Transactions with Related Party

3 Months Ended

Mar. 30, 2014

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]

Transactions with Related Parties

As part of the 2012 acquisition, the Company issued to BKC 100 shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock which is convertible into 9,414,580 shares, or 28.9% of the outstanding shares of common stock calculated on the date of the closing of the 2012 acquisition on a fully diluted basis. As a result of the 2012 acquisition, BKC has two representatives on the Company's board of directors.

Each of our Burger King restaurants operates under a separate franchise agreement with BKC. These franchise agreements generally provide for an initial term of twenty years and currently have an initial franchise fee of fifty thousand dollars. Any franchise agreement, including renewals, can be extended at the Company's discretion for an additional 20 year term, with BKC's approval, provided that, among other things, the restaurant meets the current Burger King image standard and the Company is not in default under terms of the franchise agreement.

In addition to the initial franchise fee, the Company generally pays BKC a monthly royalty at a rate of 4.5% of sales. Royalty expense was $6.3 million and $6.4 million in the three months ended March 30, 2014 and March 31, 2013, respectively.

The Company is also generally required to contribute 4% of restaurant sales from our Burger King restaurants to an advertising fund utilized by BKC for its advertising, promotional programs and public relations activities, and additional amounts for participation in local advertising campaigns in markets that approve such additional spending. Advertising expense associated with these expenditures was $6.4 million and $6.9 million in the three months ended March 30, 2014 and March 31, 2013, respectively.

As of March 30, 2014, the Company leased 294 of its restaurant locations from BKC. For 195 of the restaurants, the terms and conditions of the lease with BKC are identical to those between BKC and the third-party lessor. Aggregate rent under these BKC leases for the three months ended March 30, 2014 and March 31, 2013 was $6.4 million and $6.6 million, respectively. The Company believes the related party lease terms have not been significantly affected by the fact that the Company and BKC are deemed to be related parties.

As of March 30, 2014, the Company owed BKC $2.2 million associated with its purchase of the right of first refusal related to the 2012 acquisition and $4.1 million related to the monthly payment of advertising, royalties and rent.