The 2019 Multi-Unit 50: Ranking the Most Multi-Friendly Brands

By: Multi-Unit Franchisee | 6,711 Reads | 36 Shares

Featured in: Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine: Issue 3, 2019

Multi-brand franchising is a growing phenomenon. Some franchisees are not content with operating one brand so they add one, two, three, or more other brands to their portfolios. Our annual Multi-Brand 50 issue provides data supplied by FRANdata that gives insight to this growing operational approach. Here are 2019's rankings of the country's largest multi-brand operators, along with the brands they've chosen.

Rank	Brand	Multi-Unit Franchisees	Single-Unit Franchisees	Total Franchisees
1	SUBWAY	3,999	3,720	7,719
2	MCDONALD’S	1,984	384	2,368
3	DUNKIN’	1,023	493	1,516
4	THE UPS STORE	841	2,274	3,115
5	AFC	749	1,813	2,562
6	LITTLE CAESARS	708	84	792
7	HISSHO SUSHI	632	20	652
8	H&R BLOCK	621	744	1,365
9	LIBERTY TAX SERVICE	619	859	1,478
10	GREAT CLIPS	594	300	894
11	HEALTH MART PHARMACY	565	3,188	3,753
12	DOMINO’S PIZZA	533	259	792
13	ACE HARDWARE	531	2,536	3,067
14	FIREHOUSE SUBS	485	19	504
15	BASKIN-ROBBINS	460	779	1,239
16	BURGER KING	438	355	793
17	JIMMY JOHN’S	437	315	752
18	VISION SOURCE	436	2,194	2,630
19	DQ GRILL & CHILL	400	1,137	1,537
20	JACKSON HEWITT TAX SERVICE	394	160	554
21	CENTURY 21	350	736	1,086
22	TACO BELL	343	344	687
23	ANYTIME FITNESS	330	1,663	1,993
24	SPORT CLIPS	290	119	409
25	KFC	280	421	701
26	PAPA JOHN’S	264	410	674
27	EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS	259	316	575
28	WENDY’S	253	143	396
29	JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS	250	209	459
30	CHICK-FIL-A	248	1,408	1,656
31	SUPERCUTS	245	142	387
32	PAPA MURPHY’S	237	251	488
33	COLDWELL BANKER	221	485	706
34	FANTASTIC SAMS	210	301	511
35	GNC	197	239	436
36	SONIC DRIVE-IN	187	269	456
36	ZAXBY’S	187	13	200
38	AUNTIE ANNE’S	175	314	489
39	SMOOTHIE KING	174	224	398
40	COLD STONE CREAMERY	173	409	582
41	HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTER	171	31	202
41	DQ TREAT	171	795	966
43	PIZZA HUT	170	120	290
44	WINGSTOP	169	120	289
45	MIDAS	166	276	442
46	ARBY’S	164	276	440
46	EUROPEAN WAX CENTER	164	112	276
48	CULVER’S	155	274	429
49	KELLER WILLIAMS	154	723	877
50	POPEYES LOUISIANA KITCHEN	147	606	753

Top 50 Brands by Percentage of Multi-Unit Franchisees

Rank	Brand	% Multi-Unit Franchisees	Multi-Unit Franchisees	Single-Unit Franchisees	Total Franchisees
1	GATEWAY NEWSTANDS	100.00%	73	0	73
1	PANCHERO’S	100.00%	28	0	28
3	FIVE GUYS BURGERS AND FRIES	98.25%	112	2	114
4	HISSHO SUSHI	96.93%	632	20	652
5	PANERA BREAD	96.43%	27	1	28
6	FIREHOUSE SUBS	96.23%	485	19	504
7	CAPTAIN D’S	95.71%	67	3	70
8	SMARTSTYLE	94.90%	93	5	98
9	ZAXBY’S	93.50%	187	13	200
10	JACK IN THE BOX	92.31%	96	8	104
11	LITTLE CAESARS	89.39%	708	84	792
12	PALM BEACH TAN	89.29%	25	3	28
13	HWY 55 BURGERS SHAKES & FRIES	88.52%	54	7	61
14	MIRACLE-EAR	88.34%	144	19	163
15	FRESHII	87.69%	57	8	65
16	HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTER	84.65%	171	31	202
17	MCDONALD’S	83.78%	1,984	384	2,368
18	DEL’S LEMONADE	83.33%	25	5	30
19	PASSPORT HEALTH	82.93%	34	7	41
20	DUTCH BROS.	81.69%	58	13	71
21	APPLEBEE’S	80.49%	33	8	41
22	FRONTIER ADJUSTERS	77.18%	115	34	149
23	CARL’S JR.	74.38%	90	31	121
24	PLANET FITNESS	71.89%	133	52	185
25	JACKSON HEWITT TAX SERVICE	71.12%	394	160	554
26	BOJANGLES’	71.05%	54	22	76
27	SPORT CLIPS	70.90%	290	119	409
28	GODFATHER’S PIZZA	70.86%	124	51	175
29	PENN STATION EAST COAST SUBS	70.24%	59	25	84
30	VALVOLINE INSTANT OIL CHANGE	69.23%	54	24	78
31	PACLEASE	68.85%	42	19	61
32	BARBERITOS	67.74%	21	10	31
33	DUNKIN’	67.48%	1,023	493	1,516
34	DOMINO’S PIZZA	67.30%	533	259	792
35	GREAT CLIPS	66.44%	594	300	894
36	SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY	66.42%	89	45	134
37	HARDEE’S	65.63%	84	44	128
38	COST CUTTERS FAMILY HAIR SALON	64.29%	45	25	70
39	WENDY’S	63.89%	253	143	396
40	SUPERCUTS	63.31%	245	142	387
41	ARMSTRONG MCCALL	62.50%	40	24	64
42	FREEDOM BOAT CLUB	62.22%	28	17	45
43	AVIS	61.90%	26	16	42
44	TWO MEN AND A TRUCK	60.58%	83	54	137
45	RALLY’S	60.53%	23	15	38
46	EUROPEAN WAX CENTER	59.42%	164	112	276
47	RNR TIRE EXPRESS	59.26%	16	11	27
48	MICHELIN COMMERCIAL SERVICE NETWORK	59.09%	26	18	44
49	PIEOLOGY	58.82%	20	14	34
50	PIZZA HUT	58.62%	170	120	290
SOURCE: FRANdata. Brands with 25 or fewer units not included.