v3.8.0.1
ASSET IMPAIRMENT AND ESTIMATED LEASE TERMINATION AND OTHER CLOSING COSTS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Asset Impairment Charges [Abstract]  
Asset Impairment, Estimated Lease Termination and Other Closing Costs [Text Block]

(13)        ASSET IMPAIRMENT, ESTIMATED LEASE TERMINATION AND OTHER CLOSING COSTS

Beginning in fiscal 2016, we initiated a restaurant optimization and refranchising initiative whereby we reviewed our restaurant portfolio for locations that were slow to respond to several initiatives to improve operating performance. We continued this initiative into fiscal 2017 and identified certain restaurants that were to be closed significantly before the end of the previously estimated useful lives. As a result of the reassessment of the useful lives of these restaurants, we recognized accelerated depreciation expense of approximately $870,000. We closed 13 restaurants during the year ended December 31, 2017 in accordance with this restaurant optimization and refranchising initiative.

The following is a summary of asset impairment, estimated lease termination and other closing costs for the periods presented:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year Ended

(dollars in thousands)

    

December 31, 2017

    

January 1, 2017

Restaurant Optimization

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asset impairments, net

 

$

3,154

 

$

4,426

Lease termination charges and related costs

 

 

3,403

 

 

 —

Restaurant closure expenses

 

 

259

 

 

206

Software

 

 

 —

 

 

156

Asset impairment, estimated lease termination and other closing costs

 

$

6,816

 

$

4,788

Below reflects the change in our reserve for lease termination costs for the periods presented:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

    

Deductions

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credits to

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additions

 

Costs and

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at

 

Charged to

 

Expenses

 

Balance at

 

 

Beginning of

 

Costs and

 

and Other

 

End of

(in thousands)

 

Period

 

Expenses

 

Accounts

 

Period

Year Ended December 31, 2017

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

Reserve for lease termination costs

 

$

594

 

3,150

 

(1,945)

 

$

1,799

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year Ended January 1, 2017

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

Reserve for lease termination costs

 

$

609

 

89

 

(104)

 

$

594

These amounts were recorded in other current liabilities or other liabilities depending on when we expected the amounts to be paid.