Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

COVID-19 Pandemic

v3.20.4
COVID-19 Pandemic
12 Months Ended
Dec. 27, 2020
COVID-19 Pandemic [Abstract]  
Unusual or Infrequent Items, or Both, Disclosure COVID-19 Pandemic
Overview
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to navigate unprecedented times for our business and industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a material adverse effect on our business, and we expect the impact from COVID-19 will continue to negatively affect our business.
Franchise Revenue
In response to COVID-19's effect on our franchisee's operations throughout 2020, we temporarily abated franchise royalty payments and advertising contributions at various times during the year. During periods of abated payments, franchise revenue was not recognized or collected from our franchisees. Abated royalty payments and advertising contributions will not be collected by the Company. Franchised restaurants operate under contractual arrangements with the Company, and the payments specified in the franchise contracts are accounted for under ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers.
Rent and Leases
In response to the impact of COVID-19 on our operations, beginning April 1, 2020, the Company stopped making full lease payments under its existing lease agreements. During the suspension of payments, the Company continued to recognize expenses and liabilities for lease obligations and corresponding right-of-use assets on the balance sheet in accordance with ASC Topic 842.
We are engaging in ongoing constructive discussions with landlords regarding the potential restructuring of lease payments and rent concessions. The Company has concluded negotiations with many of its landlords representing more than 75% of its leases as of December 27, 2020. Rent concessions agreed upon include early termination, early renewal, rent deferral, and rent abatement.
For contractual rent concessions that do not substantially change the total cash flows of the lease, the Company has elected to account for these concessions assuming the existing lease agreements provide enforceable rights and obligations consistent with the relief issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board titled ASC Topic 842 and ASC Topic 840: Accounting for Lease Concessions Related to the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic ("FASB Relief"). For leases where the rent concession did not substantially change the total cash flows, the concession was accounted for as a remeasurement to the lease liability based on the original discount rate with a corresponding adjustment to the right-of-use asset. Additionally, the classification of the leases was not reassessed. The Company recorded a $8.6 million remeasurement to increase the lease liability and right-of-use asset resulting from contractual rent concessions under the FASB relief during 2020 and recorded an additional $1.1 million of broker's fees to the right-of-use asset.
For contractual rent concessions that substantially changed the total cash flows of the lease and did not qualify for the FASB relief, we applied the modification framework in accordance with ASC Topic 842, Leases. The Company reassessed lease classification for rent concessions that did not qualify for the FASB relief. During 2020, one lease changed classification from operating to finance, and one lease changed classification from finance to operating. Based on updated discount rates, a $49.0 million remeasurement was recorded to increase the lease liability and a $49.2 million adjustment, inclusive of broker's fees, was recorded to increase the right-of-use asset during 2020. Contractual rent concessions granted to the Company during 2020 did not grant the right to use additional assets not included in the original lease contracts, so no separate contracts were accounted for as part of the rent concession modifications.
Goodwill
As discussed in Note 1, Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, the Company recognized full goodwill impairment during the first quarter of 2020 totaling $95.4 million resulting from the negative effects of COVID-19 on our business.
Restaurant Assets
During 2020, the Company recognized $21.7 million of impairment related to restaurant assets included in Other charges on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss resulting from the continuing and projected future results of 40 Company-owned restaurants. Restaurant asset impairment of $5.7 million was related to six permanently closed Company-owned restaurants and included in Restaurant closure and refranchising costs in Note 5, Other Charges. Additional restaurant asset impairment was recognized during the fourth quarter of 2020 due to planned permanent closures of certain temporarily closed restaurants. Although current fiscal year to date results continue to align with management's forecast, the increase in reported COVID-19 cases during the fourth quarter of 2020 across the United States and factors associated with the pandemic have changed management's expectation on the timing of the Company's recovery and projected results in future fiscal periods at certain restaurants. Our restaurant asset impairment assessment is based on inputs subject to various risks and uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including forecasted revenues, expenses, and cash flows, current discount rates, growth rates, observable market data, and changes to the regulatory environment. If reported COVID-19 cases increase or other factors associated with the pandemic develop, management's forecast could change in future periods requiring additional restaurant asset impairment.
Recoverability of restaurant assets, including restaurant sites, leasehold improvements, information technology systems, right-of-use assets, amortizable intangible assets, and other fixed assets, to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of the assets to the future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated by the assets. Identifiable cash flows are measured at the lowest level for which they are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets and liabilities, generally at the restaurant level. Each restaurant's past and present operating performance was reviewed in combination with projected future results primarily through projected undiscounted cash flows that included management's current expectation of future financial impacts from COVID-19. If the restaurant assets were determined to be impaired through comparison of the assets carrying value to its undiscounted cash flows, the Company compared the carrying amount of each restaurant's assets to its fair value as estimated by management to calculate the impairment amount. The fair value of restaurant assets is generally determined using a discounted cash flow projection model, which is based on significant inputs not observed in the market and represents a level 3 fair value measurement. In certain cases, management uses other market information, when available, to estimate the fair value of a restaurant's assets. The restaurant asset impairment charges represent the excess of the carrying amount over the estimated fair value of the restaurant assets calculated using a discounted cash flow projection model.
Payroll Tax
Under provisions of the CARES Act, we are deferring approximately $18 million in payroll taxes to be paid in fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
Borrowings
On February 25, 2021, the Company entered into the Second Amendment to our credit facility. The Second Amendment further amends the credit facility to, among other things:
suspend the application of (a) the lease adjusted leverage ratio financial covenant (the "LALR ratio") and (b) the fixed charge coverage ratio (the "FCC ratio") for the first and second fiscal quarters of 2021;
increase the maximum leverage permitted for purposes of the LALR ratio for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2021 and the first and second fiscal quarters of 2022;
for the third and fourth fiscal quarters of 2021 and the first fiscal quarter of 2022, provide that (a) the LALR ratio will be calculated using a seasonally adjusted annualized consolidated EBITDA for the applicable period since the beginning of the third fiscal quarter and (b) the FCC ratio will be calculated only for the applicable periods since the beginning of the third fiscal quarter of 2021;
revise the FCC ratio to account for cash tax refunds received in fiscal year 2021;
amend the minimum liquidity covenant such that is it measured as of the last day of each applicable fiscal quarter and (a) for the first and second quarters of 2021, requires minimum liquidity of $55 million and (b) for the third and fourth fiscal quarters of 2021, requires minimum liquidity of $42 million;
remove provisions requiring mandatory prepayments from net cash proceeds of certain equity issuances and convertible debt issuances;
shorten the maturity date applicable to the revolver and term loan to January 10, 2023;
reduce the aggregate revolving commitment to $130 million on the Second Amendment effective date and to $100 million at the end of the third fiscal quarter of 2021;
increase the pricing under the credit facility for (a) the period from the Second Amendment effective date through the first interest determination date occurring after the fourth fiscal quarter of 2021 to LIBOR (subject to a 1% floor) plus 4.50% and (b) periods thereafter to LIBOR (subject to a 1% floor) plus 4%;
require the payment of a utilization fee (paid on the revolver maturity date) equal to 0.75% per annum of the daily outstanding principal balance of term loans, revolving loans, swingline loans, and letter of credit obligations from the Second Amendment effective date to the first interest determination date occurring after the fourth fiscal quarter of 2021;
subject to limited exceptions and other limitations, prohibit certain capital expenditures, restricted payments, acquisitions, and other investments until the Company delivers a compliance certificate for a fiscal quarter (beginning with third fiscal quarter of 2021 and the fourth fiscal quarter of 2021 specifically for restricted payments) demonstrating a LALR ratio less than or equal to 5.00:1.00; and
amend the maximum allowable cash on hand provision to require revolver payments (but with no associated permanent reduction in the revolving commitment) to the extent that the Company's consolidated cash on hand exceeds $35 million at any time.
In conjunction with the Second Amendment, the Company paid certain customary amendment fees to the lenders under the credit facility totaling approximately $0.6 million which will be capitalized as deferred loan fees and amortized over the remaining term of the credit facility.