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Every year, Entrepreneur magazine names its top franchises for sale, gathered up into a list called the “Franchise 500.” By referring to this list, prospective franchise owners can determine the top franchise for sale in any number of categories—the best fast-food franchise, the best auto service franchise, the best do-it-yourself picture framing franchise, and so on. This publication also names the 10 best franchises for sale regardless of the industry they are in, and it is this list that offers the most coveted ranking of all. The “next hottest franchise concept” certainly has a chance to advance in the standings. But year after year, the same companies continue to dominate this list, mainly because they have superb brand recognition, a solid financial base, highly satisfied franchisees committed to excellence, and products or services that have stood the test of time. As Entrepreneur sees it, here are the top 10 franchise companies for 2009.
1. Subway
The top company on this list has gained a reputation for offering fresh, healthy food at very reasonable prices. They also come up with some very innovative national marketing campaigns to keep the name “fresh” in the public’s eye. Subway began franchising in 1974 and has more than 21,000 franchises in the United States. The company charges a franchise fee of $15,000, with ongoing royalties of eight percent based on gross annual sales. One’s total investment will run from between $78,000 and $238,000. Subway has franchises for sale in nearly every U.S. state.
2. McDonald’s
Ray Kroc took a California hamburger joint owned by two brothers and turned it into the world’s largest fast-food restaurant chain. Over the years, McDonald’s has been an innovator from the aspects of both service and menu items, inventing such concepts as the kids’ meal and drink tops with pre-punched access holes. The company charges a franchise fee of $45,000, with ongoing royalties of 12.5 percent based on gross annual sales. One’s total investment will run from between $950,000 and $1.8 million. McDonald’s has a franchise for sale to residents of every U.S. state, plus worldwide opportunities exist as well.
3. Liberty Tax Service
With the tax deadline of April 15 looming over the heads of U.S. citizens every year, more and more taxpayers realize that it pays to hire an outside expert to help them complete their filings. The company started as Jackson Hewitt Tax Service in 1972 (and began franchising a year later) and changed its name after buying out another tax business in Canada. The company charges a franchise fee of $40,000, with variable ongoing royalties based on gross annual sales. One’s total investment will run from between $56,000 and $70,000. Liberty Tax Service has franchises for sale to anyone living in the U.S. or Canada.
4. Sonic Drive-In Restaurants
This company started as a root beer stand in 1954 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, jumping into the franchise business five years later. Today there are close to 3,000 Sonic Drive-In franchises across the country. The company charges a franchise fee of $45,000, with ongoing royalties ranging from two percent to five percent, based on gross annual sales. One’s total investment will run from between $1.2 million and $3.2 million. Sonic currently seeks out residents of Canada, New Zealand and Australia, offering exclusive territories in its franchise for sale.
5. InterContinental Hotels Group
The flagship property in this massive chain is the self-named InterContinental, which include some of the most prestigious hotels in such world capitals as London, Paris, Vienna, Cairo, Nairobi, and many others. This hotel conglomerate also includes such familiar brand names as Holiday Inn, Crown Plaza, Staybridge, and Candlewood. There are more than 2,600 franchises in the U.S. alone, as well as another 800-plus in foreign countries. Franchise fees and total investments will vary widely, since every property is unique. The company charges an ongoing royalty of five percent based on gross annual sales. InterContinental has franchises for sale in Oregon as well as assorted worldwide locations.
6. Ace Hardware Corp.
The neighborhood hardware store is alive and well in the guise of Ace, a national chain that prides itself on hometown values and helpful personnel who can tell you the best way to paint a door or repair a fence. The company began in 1924 and became a franchise operation in 1976. There are currently more than 4,200 U.S. franchises. The company charges an application fee of $5,000, and one’s total investment will run from between $400,000 and $1.1 million. Ace Hardware has franchise for sale opportunities in all U.S. states.
7. Pizza Hut
In 1957, when this pizza chain started business as a single restaurant in Wichita, Kansas, no one would have suspected that it would grow into the largest pizza restaurant chain in the world. Today there are nearly 10,000 franchises in existence, including “express” and kiosk locations that expose Pizza Hut products to more people than ever. The company charges a franchise fee of $25,000, with ongoing royalties of six percent based on gross annual sales. One’s total investment will run from between $317,000 and $2.9 million. Pizza Hut has franchises for sale in Oregon as well as assorted worldwide locations.
8. The UPS Store / Mail Boxes Etc.
Mail Boxes Etc. started in 1980 as a competitor to the U.S. Mail and has since expanded to offer all kinds of services that include the sale of packing materials, copying and printing, mailbox rentals, and shipments of darned near anything to anybody who has a permanent address. Re-branded as The UPS Store – although it ships by other carriers as well – the company charges a franchise fee of $30,000, with ongoing royalties of five percent based on gross annual sales. One’s total investment will run from between $155,000 and $295,000. The UPS Store has franchise for sale opportunities in all U.S. states, plus various locations worldwide.
9. Circle K
This convenience store chain was founded in 1951 in El Paso, Texas. They waited until 1995 to begin franchising, but since then Circle K has seen its U.S. franchises grow to more than 450. Surprisingly there are nearly 3,700 franchises overseas. The company charges a franchise fee of $15,000, with ongoing royalties of four percent based on gross annual sales. One’s total investment will run from between $161,000 and $1.4 million. In a nationwide expansion mode, Circle K has franchises for sale across the United States as well as in assorted worldwide locations.
10. Papa John’s International
This pizza chain got its start in 1985 in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Papa John’s has more than 2,100 U.S. franchises and close to 500 on international soil. The company charges a franchise fee of $25,000, with ongoing royalties of five percent based on gross annual sales. One’s total investment will run from between $135,000 and $490,000. Papa John’s has franchise for sale opportunities in all U.S. states.
About the Author
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You’ve thought about it for years and you’re finally ready to make the leap into business ownership. It’s time to be your own boss, to be the one in charge of your financial future – your destiny. Because you are a smart woman, you want to avoid making mistakes along the way. You have so many questions: Will you be happy as a franchisee? Can you make the money you need to provide for yourself and your future? What kind of franchise would be best? Where do you start, with thousands of franchise opportunities available?
The simple answer is that you start with YOU.
Before you even begin looking at franchises, you need to do a thorough self-evaluation of your own business style, strengths and challenges. So find a quiet place, get out paper and pen, and as objectively as possible answer the following questions. (And don’t worry; unlike the quiz in Cosmo, “Are you a good friend?” there are no wrong answers!)
What’s Your Personal Business Style?
What part of your current and past jobs have you liked doing the most?
Do you like working with the public or would you rather be involved in a B2B company, helping other businesses to grow?
Are you an outgoing, people person or do you prefer to be behind the scene, managing the business?
Are you willing to ask for help when you need it? One of the benefits of franchising is the ongoing support you will receive but it will do you no good unless you use it.
Describe the work environment that most appeals to you.
Are you status conscious? Does it matter to you what the product or service of the franchise is or does the business potential matter more?
What Are Your Skills and Strengths?
List your skills and evaluate how well you perform each.
How do you feel about sales and marketing? These skills are most often on a franchisor’s list of desired attributes in a potential franchisee.
Are you good a networking? In many cases, a franchise owner’s role will be to make community connections by joining civic organizations and networking with various groups.
What Do You See As Your Challenges?
What part of your current and past jobs have you liked doing the least?
List your weaknesses, those things you would not want to do or would want to hire someone else to do in a business.
What Experience Do You Have In Employee Management?
Do you have experience managing employees? Did you enjoy it?
Are you comfortable recruiting employees?
Do you have the experience and skill needed to create a work environment that will allow you to retain employees?
What Is Your Financial Profile?
How much capital do you have to invest?
Can you afford to do without a regular income during the start up phase of your new business?
What are your financial goals?
How do you see your lifestyle changing as a result of meeting your financial goals?
How do you feel about taking the risk of becoming self-employed?
Are You A Team Player?
Franchising is all about following someone else’s system. Can you picture yourself in this role, executing a system you didn’t create?
Once you have answered these questions, you’ll begin to see a clearer picture of what talents you can bring to a franchise business and what you expect to receive in return. Do you see yourself managing a string of dry cleaning franchises and vacationing in Tahiti ? Or, would your perfect opportunity be to own a mall-based tax preparation service where you could mingle with your customers and have lots of free time to spend with your family?
The next step is to start looking at opportunities and evaluating them based on your answers. It may take some effort to find the right franchise so don’t feel that you need to compromise. Just like jeans, franchise opportunities com e in many shapes and sizes and you never need to settle for one that is just not a great fit. Choosing the franchise opportunity that best matches your needs, interests and style is your greatest assurance of happiness and success as a business owner.
Kim Ellis is the President of Bison.com, a leading online resource for franchise and business opportunities. She has been quoted as an industry expert in USA Today, Wall Street Journal and a variety of local and regional publications regarding trends in business and franchising. Kim combines her entrepreneurial spirit with a diverse background in marketing and operation to help others succeed in franchising.