Franchise guides
What to know before you buy a franchise, with figures for the brands themselves: what it costs, how to pay for it, how often owners leave and what the contract says.
Choosing a franchise
Where to start, what to read and which kinds of franchise suit your situation.
How to buy a franchiseEight steps from setting a budget to signing, and the warning signs to watch for.Semi-absentee franchisesBrands a trained manager can run, and the ones that want you on site.Franchises by stateThe brands with the most locations in each state.Franchise disclosure documentWhat each part of a franchise's filing tells you, what most brands leave out and what to ask about.Best franchises for first-time ownersProven, growing brands under $250K with few closures and more training than most.Home-based franchisesBrands whose cost to open has no rent or build-out: run from home or a van.Franchises for veteransBrands that cut the franchise fee for veterans, by how much, and what else helps.Franchise trainingHow many hours of initial training each brand gives, by industry, and what it costs.
Costs, fees and financing
What you pay to open and every month after, and how owners pay for it.
How much does a franchise cost?The cost to open by industry and budget.Franchise fees and royaltiesWhat brands charge up front and every month.SBA franchise loansLoan limits, rates and the down payment.Franchise financingSBA loans, franchisor financing, retirement rollovers and home equity, with the cash each needs.Buying a franchise resaleTransfer fees by brand and industry, buy-backs, and what to check in an existing location.
Rankings and statistics
Brands and franchisors ranked on growth, size, sales, closures and revenue, and the figures for franchising as a whole.
Best franchises to ownBrands that pass five plain tests on growth, closures, earnings figures, SBA and size.Fastest-growing franchisesThe brands adding the most locations, and the ones shrinking.Largest franchises in the USThe brands with the most locations and who runs them.Most profitable franchisesThe brands whose locations sell the most.Best low-cost franchisesBrands under $100K to open that grew, kept their owners, share earnings figures and qualify for SBA loans.Best restaurant franchisesRestaurant and food brands ranked on growth, owner exits, earnings figures, SBA listing and size, by kind of food.Cheap restaurant franchisesThe cheapest food franchises to open, the cheapest in each kind of food, and small formats.Franchise companiesThe companies that own several franchise brands, with their brands' combined locations, growth and costs.Franchise failure ratesHow many franchised locations close or leave each year, by brand, industry, size and cost.Franchise statisticsHow many locations brands run, how fast they grow, how many close, and what franchises cost and charge.Largest franchisorsThe largest franchisors by revenue, the most profitable, the ones losing money and margins by industry.
Industry costs
What it costs to open in one industry, where the money goes, what locations sell and which brands are growing.
Food and drink
Fast food franchise costsWhat a quick-service restaurant costs to build, what it sells and the cheapest ways in.Pizza franchise costsCost to open a pizza franchise, delivery versus dine-in, sales and growth by brand.Coffee franchise costsDrive-thru, cafe and kiosk costs, sales per location and the fastest-growing coffee brands.Chicken franchise costsFried chicken, wings and rotisserie: what a restaurant costs to build, what it sells and who is growing.Burger franchise costsWhat a burger restaurant costs to build, drive-thru versus fast casual, and sales per location.Sandwich and sub franchise costsSub shops, delis and cheesesteaks: cost to open, sales per location and growth by chain.Ice cream franchise costsScoop shops, custard stands, shaved ice and trucks: cost to open and what each sells.Smoothie and juice franchise costsSmoothie, juice and bowl shops: cost to open, sales per location and the fastest growers.
Home and auto services
Cleaning franchise costsHome, office and carpet cleaning: cost to open, royalties and how often owners leave.Auto repair franchise costsShops, oil change bays and mobile repair: cost to open, equipment and sales per location.Handyman franchise costsHandyman and repair franchises: a low cost to open, where the money goes and how fast brands grow.
Fitness, beauty and wellness
Children, pets and care
Hotels, property and business services
Business types
Smaller kinds of franchise that cut across the industry lists: the brands, what they cost and how they are doing.
Pickleball franchisesIndoor pickleball clubs and court builders: what a club costs to open and how the brands are doing.Car wash franchisesExpress tunnels, flex-serve sites and mobile detailing: cost to open and sales per site.Storage franchisesPortable storage containers and self-storage: what each costs to start and how the brands grow.Gas station franchisesGas stations, convenience stores and travel centers, plus food counters you can add to a store.Pharmacy franchisesRetail pharmacy franchises and the programs that brand independent pharmacies: costs and size.Acai bowl franchisesAcai bowl shops and juice bars: cost to open, sales per shop and which brands are growing.Sushi franchisesSushi counters inside supermarkets, sushi restaurants and poke shops: what each costs to open.Hot dog franchisesHot dog shops, Korean corn dogs and branded menus for an existing business: costs and growth.Pet waste removal franchisesDog poop scooping franchises: a low cost to start, recurring routes and how big each brand is.Dental franchisesDental practice franchises and the businesses that serve dentists: what each costs and how big it is.Golf simulator franchisesIndoor golf simulator venues, lessons and mobile simulators, with mini golf apart: costs and growth.Med spa franchisesMedical spas offering injectables, laser and skin treatments: cost to open, fees and growth by brand.IV therapy franchisesIV hydration bars and the wellness clinics that add IV drips: cost to open and how the brands grow.Salon suite franchisesSalon suite buildings that rent private studios to stylists: cost to build, fees and growth by brand.
Contracts and risk
Agreement length, territories, transfers, closures and legal history.
Brands you can't franchise
Famous chains that don't sell franchises, how they're run, and the closest franchises you can open.
Brands that don't franchiseStarbucks, Chipotle, Walmart, Costco and other chains you can't buy, and the closest franchise to each.Starbucks franchiseLicensed, not franchised. How it's run and the closest coffee franchises you can open.Dutch Bros franchiseClosed to new franchisees. How it's run and the closest drive-thru coffee franchises you can open.Chipotle franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest Mexican fast casual franchises you can open.CAVA franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest Mediterranean fast casual franchises you can open.Sweetgreen franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest salad franchises you can open.Shake Shack franchiseLicensed, not franchised. How it's run and the closest burger franchises you can open.In-N-Out franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest burger franchises you can open.Raising Cane's franchiseClosed to new franchisees. How it's run and the closest chicken finger franchises you can open.Waffle House franchiseClosed to new franchisees. How it's run and the closest diner franchises you can open.Cracker Barrel franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest family dining franchises you can open.Olive Garden franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest Italian franchises you can open.Portillo's franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest hot dog and Italian beef franchises you can open.Chuck E. Cheese franchiseFranchises abroad only. How it's run and the closest family entertainment franchises you can open.Topgolf franchiseFranchises abroad only. How it's run and the closest golf entertainment franchises you can open.Trader Joe's franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest grocery franchises you can open.Wawa franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest convenience store franchises you can open.Dollar General franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest discount store franchises you can open.Five Below franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest discount store franchises you can open.lululemon franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest athletic apparel franchises you can open.FedEx franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest shipping franchises you can open.First Watch franchiseMostly company-owned. How it's run and the closest breakfast franchises you can open.Dollar Tree franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest discount store franchises you can open.Walmart franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest retail franchises you can open.The Cheesecake Factory franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest casual dining franchises you can open.U-Haul franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest moving franchises you can open.Costco franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest retail franchises you can open.Dave & Buster's franchiseFranchises abroad only. How it's run and the closest entertainment franchises you can open.Target franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest retail franchises you can open.Nike franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest athletic retail franchises you can open.Sheetz franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest convenience store franchises you can open.CVS franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest pharmacy franchises you can open.Home Depot franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest hardware franchises you can open.Publix franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest grocery franchises you can open.Buc-ee's franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest convenience store franchises you can open.LongHorn Steakhouse franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest steakhouse franchises you can open.Walgreens franchiseCompany-owned. How it's run and the closest pharmacy franchises you can open.
Celebrity owners
Famous people who own franchises or part of the companies that sell them, and what those franchises cost to open.
Celebrity franchise ownersShaq, Rick Ross, Magic Johnson, Drew Brees and others: the franchises they own or have a stake in.What does Shaq own?Shaquille O’Neal’s restaurants, franchises and investments: what he owns now and what he has sold.Rick Ross and WingstopHow Rick Ross came to own Wingstop restaurants, and what a Wingstop franchise costs.