FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Financial Instruments, Owned, at Fair Value [Abstract]  
FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
 
At March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the Company’s financial instruments consisted of cash and cash equivalents, receivables, franchise notes receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities and long-term debt. The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents, receivables, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximates their respective fair values because of the short maturities of these instruments. Based on the interest rates currently available and their underlying risk, the carrying value of the franchise notes receivable approximates their respective fair values. These fair values are reflected net of reserves for uncollectible amounts. As considerable judgment is required to determine these estimates and assumptions, changes in the assumptions or methodologies may have an effect on these estimates.

The Company determined the estimated fair values of its debt by using currently available market information. The fair value measurement for debt utilizes Level 2 inputs on the fair value hierarchy, which are defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, other inputs that are observable, or can be corroborated by observable market data. The actual and estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments are as follows:
 
March 31, 2015
 
December 31, 2014
 
Carrying
Amount
 
Fair
Value
 
Carrying
Amount
 
Fair
Value
 
(in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
$
166,926

 
$
166,926

 
$
133,834

 
$
133,834

Receivables, net
135,173

 
135,173

 
136,361

 
136,361

Franchise notes receivable, net
17,247

 
17,247

 
17,722

 
17,722

Accounts payable
153,066

 
153,066

 
129,064

 
129,064

Long-term debt (including current portion)
1,341,356

 
1,336,326

 
1,342,378

 
1,288,683