VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES	6 Months Ended
Jul. 04, 2021
Variable Interest Entities
Variable Interest Entities	(12) Variable Interest Entities A variable interest holder is considered to be the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity (“VIE”) if it has the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and has the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. Once an entity is determined to be a VIE, the primary beneficiary is required to consolidate the entity. The Company has an installment agreement with one of its franchisees as a result of refranchising its Lincoln, Nebraska restaurant. This franchisee is a VIE; however, the owners of the franchise operations are the primary beneficiaries of the entities, not the Company. Therefore, the franchise operations are not required to be consolidated in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. On July 18, 2018, the Company and Clark Championship Products LLC (“Clark”), an entity owned by Travis Clark, became members of Mercury BBQ LLC (“Mercury”) for the purposes of building out and operating the inaugural Clark Crew BBQ restaurant in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (the “Restaurant”). Clark will own 80% of the units outstanding of Mercury and the Company will own 20% of the units outstanding of Mercury. Because the Company has provided more than half of the subordinated financial support of Mercury and control Mercury via its representation on the board of managers, the Company has concluded that Mercury is a VIE, of which the Company is the primary beneficiary and must consolidate Mercury. Mercury generated net income of approximately $678,000 during the first half of fiscal year 2021, of which $542,000 was recorded as non-controlling interest on our condensed consolidated financial statements. During the first half of fiscal year 2020, Mercury generated a net loss of $429,000, of which $343,000 was recorded as non-controlling interest on our condensed consolidated financial statements. As of July 4, 2021, Mercury’s assets included approximately $2.8 million of property, equipment and leasehold improvements, net, a $1.8 million ROU asset and $111,000 of inventory. The liabilities recognized as a result of consolidating Mercury BBQ’s results of operations do not represent additional claims on the general assets of BBQ Holdings, Inc.; rather, they represent claims against the specific assets of the Mercury BBQ’s. Conversely, assets recognized as a result of consolidating the Mercury BBQ’s results of operations do not represent additional assets that could be used to satisfy claims against the general assets of BBQ Holdings.

VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

6 Months Ended

Jul. 04, 2021

(12) Variable Interest Entities

A variable interest holder is considered to be the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity (“VIE”) if it has the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and has the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. Once an entity is determined to be a VIE, the primary beneficiary is required to consolidate the entity. The Company has an installment agreement with one of its franchisees as a result of refranchising its Lincoln, Nebraska restaurant. This franchisee is a VIE; however, the owners of the franchise operations are the primary beneficiaries of the entities, not the Company. Therefore, the franchise operations are not required to be consolidated in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

On July 18, 2018, the Company and Clark Championship Products LLC (“Clark”), an entity owned by Travis Clark, became members of Mercury BBQ LLC (“Mercury”) for the purposes of building out and operating the inaugural Clark Crew BBQ restaurant in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (the “Restaurant”). Clark will own 80% of the units outstanding of Mercury and the Company will own 20% of the units outstanding of Mercury. Because the Company has provided more than half of the subordinated financial support of Mercury and control Mercury via its representation on the board of managers, the Company has concluded that Mercury is a VIE, of which the Company is the primary beneficiary and must consolidate Mercury. Mercury generated net income of approximately $678,000 during the first half of fiscal year 2021, of which $542,000 was recorded as non-controlling interest on our condensed consolidated financial statements. During the first half of fiscal year 2020, Mercury generated a net loss of $429,000, of which $343,000 was recorded as non-controlling interest on our condensed consolidated financial statements. As of July 4, 2021, Mercury’s assets included approximately $2.8 million of property, equipment and leasehold improvements, net, a $1.8 million ROU asset and $111,000 of inventory. The liabilities recognized as a result of consolidating Mercury BBQ’s results of operations do not represent additional claims on the general assets of BBQ Holdings, Inc.; rather, they represent claims against the specific assets of the Mercury BBQ’s. Conversely, assets recognized as a result of consolidating the Mercury BBQ’s results of operations do not represent additional assets that could be used to satisfy claims against the general assets of BBQ Holdings.