HEN MOST PEOPLE HEAR THE word franchise, their first thought is food. It’s a natural reaction, considering how many high-profile franchise concepts are food-related. In fact, our FRANCHISE 500 LIST this year contained 119 food franchises, representing more than 200,000 individual places to grab a bite, from vending machines and carts to drive-thrus and sit-down diners. This month, we look at the top food franchises—a list full of trends, such as spicy flavors (people love their Buffalo wings), wacky food mash-ups (bacon on everything) and over-the-top treats (ice cream with gummy bears). But the leaders of these franchises
W
say they succeed because of other ingredients as well—transparency, responsibility and sustainability. “The traditional attributes of ‘lower calorie’ or ‘low fat’ are no longer the defining hallmarks for healthy choices,” says Firehouse Subs CEO Don Fox. “And the determination of what is good for you, for the world—or what is not—is a complex and personal mosaic that’s different for each customer.” As you peruse this list, please keep in mind it is not intended as an endorsement of any company. Before investing in a franchise opportunity, you should always read the company’s legal documents, consult with an attorney and an accountant and talk to existing and former franchisees.
Table of Contents MEXICAN FOOD PIZZA RETAIL FOOD BUSINESSES SANDWICHES SMOOTHIES MISC. QUICK-SERVICE RESTAURANTS
BAKED GOODS Auntie Anne’s HandRolled Soft Pretzels
Wetzel’s Pretzels
Buffalo Wild Wings
Soft pretzels, lemonade, hot dogs
Buffalo wings, sandwiches
Soft pretzels
2016 Franchise 500 rank: #163 Startup cost: $156.6K–$370.9K Total franchises/ co.-owned: 290/12
2016 Franchise 500 rank: #59 Startup cost: $1.4M–$3.6M Total franchises/ co.-owned: 576/594
Great Harvest Franchising
Church’s Chicken
Bread bakery
2016 Franchise 500 rank: #63 Startup cost: $413.3K–$1.3M Total franchises/ co.-owned: 1,396/261
2016 Franchise 500 rank: #31 Startup cost: $196.5K–$370.1K Total franchises/ co.-owned: 1,632/16
Cinnabon Cinnamon rolls, baked goods, coffee 2016 Franchise 500 rank: #55 Startup cost: $181.1K–$387.5K Total franchises/ co.-owned: 1,340/2
2016 Franchise 500 rank: #411 Startup cost: $113.5K–$642K Total franchises/ co.-owned: 195/1
Chicken
Chester’s Pretzelmaker
Krispy Kreme Doughnut
Chicken
Pretzels
Doughnuts, coffee
2016 Franchise 500 rank: #423 Startup cost: $154.5K–$237.8K Total franchises/ co.-owned: 294/0
2016 Franchise 500 rank: #64 Startup cost: $21.9K–$293.8K Total franchises/ co.-owned: 1,073/0
2016 Franchise 500 rank: #119 Startup cost: $275K–$1.9M Total franchises/ co.-owned: 931/114
Great American Cookies Cookies 2016 Franchise 500 rank: #128 Startup cost: $183.2K–$316.7K Total franchises/ co.-owned: 357/0
100
108 108 109 109 111 111
ENTREPRENEUR 6/16
CHICKEN KFC Chicken 2016 Franchise 500 rank: #41 Startup cost: $1.3M–$2.5M Total franchises/co.owned: 14,162/5,258
Wingstop Restaurants Chicken wings 2016 Franchise 500 rank: #71 Startup cost: $192.3K–$688.4K Total franchises/ co.-owned: 766/19
“The biggest food trend is safety. We’ve started testing for GMOs and chemicals. Our wheat isn’t organic, but we test for chemicals as if it is. It’s important that our ingredients meet high standards.” —Mike Ferretti, CEO, Great Harvest
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GREAT HARVEST
100 BAKED GOODS 100 CHICKEN 102 COFFEE 103 FROZEN DESSERTS 103 FULL-SERVICE RESTAURANTS 107 HAMBURGERS