FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

From time to time, we make oral and written forward-looking statements that reflect our current expectations regarding future results of operations, economic performance, financial condition, and achievements of Jack in the Box Inc. (the “Company”). A forward-looking statement is neither a prediction nor a guarantee of future events or results. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “goals,” “guidance,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions. Certain forward-looking statements are included in this Form 10-K, principally in the sections captioned “Business,” “Legal Proceedings,” “Consolidated Financial Statements,” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” including statements regarding our strategic plans and operating strategies. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such expectations and forward-looking statements may prove to be materially incorrect due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties.

In some cases, information regarding certain important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement appears together with such statement. In addition, the factors described under “Risk Factors” and “Discussion of Critical Accounting Estimates” in this Form 10-K, as well as other possible factors not listed, could cause our actual results, economic performance, financial condition or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. As a result, investors should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report. The Company is under no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or otherwise.

Mr. Comma has been Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since January 2014. From May 2012 until October 2014, he served as President, and from November 2010 through January 2014, as Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Comma served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from February 2010 to November 2010, Vice President Operations Division II from February 2007 to February 2010, Regional Vice President of the Company’s Southern California region from May 2006 to February 2007, and Director of Convenience-Store & Fuel Operations for the Company’s proprietary chain of Quick Stuff convenience stores from August 2001 to May 2006. Mr. Comma has more than 25 years of retail and franchise experience.

Mr. Rudolph has been Chief Legal and Risk Officer since October 2014, Executive Vice President since February 2010, and Corporate Secretary since November 2007. Before becoming Chief Legal and Risk Officer, he was General Counsel since November 2007. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Rudolph was Vice President and General Counsel for Ethical Leadership Group. He was previously a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Foley Hoag, LLP, and a Vice President at McDonald’s Corporation where, among other roles, he served as U.S. and International General Counsel. Before joining McDonald’s, Mr. Rudolph spent 15 years with the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, the last six of which he spent as a litigation partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Mr. Rudolph has more than 35 years of legal experience. As the Company announced in September 2019, Mr. Rudolph is expected to leave the Company in February 2020.

Mr. Tucker has been Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since March 2018. Prior to joining the Company in March, Mr. Tucker held several senior leadership positions at Papa John’s International, Inc. From February 2011 to February 2018, Mr. Tucker served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and added Chief Administrative Officer in February 2012. From June 2010 to February 2011, he was Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning for Papa John’s International. Prior to that, he served as its Chief of Staff and Vice President, Strategic Planning from June 2009 to June 2010. Prior to joining Papa John’s, Mr. Tucker served as the Chief Financial Officer of Evergreen Real Estate, from 2003 to 2009; and held leadership positions with several finance companies from 1999 to 2003. Previously, from 1994 to 1999, he served as the Director of Finance for Papa John’s International, Inc. Mr. Tucker has more than 20 years of corporate finance experience.

Mr. Melancon has been Senior Vice President of Finance, Controller and Treasurer since November 2013. He was previously Vice President of Finance, Controller and Treasurer from September 2008 to November 2013 and Vice President and Controller from July 2005 to September 2008. Before joining the Company, Mr. Melancon held senior financial positions at several major companies, including Guess?, Inc., Hyper Entertainment, Inc. (a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America) and Sears, Roebuck and Co. Mr. Melancon has more than 35 years of experience in accounting and finance, including 11 years with Price Waterhouse. As the Company announced in September 2019, Mr. Melancon is expected to leave the Company in January 2020.

Ms. DiRaimoDr. Corrigan has been Vice President and Chief Investor Relations and Corporate CommunicationsHuman Resources Officer since April 2017.November 2018. She previously served as its Vice President of Investor RelationsHuman Resources and Corporate CommunicationsTotal Rewards from July 20082015 to April 2017. Ms. DiRaimo previously spent 14 years at Applebee’s International, Inc. where she held various positions including2018. Dr. Corrigan was Vice President of Investor RelationsHuman Resources from February 20042013 to November 2007. Ms. DiRaimo2015, and she was Director of Human Resources from 2011 to 2013. She previously held several positions of increasing responsibility in Learning and Development since joining the Company in 1997 as a Training and Development Program Manager and has more than 3020 years of corporate finance and public accounting experience including positions with Gilbert/Robinson Restaurants, Inc. and Deloitte.the Company in human resources related roles.

Mr. Gordon has been Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer since July 2017. He was previously Vice President of Supply Chain Services since October 2012, and Division Vice President of Purchasing from February 2009 to October 2012. Prior to joining the Company in February 2009, Mr. Gordon was Vice President of Supply Chain Management for Potbelly Sandwich Works from December 2005 to February 2009, and he held various positions with Applebee’s International from August 2000 to December 2005, most recently as Executive Director of Procurement. Mr. Gordon also held a number of positions at Prandium, Inc., an operator of multiple restaurant concepts, from October 1994 to August 2000. Mr. Gordon has over 20 years of Supply Chain Management experience.

Mr. Martin has been Vice President and Chief Information Officer since November 2016. He was previously Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Lytx Inc. (formerly DriveCam) from October 2011 to December 2014. He previously held IT leadership positions with Sony Electronics and PepsiCo, and from January 2015 until November 2016, was owner and a principal in Silicon Beach Advisors, a technology strategy consulting firm. Mr. Martin has over 25 years of experience in corporate IT and innovation.

Each restaurant is subject to regulation by federal agencies, as well as licensing and regulation by state and local health, sanitation, safety, fire, zoning, building, consumer protection, taxing, and other agencies and departments. Restaurants are also subject to rules and regulations imposed by owners and operators of shopping centers, airports, or other locations where a restaurant is located. Difficulties or failures in obtaining and maintaining any required permits, licenses or approvals, or difficulties in complying with applicable rules and regulations, could result in restricted operations, closures of existing restaurants, delays or cancellations in the opening of new restaurants, increased cost of operations, or the imposition of fines and other penalties.

We are subject to federal, state, and local laws governing restaurant menu labeling, as well as laws restricting the use of, or requiring disclosures about, certain ingredients used in food sold at our restaurants.

We are subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and various state laws governing such matters as minimum wages, exempt status classification, overtime, breaks and other working conditions for company employees. Our franchisees are subject to these same laws. Many of our food service personnel are paid at rates set in relation to the federal and state minimum wage laws and, accordingly, changes in the minimum wage requirements may increase labor costs for us and our franchisees. Federal and state laws may also require us to provide paid and unpaid leave, to our employees, or healthcare or other employee benefits to our employees, which could result in significant additional expense to us and our franchisees. We are also subject to federal immigration laws requiring compliance with work authorization documentation and verification procedures.

We are subject to certain guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and various state codes and regulations, which require restaurants and our brand to provide full and equal access to persons with physical disabilities.

Our collection or use of personal information about our employees or our guests is regulated at the federal and state levels, including the California Consumer Privacy Act that is due to take effect January 1, 2020.

We are also subject to various federal, state, and local laws regulating the discharge of materials into the environment. The cost of complying with these laws increases the cost of operating existing restaurants and developing new restaurants. Additional costs relate primarily to the necessity of obtaining more land, landscaping, storm drainage control, and the cost of more expensive equipment necessary to decrease the amount of effluent emitted into the air, ground, and surface waters.

In addition to laws and regulations governing restaurant businesses directly, there are also regulations, such as the Food Safety Modernization Act, that govern the practices of food manufacturers and distributors, including our suppliers.

We have processes in place to monitor compliance with applicable laws and regulations governing our company operations.

We caution you that our business and operations are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. The factors listed below are important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our historical results and from projections in the forward-looking statements contained in this report, in our other filings with the SEC, in our news releases, and in oral statements by our representatives. However, other factors that we do not anticipate or that we do not consider significant based on currently available information may also have an adverse effect on our results.

The food service industry is highly competitive with respect to price, service, location, product offering, image and attractiveness of the facilities, personnel, advertising, brand identification, and food quality. Our competition includes a large number of national and regional restaurant chains, as well as locally owned and independent businesses. In particular, we operate in the quick service restaurant chain segment, in which we face a number of established competitors, as well as frequent new entrants to the segment nationally and in regional markets. Some of our competitors have significantly greater financial, marketing, technological, personnel, and other resources than we do. In addition, many of our competitors have greater name recognition nationally or in some of the local or regional markets in which we have restaurants.

Additionally, the trend toward convergence in grocery, deli, delivery, and restaurant services is increasing the number of our competitors. For example, competitive pressures can come from deli sections and in-store cafes of major grocery store chains, including those targeted at customers who desire high-quality food and convenience, as well as from convenience stores and other dining outlets. These competitors may have, among other things, a more diverse menu, lower operating costs and prices, better locations, better facilities, more effective marketing, and more efficient operations than we do. Such increased competition could decrease the demand for our products and negatively affect our sales, operating results, profits, business and financial position, and prospects (collectively, our “financial results”).

While we continue to make improvements to our facilities, to implement new service, technology, and training initiatives, and to introduce new products, there can be no assurance that such efforts will generate increased sales or sufficient customer interest. Many of our competitors are remodeling their facilities, implementing service improvements, introducing a variety of new products and service offerings, and advertising that their ingredients are healthier or locally-sourced. Such competing products and health- or environmental-focused claims may hurt our competitive positioning as existing or potential customers could seek out other dining options.

Changes in customer preferences, demographic trends, and the number, type, and location of competing restaurants have great impact in the restaurant industry. Our sales and the royaltiesrevenue that we receive from franchisees could be impacted by changes in customer preferences related to dietary concerns, such as preferences regarding calories, sodium content, carbohydrates, fat, additives, and sourcing, or in response to environmental and animal welfare concerns. Such preference changes could result in customers favoring other foods to the exclusion of our menu items. If we fail to adapt to changes in customer preferences and trends, we may lose customers and our sales and the rents, royalties and marketing fees we receive from franchisees may deteriorate.

The restaurant industry depends on consumer discretionary spending. We are impacted by consumer confidence, which is, in turn, influenced by general economic conditions and discretionary income levels. A material decline in consumer confidence or a decline in family “food away from home” spending could cause our financial results to decline. If economic conditions worsen, customer traffic could be adversely impacted if our customers choose to dine out less frequently or reduce the amount they spend on meals while dining out, which could cause our company and our franchised average restaurant sales to decline. An economic downturn may be caused by a variety of factors, such as macro-economic changes, increased unemployment rates, increased taxes, interest rates, or other changes in government fiscal policy. High gasoline prices, increased healthcare costs, declining home prices, and political unrest, foreign or domestic, may potentially contribute to an economic downturn, as may regional or local events, including natural disasters or local regulation. The impact of these factors may be exacerbated by the geographic profile of our Jack in the Box brand. Specifically, nearly 70% of theour restaurants in our Jack in the Box system are located in the states of California and Texas. Economic conditions, state and local laws, or government regulations affecting those states may therefore more greatly impact our results than would similar occurrences in other locations.

In addition, if economic conditions deteriorate or are uncertain for a prolonged period of time, or if our operating results decline unexpectedly, we may be required to record impairment charges, which will negatively impact our results of operations for the periods in which they are recorded. Due to the foregoing or other factors, results for any one quarter are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any other quarter or for a full fiscal year. These fluctuations may cause our operating results to be below the expectations of public market analysts and investors and may adversely impact our stock price.

We and our franchisees are subject to volatility in food and commodity costs and availability. Accordingly, our profitability depends in part on our ability to anticipate and react to changes in food costs and availability. As is true of all companies in the restaurant industry, we are susceptible to increases in food costs that are outside of our control. Factors that can impact food and commodity costs include general economic conditions, seasonal fluctuations, weather and climate conditions, global demand, trade protections and subsidies, food safety issues, infectious diseases, possible terrorist activity, currency fluctuations, product recalls, and government regulatory schemes. Additionally, some of our produce, meats, and restaurant supplies are sourced from outside the United States. Any new or increased import duties, tariffs, or taxes, or other changes in U.S. trade or tax policy, could result in higher food and commodity costs that would adversely impact our financial results.

Weather and climate related issues, such as freezes or drought, may lead to temporary or even longer-term spikes in the prices of some ingredients such as produce and meats, or of livestock feed. Increasing weather volatility or other long-term changes in global weather patterns, including any changes associated with global climate change, could have a significant impact on the price or availability of some of our ingredients. Any increase in the prices of the ingredients most critical to our menu, such as beef, chicken, pork, tomatoes, lettuce, dairy products, and potatoes could adversely affect our financial results. In the event of cost increases with respect to one or more of our raw ingredients, we may choose to change our pricing or suspend serving a menu item rather than paying the increased cost for the particular ingredient.

We seek to manage food and commodity costs, including through extended fixed price contracts, strong category and commodity management, and purchasing fundamentals. However, certain commodities such as beef and pork, which currently represent approximately 20%18% and 7%, respectively, of our consolidated commodity spend, do not lend themselves to fixed price contracts.

Further, we cannot assure you that we or our franchisees will be able to successfully anticipate and react effectively to changing food and commodity costs by adjusting purchasing practices or menu offerings. We and our franchisees also may not be able to pass along price increases to our customers as a result of adverse economic conditions, competitive pricing, or other factors. Therefore, variability of food and other commodity costs could adversely affect our profitability and results of operations.

Dependence on frequent deliveries of fresh produce and other food products subjects food service businesses such as ours to the risk that shortages or interruptions in supply could adversely affect the availability, quality or cost of ingredients or require us to incur additional costs to obtain adequate supplies. Deliveries of supplies may be affected by adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, labor shortages, or financial or solvency issues of our distributors or suppliers, product recalls, or other issues. Further, increases in fuel prices could result in increased distribution costs. In addition, if any of our distributors, suppliers, vendors, or other contractors fail to meet our quality or safety standards or otherwise do not perform adequately, or if any one or more of them seeks to terminate its agreement or fails to perform as anticipated, or if there is any disruption in any of our distribution or supply relationships or operations for any reason, our business reputation, financial condition, and results of operations may be materially affected.

We contract with a distribution network with a limited number of distribution partners located throughout the nation to provide the majority of our food distribution services in the United States. Through these arrangements, our food supplies are largely distributed through several primary distributors. If any of these relationships are interrupted or terminated, or if one or more supply or distribution partners are unable or unwilling to fulfill their obligations for whatever reasons, product availability to our restaurants may be interrupted, and business and financial results may be negatively impacted. Although we believe that alternative supply and distribution sources are available, there can be no assurance that we will be able to identify or negotiate with such sources on terms that are commercially reasonable to us.

Food safety is a top priority for our company, and we expend significant resources on food safety programs to ensure that our customers are able to enjoy safe and high quality food products. These include a daily, structured food safety assessment and documentation process at our restaurants, and periodic third-party and internal audits to review the food safety performance of our vendors, distributors and restaurants. Nonetheless, food safety risks cannot be completely eliminated, and food safety and food-borne illness issues do occur in the food service industry. Any report or publicity linking us to instances of food-borne illness or other food safety issues, including issues involving food tampering, natural or foreign objects, or other contaminants or adulterants in our food, could adversely affect our reputation, as well as our financial results. Furthermore, our reliance on food suppliers and distributors increases the risk that food-borne illness incidents could be introduced by third-party vendors outside our direct control. Although we test and audit these activities, we cannot guarantee that all food items are safely and properly maintained during transport or distribution throughout the supply chain.

Additionally, past reports linking nationwide or regional incidents of food-borne illnesses such as salmonella, E. coli, and listeria to certain products such as produce and proteins, or human-influenced illness such as hepatitis A or norovirus, have resulted in consumers avoiding certain products and restaurant concepts for a period of time. Similarly, reaction to media-influenced reports of avian flu, incidents of “mad cow” disease, or similar concerns have also caused some consumers to avoid any products that are, or are suspected of being, affected and could have an adverse effect on the price and availability of affected ingredients. Further, if we react to these problems by changing our menu or other key aspects of the brand experience, we may lose customers who do not accept those changes, and we may not be able to attract enough new customers to generate sufficient revenue to make our restaurants profitable.

Our restaurants currently have an ingredient mix that can be exposed to one or more food allergens, such as eggs, wheat, milk, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, and soy. We employ precautionary allergen training steps for food handlers in order to minimize risk of allergen cross contamination and we post allergen information on nutritional posters in our restaurants or otherwise make such information available to guests upon request. Even with such precautionary measures, the potential risk of allergen cross contamination exists in a restaurant environment. A potentially serious allergic reaction by a guest may result in adverse public communication, media coverage, a decline in restaurant sales, and a material decline in our financial results.

Our business can be materially and adversely affected by widespread negative publicity of any type, particularly regarding food quality, food safety, nutritional content, safety or public health issues (such as outbreaks, epidemics, or the prospect of a pandemic), obesity or other health concerns, animal welfare issues, and employee relations issues, among other things. Adverse publicity in these areas could damage the trust customers place in our brand. The increasingly widespread use of mobile communications and social media platforms has amplified the speed and scope of adverse publicity and could hamper our ability to promptly correct misrepresentations or otherwise respond effectively to negative publicity, whether or not accurate. Any widespread negative publicity regarding the company, our brand, our vendors and suppliers, and our franchisees, or negative publicity about the restaurant industry in general, whether or not accurate, could cause a decline in restaurant sales, and could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

Additionally, employee or customer claims against us or our franchisees based on, among other things, wage and hour violations, discrimination, harassment, or wrongful termination may also create negative publicity that could adversely affect us and divert financial and management resources that would otherwise be focused on the future performance of our operations. Consumer demand for our products could decrease significantly if any such incidents or other matters create negative publicity or otherwise erode consumer confidence in us, our brand or our products, or in the restaurant industry in general.

Labor is a primary component of our operating costs, and we believe good managers and crew are a key part of our success. We devote significant resources to recruiting and training our restaurant managers and crew.costs. Increased labor costs due to factors such as competition for workers, labor market pressures, increased minimum wage requirements, paid sick leave or vacation accrual mandates, or other legal or regulatory changes, such as predictive scheduling, may adversely impact operating costs for us and our franchisees. Additional taxes or requirements to incur additional employee benefit costs, including the requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “Affordable Care Act”) or any new or replacement healthcare requirements, could also adversely impact our operating costs. Moreover, if restaurant managers do not schedule our restaurant crews efficiently, our restaurants may be overstaffed at some times, which adversely impacts our labor costs as a percentage of sales, decreasing our operating margins.

We believe that our continued success will depend, in part, on our ability to attract and retain the services of skilled personnel, from our senior management to our restaurant employees. The loss of the services of, or our inability to attract and retain, such personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business. We believe good managers and crew are a key part of our success, and we devote significant resources to recruiting and training our restaurant managers and crew. We aim to reduce turnover among our restaurant crews and managers in an effort to retain top performing employees and better realize our investment in training new employees. Any failure to do so may adversely impact our operating results by increasing training costs and making it more difficult to deliver outstanding customer service, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial results. In addition, we previously announced that key members of executive management will be leaving the Company in early 2020. The loss of these key executives or any additional members of our executive management team or an inability to effectively plan for and implement a succession plan for key management could negatively impact our business.  

Some of our competitors have greater financial resources, which enable them to: invest significantly more than us in advertising, particularly television and radio ads, as well as endorsements and sponsorships; have a presence across more media channels; and support multiple system and regional product launches at one time. Should our competitors increase spending on marketing, advertising, and promotion, or should the cost of advertising increase or our advertising funds decrease for any reason (including reduced sales, implementation of reduced spending strategies, or a decrease in the percentage contribution to the marketing fundsfund for any reason), our results of operations and financial condition may be materially impacted.

Food service businesses such as ours can be materially and adversely affected by severe weather conditions, such as severe storms, hurricanes, flooding, prolonged drought, or protracted heat or cold waves, and by natural disasters, such as earthquakes and wild fires, or “man-made” calamities such as terrorist incidents or civil unrest, and their aftermath. Such occurrences could result in lost restaurant sales, property damage, lost products, interruptions in supply, and increased costs.

If systemic or widespread adverse changes in climate or weather patterns occur, we could experience more severe impact, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial results. The impact of these factors may be exacerbated by our geographic profile, as nearly 70% of the restaurants in our Jack in the Box system are located in the states of California and Texas.

We intend to grow the brand primarily through new restaurant development by franchisees, both in existing markets and in new markets. Development involves substantial risks, including the risk of:

Although we manage our growth and development activities to help reduce such risks, we cannot assure that our present or future growth and development activities will perform in accordance with our expectations. Our inability to expand in accordance with our plans or to manage the risks associated with our growth could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

As of September 30, 2018,29, 2019, approximately 94% of our operating restaurant properties were franchised restaurants; therefore, our success increasingly relies on the financial success and cooperation of our franchisees, yet we have limited influence over their operations. Our income arises from two sources: fees from franchised restaurants (e.g., rent and royalties based on a percentage of sales) and, to a lesser degree, sales from our remaining Company-operated restaurants. Our franchisees manage their businesses independently, and therefore are responsible for the day-to-day operation of their restaurants. The revenues we realize from franchised restaurants are largely dependent on the ability of our franchisees to grow their sales. If our franchisees do not experience sales growth, our revenues and margins could be negatively affected as a result. Also, if sales trends worsen for franchisees, their financial results may deteriorate, which could result in, among other things, restaurant closures, or delayed or reduced payments to us. Our refranchising strategy has increased that dependence and the potential effect of those factors.

Our success also increasingly depends on the willingness and ability of our independent franchisees to implement shared strategies and major initiatives, which may include financial investment, and to remain aligned with us on operating and promotional plans. Franchisees’ ability to contribute to the achievement of our plans is dependent in large part on the availability to them of funding at reasonable interest rates and may be negatively impacted by the financial markets in general or by the credit worthiness of our franchisees or the Company. As small businesses, some of our franchise operators may be negatively and disproportionately impacted by strategic initiatives, capital requirements, inflation, labor costs, employee relations issues, or other causes. In addition, franchisees’ business obligations may not be limited to the operation of Jack in the Box restaurants, making them subject to business and financial risks unrelated to the operation of our restaurants. These unrelated risks could adversely affect a franchisee’s ability to make payments to us or to make payments on a timely basis. We cannot assure you that our franchisees will successfully participate in our strategic or marketing initiatives or operate their restaurants in a manner consistent with our requirements, standards, and expectations. As compared to some of our competitors, our brand has relatively fewer franchisees who, on average, operate more restaurants per franchisee. There are significant risks to our business if a franchisee, particularly one who operates a large number of restaurants, encounters financial difficulties, including bankruptcy, or fails to adhere to our standards, projecting an image inconsistent with our brand or negatively impacting our financial results.

Our operating performance could also be negatively affected if our franchisees experience food safety or other operational problems or project an image inconsistent with our brand and values, particularly if our contractual and other rights and remedies are limited, costly to exercise, or subjected to litigation and potential delays. If franchisees do not successfully operate restaurants in a manner consistent with our required standards, our brand’s image and reputation could be harmed, which in turn could hurt our business and operating results.

Our ownership mix also affects our results and financial condition. With an increase in the proportion of Jack in the Box franchised restaurants, the percentage of our revenues derived from royalties and rents at franchise restaurants has increased as has the risk that earnings could be negatively impacted by defaults in the payment of royalties and rents. The decision to own restaurants or to operate under franchise agreements is driven by many factors whose interrelationship is complex and changing. Our ability to achieve the benefits of our refranchising strategy, which involvesof owning a significant higher percentage of franchised restaurants and less company owned restaurants, depends on various factors. Those factors include whether we have effectively selected franchisees that meet our rigorous standards, and whether their performance and the resulting ownership mix supports our brand and financial objectives.

We own or lease the real properties on which most of our restaurants are located and lease or sublease to the franchisee a majority of our franchised restaurant sites. Further,While we have announced our plan to sell our principal executive offices and consolidate our headquarters into our Innovation Center, we currently still own our principal executiveexecutives offices and expect to continue to own our Innovation Center and approximately four acres of undeveloped land directly adjacent to the Innovation Center. We have engaged and continue to engage in real estate development projects. As is the case with any owner or operator of real property, we are subject to eminent domain proceedings that can impact the value of investments we have made in real property, and we are subject to other potential liabilities, cost and damages arising out of owning, operating, leasing, or otherwise having interests in real property.

In accordance with accounting guidance as it relates to the impairment of long-lived assets, we make certain estimates and projections with regard to individual restaurant operations, as well as our overall performance, in connection with our impairment analyses for long-lived assets. We evaluate our long-lived assets, such as property and equipment, for impairment on an annual basis or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying value may not be recoverable. Impairment evaluations for individual restaurants take into consideration a restaurant’s operating cash flows, the period of time since a restaurant has been opened or remodeled, and the maturity of the related market. The projections of future cash flows used in these analyses require the use of judgment and a number of estimates and projections of future operating results. If actual results differ from our estimates, additional charges for asset impairments may be required in the future. If future impairment charges are significant, our financial results would be adversely affected.

Our income tax provision is sensitive to expected earnings and, as those expectations change, our income tax provisions may vary from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year. In addition, we may occasionally take positions on our tax returns that differ from their treatment for financial reporting purposes. The difference in treatment of such positions could have an adverse impact on our effective tax rate.

We are continuously seeking the most cost-effective means and structure to serve our customers, protect our shareholders, and respond to changes in our markets. Over the past several years, we have refranchised a substantial portion of our Jack in the Box restaurants and during 2018 completed the sale of our Qdoba brand. Consistent with these changes, we are engaged in restructuring the remaining organization while we continue to support Qdoba under a transition services agreement. We are also engaged in restructuring activities in an effort to reduce overhead costs.  As a result, we incurred significant restructuring costs are expected toand additional restructuring costs could be a recurring component of our operating costs andincurred, which may vary significantly from year to year depending on the scope of such activities. Such restructuring costs and expenses could adversely impact our financial results.

We and our franchisees rely on computer systems and information technology to conduct our business. We have instituted controls, including information security governance controls that are intended to protect our computer systems, our point of sale (“POS”) systems, and our information technology systems and networks; and adhere to payment card industry data security standards and limit third party access for vendors that require access to our restaurant networks. We also have business continuity plans that attempt to anticipate and mitigate failures. However, we cannot control or prevent every cybersecurity risk.

A material failure or interruption of service, or a breach in the security of our computer systems caused by malware, ransomware or other attack, could cause reduced efficiency in operations, loss or misappropriation of data, or other business interruptions; or could negatively impact delivery of food to restaurants, or financial functions such as vendor payment, employee payroll, franchise operations reporting, or our ability to receive customer payments through our POS or other systems.systems, or could result in the loss or misappropriation of customer or employee data. Such events could negatively impact cash flows or require significant capital investment to rectify; result in damage to our business or reputation or loss of consumer or employee confidence; and lead to potential costs, fines and litigation. These risks may be magnified by increased and changing regulations. The costs of compliance and risk mitigation planning, including increased investment in technology or personnel in order to protect valuable business or consumer information, have increased significantly in recent years, and may also negatively impact our financial results.

Restaurants and other retailers have faced, and we could in the future become subject to, claims for purportedly fraudulent transactions arising out of the actual or alleged theft of credit or debit card information or the loss of personally identifiable information, and we may also be subject to lawsuits or other proceedings in the future relating to these types of incidents. Any such proceedings could distract our management from running our business and cause us to incur significant unplanned losses and expenses. Consumer perception of our brand could also be negatively affected by these events, which could further adversely affect our financial results.

Our ability to successfully implement our business strategy depends, in part, on our ability to further build brand recognition using our trademarks, service marks, trade dress, and other proprietary intellectual property, including our name and logos, our strategy, and the ambiance of our restaurants. If our efforts to protect our intellectual property are inadequate, or if any third party misappropriates or infringes our intellectual property, either in print or on the Internet or a social media platform, the value of our brand may be harmed, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and might prevent our brand from achieving or maintaining market acceptance.

We franchise our brand to various franchisees. While we try to ensure that the quality of our brand is maintained by all franchisees, we cannot assure that all franchisees will uphold brand standards so as not to harm the value of our intellectual property or our reputation.

Under the Indenture, the Master Issuer has $1.3 billion of outstanding debt as of September 29, 2019. Additionally, the Master Issuer has the ability to borrow amounts from time to time and we may increase our debt leverage, which would make us more sensitiveon a revolving basis, up to an aggregate principal amount of $150.0 million pursuant to the effectsSeries 2019-1 Class A-1 Notes.

This level of economic downturns.

OurThe ability to repay expectedmeet payment and other obligations under the debt instruments of our subsidiaries depends on our ability to generate significant cash flow in the future. Our business may not generate cash flow from operations, and there can be no assurances that future borrowings underwill be available to us in an amount sufficient to enable our credit facility andsubsidiaries to meet our debt payment obligations and to fund other liquidity needs. If our subsidiaries are not able to generate sufficient cash flow to service our debt obligations, our subsidiaries may need to refinance or restructure debt, sell assets, reduce or delay capital investments, or seek to raise additional capital. If our subsidiaries are unable to implement one or more of these alternatives, they may not be able to meet debt payment and other obligations, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

In addition, we may incur additional indebtedness in the future. If new debt or contractual obligations (including complianceother liabilities are added to our current consolidated debt levels, the related risks that it now faces could intensify.

We are subject to complaints or litigation brought by formercurrent or currentformer employees, customers, current or former franchisees, vendors, landlords, shareholders, competitors, government agencies, or others. We assess contingencies to determine the degree of probability and range of possible losses for potential accrual in our financial statements. An estimated loss contingency is accrued if it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. Because lawsuits are inherently unpredictable and unfavorable resolutions could occur, assessing contingencies is highly subjective and requires judgments about future events. We regularly review contingencies to determine the adequacy of the accruals and related disclosures. However, the amount of ultimate loss may differ from these estimates. A judgment that is not covered by insurance or that is significantly in excess of our insurance coverage for any claims could materially adversely affect our financial results. In addition, regardless of whether any claims against us are valid or whether we are found to be liable, claims may be expensive to defend, and may divert management’s attention away from our operations and hurt our performance. Further, adverse publicity resulting from claims against us or our franchisees may harm our business or that of our franchisees.

Some or all of our employees or our franchisees’ employees may elect to be represented by labor unions in the future. If a significant number of these employees were to become unionized and collective bargaining agreement terms were significantly different from current compensation arrangements, this could adversely affect our business and financial results or the business and financial results of our franchisees. In addition, a labor dispute or organizing effort involving some or all of our employees or our franchisees’ employees may harm our brand and reputation. Resolution of such disputes may be costly and time-consuming, and thus increase our costs and distract management resources.

We believe that we maintain insurance policies customary for businesses of our size, type, and experience. Historically, through the use of deductibles or self-insurance retentions, we retained a portion of expected losses for our workers’ compensation, general liability, certain employee medical and dental, employment, property, and other claims. However, there are types of losses that we may incur that cannot be insured against or that we believe are not economically reasonable to insure. Such losses could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Our quarterly results and the price of our common stock may each fluctuate significantly and could fail to meet the expectations of securities analysts and investors because of factors including:

From time to time, we may be subject to proposals by stockholders urging us to take certain corporate actions. If activist stockholder activities ensue, our business could be adversely affected because responding to proxy contests and reacting to other actions by activist stockholders can be costly and time-consuming, disrupt our operations and divert the attention of management and our employees. For example, we may be required to retain the services of various professionals to advise us on activist stockholder matters, including legal, financial, and communications advisers, the costs of which may negatively impact our future financial results. In addition, perceived uncertainties as to our future direction, strategy or leadership created as a consequence of activist stockholder initiatives may result in the loss of potential business opportunities, harm our ability to attract new investors, customers, employee,employees, and joint venture partners, and cause our stock price to experience periods of volatility or stagnation.

Americans with Disabilities Act and Similar State Laws

We are subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and similar state laws that give civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities in the context of employment, public accommodations, and other areas. The expenses associated with any modifications we may be required to undertake with respect to our restaurants or services, or any damages, legal fees, and costs associated with litigating or resolving claims under the ADA or similar state laws, could be material.

Food Regulation

The Food Safety Modernization Act signed into law in January 2011, granted the FDA new authority regarding the safety of the entire food system, including through increased inspections and mandatory food recalls. Although restaurants are not directly implicated by some of these new requirements, our suppliers may initiate or otherwise be subject to food recalls or other consequences impacting the availability of certain products, which could result in adverse publicity, or require us to take actions that could be costly for us or otherwise impact our business and financial results.

Local Licensure, Zoning, and Other Regulation

Each of our restaurants is subject to state and local licensing and regulation by health, sanitation, food, and workplace safety and other agencies. We may experience material difficulties, delays, or failures in obtaining the necessary licenses or approvals for new restaurants, which could delay planned restaurant openings. In addition, stringent and varied requirements of local regulators with respect to zoning, land use, and environmental factors could delay or prevent development of new restaurants in particular locations.

Environmental Laws

We are subject to federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations concerning the discharge, storage, handling, release, and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances, as well as local ordinances restricting the types of packaging we can use in our restaurants. If and to the extent any hazardous or toxic substances are present on or adjacent to any of our restaurant locations, we believe any such contamination would be the responsibility of one or more third parties, and would have been or should be addressed by the responsible party. If the relevant third parties have not or do not address the identified contamination properly or completely, then under certain environmental laws, we could be held liable as an owner or operator to address any remaining contamination, sometimes without regard to whether we knew of, or were responsible for, the release or presence of hazardous or toxic substances. Any such liability could be material. Further, we may not have identified all of the potential environmental liabilities at our properties, and any such liabilities could have a material adverse effect on our financial results. We also cannot predict what environmental laws or laws regarding packaging will be enacted in the future, how existing or future environmental or packaging laws will be administered or interpreted, or the amount of future expenditures that we may need to make to comply with, or to satisfy claims relating to, such laws.

Employment and Immigration Laws

We and our franchisees are subject to the federal labor laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as various state and local laws governing such matters as minimum wages, exempt status classification, overtime, breaks, schedules, and other working conditions for employees. Federal, state, and local laws may also require us to provide paid and unpaid leave, healthcare, or other benefits to our employees. Changes in the law, or penalties associated with any failure on our part to comply with legal requirements, could increase our labor costs or result in significant additional expense to us and our franchisees.

States in which we operate may adopt new immigration laws or enforcement programs, and the U.S. Congress and the Department of Homeland Security from time to time consider and may implement changes to federal immigration laws, regulations, or enforcement programs. Such changes and enforcement programs may increase our obligations for compliance and oversight, which could subject us to additional costs and make our hiring process more cumbersome. Although we require all workers to provide us with government-specified documentation evidencing their employment eligibility, some of our employees may, without our knowledge, be unauthorized workers. All of our Company employees currently participate in the “E-Verify” program, an Internet-based, free program run by the United States government to verify employment eligibility. However, use of the “E-Verify” program does not guarantee that we will successfully identify all applicants who are ineligible for employment. Unauthorized workers are subject to deportation and may subject us to fines or penalties, and if any of our employees or our franchisees’ employees are found to be unauthorized, we could experience adverse publicity that negatively impacts our brand and may make it more difficult to hire and keep qualified employees. Termination of a significant number of employees who are found to be unauthorized workers may disrupt operations, cause temporary increases in labor costs to train new employees, and result in additional adverse publicity. We could also become subject to fines, penalties, and other costs related to claims that we did not fully comply with all record keeping obligations of federal and state immigration compliance laws. These factors could materially adversely affect our financial results.

Franchising Activities

Our franchising activities are subject to federal regulations administered by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, laws enacted by a number of states, and rules and regulations promulgated by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. In particular, we are subject to federal and state laws regulating the offer and sale of franchises, as well as judicial and administrative interpretations of such laws. Such laws impose registration and disclosure requirements on franchisors in the offer and sale of franchises, and may also apply substantive standards to the relationship between franchisor and franchisee, including limitations on the ability of franchisors to terminate franchises and alter franchise arrangements. Failure to comply with new or existing franchise laws, rules, and regulations in any jurisdiction or to obtain required government approvals could negatively affect our ability to grow or expand our franchise business and sell franchises.

The restaurant and retail industries are subject to extensive federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including regulations relating to:

The increasing amount and complexity of regulations and their interpretation may increase the costs to us and our franchisees of labor and compliance, and increase our exposure to legal and regulatory claims which, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on our business. While we strive to comply with all applicable existing rules and regulations, we cannot predict the effect on our operations from modifications to the language or interpretations of existing requirements, or to the issuance of new or additional requirements in the future.

Changes in government regulation and consumer eating habits may impact the ingredients and nutritional content of our menu offerings, or require us to disclose the nutritional content of our menu offerings. For example, a number of states, counties, and cities have enacted menu labeling laws requiring multi-unit restaurant operators to disclose certain nutritional information to customers, or have enacted legislation restricting the use of certain types of ingredients in restaurants. Furthermore, the Affordable Care Act requires chain restaurants to publish calorie information on their menus and menu boards effective May 7, 2018.boards. These and other requirements may increase our expenses, slow customers’ ordering process, or negatively influence the demand for our offerings; all of which can impact sales and profitability.

Compliance with current and future laws and regulations in a number of areas, including with respect to ingredients, nutritional content of our products, and packaging and serviceware may be costly and time-consuming. Additionally, if consumer health regulations change significantly, we may be required to modify our menu offerings or packaging, and as a result, may experience higher costs or reduced demand associated with such changes. Some government authorities are increasing regulations regarding trans-fats and sodium. While we have removed all artificial or “added during manufacturing” trans fats from our ingredients, some ingredients have naturally occurring trans-fats. Future requirements limiting trans-fats or sodium content may require us to change our menu offerings or switch to higher cost ingredients. These actions may hinder our ability to operate in some markets or to offer our full menu in these markets, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. If we fail to comply with such laws and regulations, our business could also experience a material adverse effect.

We are required, as a restaurant business, under state and local government regulations to obtain and maintain licenses, permits, and approvals to operate our businesses. Such regulations are subject to change from time to time. Any failure by us or our franchisees to obtain and maintain these licenses, permits, and approvals could adversely affect our financial results.

None.

Not applicable.

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