The Franchising On-Ramp: Operators invest in the future with summer hiring

Each summer, franchise businesses across the U.S. play a pivotal role in job creation, stepping up as major drivers of employment across a diverse range of industries. From restaurants and childcare to home services and fitness centers, franchise brands are actively addressing workforce gaps, offering early-career opportunities, and fueling local economies. This comes at a time when businesses are navigating persistent labor shortages, making the summer hiring season more critical than ever.

Significant effect

A prime example of the scale and significance of summer hiring can be seen at McDonald’s, which announced plans to hire up to 375,000 workers nationwide this summer. With 900 new restaurants opening soon and more than 13,500 already in operation, McDonald’s is using its national footprint to efficiently attract and onboard new talent. U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer joined the company for this major announcement in Ohio, signaling the public sector’s growing recognition and support of franchising’s role in workforce development.

In Maryland, McDonald’s is partnering with the state to hire nearly 4,000 workers across 330 restaurants. That effort earned recognition from Gov. Wes Moore and coincides with the 10th anniversary of Archways to Opportunity, McDonald’s education and career advancement program that has already helped more than 1,000 Marylanders pursue academic goals and professional growth. It’s a powerful example of how franchising is more than just a job; it’s an on-ramp to a career, often with support structures and advancement pathways that go beyond what other industries provide. These kinds of public-private collaborations reflect what’s possible when business leaders and policymakers work together to create meaningful economic mobility.

This trend extends far beyond one brand. According to IFA’s latest Franchisee and Franchisor Surveys, labor availability remains the number one concern for many operators. Summer presents a strategic window to close those gaps. For multi-unit franchisees, it’s a chance to align staffing across locations, optimize onboarding, and invest in team members who will grow with your business.

What’s working?

We’re seeing franchisees connect with students, part-time workers, and reentrants to the workforce, often with flexible hours, fast-track training, and clear paths to advancement. Brands in childcare and education hired seasonal staff as schools let out. Fitness franchises staffed up for summer surges. Home service operators added technicians to meet seasonal demand. In every sector, the best-run locations treat summer hires as more than just a short-term fix; they’re building pipelines for long-term talent.

The impact of summer hiring in franchising goes beyond filling immediate vacancies. For many workers, especially those starting in entry-level positions, these jobs can serve as stepping stones to long-term careers. According to industry statistics, one in eight Americans has worked at a McDonald’s at some point in their lives, and many have advanced from entry-level roles to management, ownership, or leadership positions. This upward mobility is a testament to the opportunities that franchising provides for skill development, career advancement, and entrepreneurship.

Move the needle

Even small-scale benefits programs can move the needle. McDonald’s Archways to Opportunities offers education support and career coaching to retain talent, but you don’t need a national budget to make an impact. Operators are finding success with targeted incentives: career mentorship, retention bonuses, split-shift flexibility, or even simplified pathways to promotion. Small changes can lead to big gains in loyalty and retention.

Franchising remains one of America’s most resilient engines of opportunity, supporting nearly 9 million jobs and generating more than $825 billion in economic output. Summer hiring is just one part of that story, but it’s a telling one: It shows how franchise businesses rise to meet labor challenges with creativity, investment, and purpose.

When the hiring season was heating up, franchising was once again doing what it does best: creating jobs, building futures, and serving communities across the country.

Let’s keep making the most of it.

Matt Haller is president and CEO of the International Franchise Association.