The Worlds Top 10 Franchises
Ever wondered what the Top 10 Franchises in the world were?
Fear not my friends as we're about to put you out of your misery! Below outlines the Top 10 Franchises in the world based on total sales and units. This data was comprised by Global Systemwide sales.
Every year, the competition grows thicker and thicker as new franchises create compelling cases to enter the Top 10 and the old-school, established franchised giants keep innovating. So, which ones managed to crack the top echelon and make the top 10?
1. McDonald's
Started franchising: 1955
Total units: 38,695
System Sales: $100,178,000,000
Initial franchise cost: $1.3 million to $2.2 million
So, how does a franchising giant like McDonald’s, with a staggering 38,000+ food and beverage franchise units already in place, supposed to keep growing? It appears that the company is betting on tech solutions and platforms that can optimize speed of service and make an already-fast place more accessible than ever.
While it’s too early to definitively tell whether McDonald’s $10 billion system-wide store redesign and investment in tech is a success, here’s something to keep in mind: McDonald’s is now filling 10 delivery orders every second.
2. 7-Eleven
Started franchising: 1964
Total units: 66,689
System Sales: $89,000,000,000
Initial franchise cost: $47,100 to $1.2 million
The 7-Eleven franchise continues to grow at a massive rate, adding 4,584 franchised units within the past two years alone. The convenience store franchise is on the up and looking for that illustrious no.1 spot!
3. KFC
Started franchising: 1952
Total units: 24,104
System Sales: $27,900,000,000
Initial franchise cost: $750,000 - $1.5 million
The first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise was opened in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1952 by Pete Harman, who introduced the “Bucket O'Chicken” in 1957. Harman also is credited with the brand's slogan “It's finger-lickin' good.” KFC Corp. is based in Louisville, Kentucky, and is a subsidiary of Yum!
4. Burger King
Started franchising: 1954
Total units: 15,000+
System Sales: $22,921,000,000
Initial franchise cost: $350,000 - $1 million
Burger King started franchising just two years after the Colonel started in Kentucky. Two of the earliest investors were James McLamore and David Edgerton who bought themselves a franchise in Miami, Florida in 1954 and the burger franchise giant has just gone from strength to strength ever since.
5. Ace Hardware
Started franchising: 1976
Total units: 5,312
System Sales: $17,006,000,000
Initial franchise cost: $286,000- $1 million
Ace Hardware ranks No.5 on the list, and is the youngest within franchise within the to make up the top 5. According to the emerging franchise group, 75 percent of all U.S. homes are within 15 minutes of an Ace store, and the retailer managed more than $16 billion in sales last year. In particular, Ace’s online sales in the third quarter of 2019 rose 81 percent after the company began offering customers the ability to have their orders delivered at the nearest franchised store.
However, Ace continues to focus on its in-person customer service, too, which includes its acquisition of Denver-based franchise Handyman Matters.
6. Subway
Started franchising: 1974
Total units: 40,869
System Sales: $16,100,000,000
Initial franchise cost: $100,000 - $250,000
When Fred Deluca initially contemplated the idea of franchising his quick serviced sandwich concept, it was done with the aim of reaching 30 units that could manage themselves. Originally named "Pete's Super Submarines' and started by a 17 year old Fred, the giant soon changed it's name to Subway and started it's franchising journey in 1974. Astonishingly, they now have more franchised units than McDonald's.
7. Dominos
Started franchising: 1967
Total units: 17,020
System Sales: $14,300,000,000
Initial franchise cost: $300,000 - $600,000
Domino's Pizza opened its first franchise location in 1967 and by 1978, the company expanded to 200 stores. On May 12, 1983, Domino's opened its first international store, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.[That same year, Domino's opened its 1000th store, its first in Vancouver, Washington. In 1985, the chain opened their first store in the United Kingdom in Luton.
8. Pizza Hut
Started franchising: 1959
Total units: 17,176
System Sales: $12,900,000,000
Initial franchise cost: $350,000 - $2,000,000
Pizza Hut announced in August that it planned to close 500 of its U.S. dine-in restaurants, but in the past three years, it’s also opened thousands of international franchises. So, even as the domestic market grows more crowded than ever, international business has allowed the Hut to thrive.
Another growth opportunity for Pizza Hut lies in football, due to its new partnerships with the NFL and EA Sports (the makers of the Madden NFL franchise).
9. Chick-fill-A
Started franchising: 1946
Total units: 2,503
System Sales: $12,680,000,000
Initial franchise cost: $10,000 (franchisees do not own the equipment or premises)
is one of the largest American fast food restaurant chains and the largest whose specialty is chicken sandwiches. Today, Chick-fil-A has the highest same-store sales and is the largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the United States based on annual system-wide sales.
10. Circle K
Started franchising: 1999
Total units: 9,392
System Sales: $12,457,942,533
Initial franchise cost: $171,000 - $1,900,000
The Circle K convenience store chain got its start in 1951, when Fred Hervey bought three Kay's Food Stores in El Paso, Texas. The company began franchising in 1999. Now owned by parent company Alimentation Couche-Tard, Circle K franchises can be found in more than 20 states, as well as more than 10 other countries.