December 27, 2018, the first day of fiscal year 2019, and will use the cumulative-effect transition method. The Company anticipates taking advantage of the practical expedient options, which allows an entity not to reassess whether any existing or expired contracts contain leases, and lease classifications for existing or expired leases, and initial direct costs for existing leases, and the Company is further evaluating other optional practical expedients. Based upon a preliminary assessment, the Company expects that substantially all of the operations lease commitments will be subject to the new guidance. The Company has $279.7 million of operating lease obligations as of September 26, 2018, and upon adoption of this standard will record a ROU asset and lease liability equal to the present value of the lease payments, which will have a material impact on the Company's consolidated balance sheet. However, the recognition of lease expense in the Company's consolidated statement of operations is not expected to change from the current methodology.

Subsequent Events

Subsequent to September 26, 2018, the Company closed one restaurant in California.

The Company evaluated subsequent events that have occurred after September 26, 2018, and determined that there were no other events or transactions occurring during this reporting period that require recognition or disclosure in the condensed consolidated financial statements.

Concentration of Risk

Cash and cash equivalents are maintained at financial institutions and, at times, balances may exceed federally-insured limits. The Company has never experienced any losses related to these balances.

The Company had no supplier for which amounts due totaled more than 10.0% of the Company's accounts payable at September 26, 2018. As of December 27, 2017, the Company had one supplier for which amounts due totaled 14.0% of the Company’s accounts payable. Purchases from the Company’s largest supplier totaled 29.4% and 28.8% of total expenses for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 26, 2018, respectively, and 27.0% and 30.0% of total expenses for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 27, 2017, respectively.

Company-operated and franchised restaurants in the greater Los Angeles area generated, in the aggregate, approximately 69.3% and 69.0% of total revenue for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 26, 2018, respectively, and 73.0% and 75.0% of total revenue for both the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 27, 2017, respectively.

Revenue Recognition

In the first quarter of 2018 the Company implemented ASU 2014-09. Revenue is measured based on a consideration specified in a contract with a customer. The Company recognizes revenue when it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control over a product or service to a customer. ASU 2014-09 defines a five-step process to achieve this core principle. Refer to Note 10, Revenue From Contracts With Customers for further details on the Company's revenue recognition policy.

Goodwill and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets

The Company’s indefinite-lived intangible assets consist of trademarks. Goodwill represents the excess of cost over fair value of net identified assets acquired in business combinations accounted for under the purchase method. The Company does not amortize its goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets. Goodwill resulted from the acquisition of certain franchise locations.

Upon the sale or closure of a restaurant, the Company evaluates whether there is a decrement of goodwill. The amount of goodwill included in the cost basis of the asset sold is determined based on the relative fair value of the portion of the reporting unit disposed of compared to the fair value of the reporting unit retained.

The Company performs annual impairment tests for goodwill during the fourth fiscal quarter of each year, or more frequently if impairment indicators arise.

The Company reviews goodwill for impairment utilizing either a qualitative assessment or a two-step process. If the Company decides that it is appropriate to perform a qualitative assessment and concludes that the fair value of a reporting unit more likely than not exceeds its carrying value, no further evaluation is necessary. If the Company performs the two-step process, the first step of the goodwill impairment test is used to identify potential impairment by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill of the reporting unit is considered not impaired and the second step of the impairment test is unnecessary. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step is performed to measure the amount of impairment by comparing the carrying amount of the goodwill to a determination of the implied value of the goodwill. If the carrying amount of goodwill is greater than the implied value, an impairment charge is recognized for the difference.

The Company performs annual impairment tests for indefinite-lived intangible assets during the fourth fiscal quarter of each year, or more frequently if impairment indicators arise. An impairment test consists of either a qualitative assessment or a comparison of the fair value of an intangible asset with its carrying amount. The excess of the carrying amount of an intangible asset over its fair value is recognized as an impairment loss.

The assumptions used in the estimate of fair value are generally consistent with the past performance of the Company’s reporting segment and are also consistent with the projections and assumptions that are used in current operating plans. These assumptions are subject to change as a result of changing economic and competitive conditions.

The Company did not identify any indicators of potential impairment of its goodwill or indefinite-lived intangible assets during the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 26, 2018 or September 27, 2017, and therefore did not record any impairment during the respective periods.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:


•	Level 1: Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets.


•	Level 2: Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations whose inputs or significant value drivers are observable.


•	Level 3: Unobservable inputs used when little or no market data is available.

As of September 26, 2018 and December 27, 2017, the Company had no assets or liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. In other words, the instruments are not measured at fair value on an ongoing basis, but are subject to fair value adjustments only in certain circumstances (for example, when there is evidence of impairment).

The following non-financial instruments were measured at fair value, on a nonrecurring basis, as of and for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 26, 2018, reflecting certain property and equipment assets for which an impairment loss was recognized during the corresponding periods, as discussed immediately below under "Impairment of Long-Lived Assets" (in thousands):



			Fair Value Measurements at September 26, 2018 Using						Thirteen Weeks Ended September 26, 2018		Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended September 26, 2018
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Impairment Losses		Impairment Losses
Property and equipment owned, net	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	84	$	1,791

The following non-financial instruments were measured at fair value, on a nonrecurring basis, as of and for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 27, 2017, reflecting certain property and equipment assets for which an impairment loss was recognized during the corresponding periods, as discussed immediately below under "Impairment of Long-Lived Assets" (in thousands):



			Fair Value Measurements at September 27, 2017 Using						Thirteen Weeks Ended September 27, 2017		Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended September 27, 2017
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Impairment Losses		Impairment Losses
Property and equipment owned, net	$	280	$	—	$	—	$	280	$	15,035	$	15,480

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment on a restaurant-by-restaurant basis whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of certain assets may not be recoverable. The Company considers a triggering event to have occurred related to a specific restaurant if the restaurant’s cash flows for the last twelve months are less than a minimum threshold or if consistent levels of undiscounted cash flows for the remaining lease period are less than the carrying value of the restaurant’s assets. If the Company concludes that the carrying value of certain assets will not be recovered based on expected undiscounted future cash flows, an impairment loss is recorded to reduce the assets to their estimated fair value. The fair value is measured on a nonrecurring basis using unobservable (Level 3) inputs. There is uncertainty in the projected undiscounted future cash flows used in the Company's impairment review analysis, which requires the use of estimates and assumptions. If actual performance does not achieve the projections, or if the assumptions used change in the future, the Company may be required to recognize impairment charges in future periods, and such charges could be material. Based on the results of the analysis, the Company recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $0.1 million and $1.8 million for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 26, 2018, respectively, which primarily related to the carrying value of the assets of one restaurant in Arizona. During the thirteen weeks ended September 27, 2017, the Company recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $15.0 million primarily related to the impairment of the assets of eight restaurants in Texas and two in California. During the thirty-nine weeks ended September 27, 2017, the Company recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $15.5 million related to the impairment of the assets of nine restaurants in Texas and two in California. Given the difficulty in projecting results for newer restaurants in newer markets, we are monitoring the recoverability of the carrying value of the assets of several restaurants on an ongoing basis, including those in the Arizona and Northern California markets. For these restaurants, if expected performance improvements are not realized, an impairment charge may be recognized in future periods, and such charge could be material.

Closed-Store Reserves

When the Company closes a restaurant, it reviews the future minimum lease payments and related ancillary costs from the date of the restaurant closure to the end of the remaining lease term and records a lease charge for the lease liabilities to be incurred, net of any estimated sublease recoveries. There is uncertainty in the estimates of future lease costs and sublease recoveries. The estimates of future closed-store reserves are re-evaluated and adjusted each period based on currently available information. In addition, an impairment charge is recognized for any remaining carrying value of certain restaurant assets. During the thirteen weeks ended September 26, 2018, the Company closed one restaurant in California and one restaurant in Arizona. During the thirty-nine weeks ended September 26, 2018, the Company closed six restaurants, including four locations in Texas, one in California and one in Arizona, and decided not to move forward with the development of a third location in Texas. All four Texas locations were previously impaired during the third quarter of 2017. This resulted in a closed-store reserve recovery of $0.2 million for the thirteen weeks ended September 26, 2018 for closed-store reserves recognized in prior periods and a closed-store reserve expense of $4.8 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended September 26, 2018. During the thirteen weeks ended September 27, 2017, the Company closed three restaurants in Texas, recognizing a closed-store reserve of $1.0 million. During the thirty-nine weeks ended September 27, 2017, we closed one restaurant in Arizona and four restaurants in Texas, resulting in a closed store reserve expense of $1.8 million.

Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes, income taxes payable and deferred income taxes is determined using the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on temporary differences between the financial carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect in the years in which the temporary differences are expected to reverse. On a periodic basis, the Company assesses the probability that its net deferred tax assets, if any, will be recovered. If, after evaluating all of the positive and negative evidence, a conclusion is made that it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the net deferred tax assets will not be recovered, a valuation allowance is provided by charging to tax expense to reserve the portion of deferred tax assets which are not expected to be realized.

The Company reviews its filing positions for all open tax years in all U.S. federal and state jurisdictions where the Company is required to file.

When there are uncertainties related to potential income tax benefits, in order to qualify for recognition, the position the Company takes has to have at least a “more likely than not” chance of being sustained (based on the position’s technical merits) upon challenge by the respective authorities. The term “more likely than not” means a likelihood of more than 50 percent. Otherwise, the Company may not recognize any of the potential tax benefit associated with the position. The Company recognizes a benefit for a tax position that meets the “more likely than not” criterion at the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely of being realized upon its effective resolution. Unrecognized tax benefits involve management’s judgment regarding the likelihood of the benefit being sustained. The final resolution of uncertain tax positions could result in adjustments to recorded amounts and may affect the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense. The Company had no accrual for interest or penalties at September 26, 2018 or at December 27, 2017, and did not recognize interest or penalties during the thirteen or thirty-nine weeks ended September 26, 2018 or September 27, 2017, since there were no material unrecognized tax benefits. Management believes no material changes to the amount of unrecognized tax benefits will occur within the next twelve months.

In fiscal 2017, President Trump signed into law "the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provides for significant changes in the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act contains provisions with separate effective dates but is generally effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. Among other changes, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowers the federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, repeals the corporate alternative minimum tax ("AMT"), limits the deductibility of interest expense and performance based incentive compensation, allows for 100% bonus depreciation on qualified fixed asset additions placed in service on or after September 27, 2017 and implements a modified territorial tax system. For tax years beginning in 2018, 2019 and 2020, to the extent AMT credit carryovers exceed regular tax liability, 50% of the excess of AMT credit carryovers would be refundable. Any remaining AMT credits would be fully refundable in 2021. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act impacted the Company's consolidated results of operations in the current period, and is expected to continue to impact its consolidated results of operations in future periods. Impacts from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act include the reduction in the federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% and additional meals subject to the 50% disallowance that were previously 100% deductible. The Company may also be subject to future disallowance of deductions for certain executive compensation as a result of the changes to the Code section 162(m). We may make further refinements to our deferred tax assets related to executive compensation based upon technical guidance that may be published and changes to current interpretations of certain provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Any impact to our provision for income taxes as the result of additional guidance will be recorded in the period in which the guidance is issued.

On July 30, 2014, the Company entered into the TRA, which calls for the Company to pay to its pre-IPO stockholders 85% of the savings in cash that the Company realizes in its income taxes as a result of utilizing its net operating losses and other tax attributes attributable to preceding periods. For the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 26, 2018, we recorded income tax receivable agreement income of $0.6 million and $0.8 million, respectively, and for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 27, 2017, we recorded income tax receivable agreement income of less than $0.1 million and income tax receivable expense of $0.1 million, respectively, related to the amortization of interest expense related to our total expected TRA payments and changes in estimates for actual tax returns filed and future forecasted taxable income.

Changes in Accounting Policies

Except for the changes below, the Company has consistently applied the accounting policies to all periods presented in these condensed consolidated financial statements.

The Company adopted ASU 2014-09, with a date of initial application of December 28, 2017. As a result, the Company has changed its accounting policy for revenue recognition as detailed below.

The Company generates a substantial amount of its revenues from company-operated restaurants. This revenue stream was not impacted by the adoption of ASU 2014-09, or any of the subsequent related ASU’s.

The Company applied ASU 2014-09 using the modified retrospective method by recognizing the cumulative effect of initially applying ASU 2014-09 as an adjustment to the opening balance of equity at December 28, 2017. Therefore, the comparative information has not been adjusted and continues to be reported under Topic 605. The details of the significant changes and quantitative impact of the changes are set out below.

Franchise Revenue

Franchise revenue consists of franchise royalties, initial franchise fees, license fees due from franchisees and IT support services. Rental income for subleases to franchisees are outside of the scope of the revenue standard and are within the scope of lease guidance. Franchise royalties are based upon a percentage of net sales of the franchisee and were previously recorded as income as such sales are earned by the franchisees, which will not change with the adoption of ASU 2014-09.

For franchise and development agreement fees, the Company's previous accounting policy was to recognize initial franchise fees, development fees, and franchise agreement renewals when all material obligations had been performed and conditions had been satisfied, typically when operations of the franchised restaurant had commenced. In accordance with the new guidance, the initial franchise services, or exclusivity of the development agreements, are not distinct from the continuing rights or services offered during the term of the franchise agreement, and will therefore be treated as a single performance obligation. As such, initial franchise and development fees received, and subsequent renewal fees, will be recognized over the franchise or renewal term typically twenty years.

Franchise Advertising Fee Revenue

The Company's previous accounting policy was to recognize advertising funded by franchisees on a net basis in the consolidated statements of income, and as a liability within our consolidated balance sheets. Under the new guidance, we present advertising contributions received from franchisees as franchise advertising fee revenue and record all expenses of the advertising fund within franchise expenses, resulting in an increase in revenues and expenses on our consolidated statements of income, with no change to the consolidated balance sheets.

The adoption of this guidance did not have a material change on revenue from Company-operated restaurant revenue, gift cards or the Company's loyalty program.

The following tables summarize the impacts of adopting ASU 2014-09 on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements as of and for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 26, 2018:



	Impact of changes in accounting policies
September 26, 2018 (in thousands)	As Reported			Adjustments			Balances without adoption of ASU 2014-09
Assets
Current assets:
Deferred tax assets	$	5,530		$	1,285		$	4,245
Total assets	444,905			1,285			443,620
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
Other accrued expenses and current liabilities	16,048			354			15,694
Total current liabilities	51,872			354			51,518
Other noncurrent liabilities	20,876			4,309			16,567
Total liabilities	155,856			4,663			151,193
Stockholders' Equity
Accumulated deficit	(87,505		)	(3,378		)	(84,127		)
Total stockholders' equity	289,049			(3,378		)	292,427
Total liabilities and stockholder’s equity	444,905			1,285			443,620



	Thirteen Weeks Ended September 26, 2018							Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended September 26, 2018
(in thousands)	As Reported		Adjustments			Balances without adoption of ASU 2014-09		As Reported		Adjustments			Balances without adoption of ASU 2014-09
Revenue
Franchise revenue	$	6,665	$	(48	)	$	6,713	$	19,324	$	(116	)	$	19,440
Franchise advertising fee revenue	5,489		5,489			—		16,039		16,039			—
Total revenue	112,178		5,441			106,737		329,567		15,923			313,644
Cost of operations
Franchise expenses	6,342		5,489			853		18,424		16,039			2,385
Total expenses	102,686		5,489			97,197		308,038		16,039			291,999
Income (loss) from operations	9,492		(48		)	9,540		21,529		(116		)	21,645
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	9,223		(48		)	9,271		19,618		(116		)	19,734
Net income (loss)	6,835		(48		)	6,883		14,416		(116		)	14,532