The 106 Best Franchises

f you’re going to take the leap and invest in a franchise, you want to be part of one that’s big and strong, right?
By Emily Weisburg | May 08, 2009


Here are the 106 franchises that received top billing in their categories in Entrepreneur’s 2009 Franchise 500® ranking. Be sure to check out all the new categories we’ve added for ’09, including massage services, barbecue restaurants, cookies, and junk removal. All your old favorites, from pets to health, are here, too.

To determine who really is the best of the best, Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® looks at franchise system size, unit growth over the past three years, financial strength and stability, and other objective factors. But this listing is only intended to get you started. You should never buy a franchise without first doing your own due diligence. Read the Franchise Disclosure Document, speak to your attorney and accountant, and make sure to call and visit existing franchisees. To learn more, go to entrepreneur.com/franzone/guide.

Click on a subject to navigate to a listing:
Automotive
Business Services
Children's Businesses
Financial Services
Food/Quick Service
Food/Full-Service Restaurants
Food/Retail Sales
Health
Home Improvements Hotels & Motels
Maintenance
Personal Care
Pets
Recreation
Retail
Services
Tech


Automotive

Appearance services
Maaco Franchising Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 127
Total cost: $296.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 473/6

Oil-change services
Jiffy Lube Int’l. Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 11
Total cost: $214K-273K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 2,034/0

Rentals & sales
U-Save Car & Truck Rental
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 285
Total cost: $58.4K-682.8K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 208/0

Transmission repair
AAMCO Transmissions Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 66
Total cost: $204.8K-260.4K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 853/0

Windshield repair
Novus Auto Glass
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 83
Total cost: $14.9K-200.3K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 2,025/5

Miscellaneous repair & maintenance services
Midas
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 31
Total cost: $265.9K-365.9K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 2,449/95

Miscellaneous auto products & services
RNR Custom Wheels & Tires
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 282
Total cost: $336.1K-423.4K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 61/8

Business Services

Advertising services - direct mail
Money Mailer Franchise Corp.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 284
Total cost: $59.97K-87K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 295/35

Advertising services - publishing
Coffee News
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 64
Total cost: $9.4K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 1,142/0

Advertising services - Miscellaneous
Billboard Connection Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 309
Total cost: $27.8K-52.3K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 103/0

Business coaching /consulting/ brokerage services
ActionCoach
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 103
Total cost: $83.8K-102.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 1,008/0

Shipping
Unishippers Global Logistics LLC
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 253
Total cost: $40.8K-382.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 267/5

Signs
Sign-A-Rama Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 82
signarama.com
Total cost: $84.6K-154.8K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 905/0

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Staffing
MRI Network
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 69
Total cost: $76.5K-125.4K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 1,009/0

Training programs
Leadership Management Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 231
Total cost: $35K-42.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 497/1

Miscellaneous business services
Proforma
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 101
Total cost: $4.7K-38.1K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 667/0

Children's Businesses

Child care
Goddard Systems Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 105
Total cost: $632.3K-679.6K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 297/0

Enrichment programs
LearningRx
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 322
Total cost: $73K-150K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 72/1

Children's fitness programs
The Little Gym
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 126
Total cost: $127.5K-294K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 315/0

Identification services
Ident-A-Kid Services of America
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 252
Total cost: $34K-44.2K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 253/0

Tutoring
Kumon Math & Reading Centers
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 27
Total cost: $30.96K-129.4K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 25121/30

Miscellaneous children's businesses
Pump It Up
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 195
Total cost: $266K-715.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 171/1

Financial Services

Business financial services
Expense Reduction Analysts
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 124
Total cost: $65.1K-81.3K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 206/0

Check cashing
Mr. Payroll Check Cashing
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 347
Total cost: $75.3K-151K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 130/5

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Tax services
Liberty Tax Service
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 3
Total cost: $53.8K-66.9K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 2,579/85

Miscellaneous financial services
Property Damage Appraisers
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 262
Total cost: $21.9K-43.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 266/0

Food/Quick Service

Baked goods - bagels
Bruegger’s
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 306
Total cost: $376.6K-563.6K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 95/185

Baked goods - cookies
Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chip
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 232
Total cost: $152.3K-420K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 107/0

Baked goods - donuts
Dunkin’ Donuts
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 36
Total cost: Varies
Total franchises/co.-owned: 8,082/0

Baked goods - pretzels
Auntie Anne’s Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 73
Total cost: $197.9K-444.1K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 979/10

Baked goods - miscellaneous
Cinnabon
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 114
Total cost: $192.2K-317K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 763/4

Chicken - wings
Buffalo Wild Wings
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 87
Total cost: $842.2K-2.98M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 363/197

Chicken - miscellaneous
KFC Corp.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 14
Total cost: $1.2M-1.8M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 11,553/3,339

Coffee
Scooter's Coffeehouse
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 340
Total cost: $38K-444.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 78/0

Hamburgers
McDonald’s
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 2
Total cost: $950.2K-1.8M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 25,465/6,502

Ice cream & frozen desserts
Baskin-Robbins USA Co.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 13
Total cost: $121.3K-419.6K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 5,889/2

Juice bars
Smoothie King
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 67
Total cost: $148K-299K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 563/1

Mexican quick service
Taco Bell Corp.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 20
Total cost: $1.3M-2.5M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 4,516/1,304

Pizza
Pizza Hut
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 7
Total cost: $638K-2.97M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 10,239/2,638

Pizza - take & bake
Papa Murphy’s
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 51
Total cost: $203.7K-348.6K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 1,166/56

Salad-only restaurants
Saladworks
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 272
Total cost: $238.9K-558.2K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 101/2
Sandwiches - philly cheesesteak

Charley’s Grilled Subs
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 132
Total cost: $146.5K-554.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 329/32

Sandwiches - pita
Pita Pit Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 157
Total cost: $220.7K-357K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 267/6

Sandwiches - submarine
Subway
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 1
Total cost: $78.6K-238.3K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 29,612/0

Sandwiches - miscellaneous
Arby’s
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 18
Total cost: $336.5K-2.4M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 2,558/1,169

Miscellaneous quick service
Long John Silver’s Restaurants Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 32
Total cost: $879.5-1.3M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 791/328

Food/ Full-Service Restaurants

Barbecue restaurants
Famous Dave’s
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 216
Total cost: $905K-4.2M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 125/47

Family restaurants
Denny’s Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 25
Total cost: $1.2M-2.6M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 1,226/315

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Italian restaurants
CiCi’s Pizza
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 91
Total cost: $417.95K-659.2K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 613/21

Pub-style restaurants
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 190
Total cost: $348K-786.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 264/4

Steakhouses
Golden Corral Franchising Systems Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 125
Total cost: $2.1M-5.9M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 382/103

Miscellaneous full-service restaurants
The Melting Pot Restaurants Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 203
Total cost: $876.7K-1.5M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 136/6

Food/Retail Sales

Candy
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 162
Total cost: $152.98K-544.9K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 324/4

Food-design businesses
Edible Arrangements Int’l. Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 40
Total cost: $147.5K-307.98K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 750/3

Health

Health products
Relax The Back Corp.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 267
Total cost: $227.5K-371.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 125/0

Health services
HealthSource Chiropractic & Progressive Rehab
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 109
Total cost: $50.95K-249.3K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 234/0

Home Improvements

Building & remodeling
Kitchen Tune-Up
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 180
Total cost: $83.1K-91.1K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 271/0

Decorating services
Interiors by Decorating Den
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 165
decoratingden.com
Total cost: $49.9K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 468/0

Organization systems
Closet Tailors
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 356
closettailors.com
Total cost: $95.6K-197.99K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 115/0

Painting
CertaPro Painters Ltd.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 88
Total cost: $119K-144K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 439/0

Surface refinishing/restoration
Re-Bath LLC
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 186
Total cost: $67.98K-249.9K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 207/0

Window & floor coverings
Budget Blinds Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 63
Total cost: $82.4K-173K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 1,035/1

Miscellaneous home improvements
Mr. Sandless Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 227
Total cost: $25.4K-53.6K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 124/9

Hotels & Motels

InterContinental Hotels Group
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 5
Total cost: Varies
Total franchises/co.-owned: 3,498/582

Maintenance

Carpet, upholstery &drapery services
Chem-Dry Carpet Drapery & Upholstery Cleaning
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 54
Total cost: $25.3K-120.8K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 4,131/0

Commercial cleaning
Jani-King
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 15
Total cost: $11.3K-34.1K+
Total franchises/co.-owned: 12,980/21

Duct cleaning
Ductz Int’l. Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 218
Total cost: $59.9K-89.9K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 138/2

Grout repair
The Grout Medic
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 453
Total cost: $21.3K-52.7K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 68/0

Handyman services
Mr. Handyman Int’l. LLC
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 106
Total cost: $91.5K-132.6K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 315/0

Home repairs - miscellaneous
Aire Serv Heating & AirConditioning Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 143
Total cost: $57.2K-170.4K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 180/0

Lawn care
Lawn Doctor
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 131
Total cost: $107.6K-110.7K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 484/0

Plumbing
Rooter-Man
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 96
Total cost: $46.8K-137.6K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 462/0

Residential cleaning
The Maids Home Service
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 48
Total cost: $105K-155K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 1,033/26

Restoration services
Servpro
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 28
Total cost: $100.3K-159.2K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 1,420/0

Window cleaning
Fish Window CleaningServices Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 238
Total cost: $57.5K-131.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 223/2

Miscellaneous maintenance businesses
American Leak Detection
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 171
Total cost: $83.3K-233.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 334/11

Personal Care

Fitness businesses
Snap Fitness Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 24
Total cost: $71.1K-241.9K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 701/10

Hair care
Supercuts
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 29
Total cost: $95.6K-219.2K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 996/1,137

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Massage services
Massage Envy
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 58
Total cost: $291.9K-469.8K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 457/0

Senior care
Home Helpers/Direct Link
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 70
Total cost: $42.2-78.3K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 750/0

Tanning salons
Palm Beach Tan/Desert Sun Tanning Salons
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 156
Total cost: $368.3K-824.8K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 175/67

Miscellaneous personal-care businesses
Merle Norman Cosmetics
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 34
Total cost: $33.3K-168.7K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 1,779/5

Pets

Pet products
Wild Birds Unlimited
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 239
Total cost: $99.4K-148.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 286/0

Pet services
Aussie Pet Mobile
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 79
Total cost: $62.9K-125.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 534/7

Recreation

Recreational rentals
Wheel Fun Rentals
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 294
Total cost: $85K-259K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 77/8

Sports businesses
GolfTEC
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 184
Total cost: $111.5K-427.7K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 105/28

Sports equipment & apparel
The Athlete's Foot
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 153
Total cost: $249.5K-529.9K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 618/0

Travel agencies - cruise-only
Cruise Planners/American Express
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 85
Total cost: $1.9K-19.6K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 725/0

Travel agencies - miscellaneous
Results! Travel
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 65
Total cost: $25-10.7K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 914/0

Retail

Convenience stores
Circle K
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 9
Total cost: $161K-1.4M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 4,143/2,627

Hobby stores
HobbyTown USA
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 302
Total cost: $177.6K-478K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 164/1

Tools distribution
Snap-on Tools
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 37
Total cost: $16.7K-278.4K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 4,318/77

Vitamins
GNC Franchising
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 23
Total cost: $165K-205K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 2,182/2,770

Wireless stores
Wireless Zone
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 185
Total cost: $65.3K-193.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 287/1

Miscellaneous retail businesses
Ace Hardware Corp.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 6
Total cost: $400K-1.1M
Total franchises/co.-owned: 4,581/0

Services

Dry cleaning & delivery services
Martinizing Dry Cleaning
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 200
Total cost: $363K-550.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 512/0

Framing
Fastframe USA Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 247
Total cost: $105.7K-150.2K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 318/1

Home inspections
HouseMaster Home Inspections
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 154
Total cost: $37.5K-61.5K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 396/0

Junk removal
1-800-Got-Junk?
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 370
Total cost: $112.4K-145.4K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 310/1

Photography & video services
Home Video Studio
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 415
Total cost: $120.7K-226.4K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 43/1

Postal & business services
The UPS Store/Mail Boxes Etc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 8
Total cost: $171.2K-280K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 6,034/0

Printing
Minuteman Press Int’l. Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 55
Total cost: $72.7K-243K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 973/0

Real estate
RE/MAX Int’l. Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 44
Total cost: $35K-200K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 6,988/42

Storage & moving services
Two Men and a Truck Int’l. Inc.
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 212
Total cost: $150K-412.9K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 172/6

Miscellaneous services
EmbroidMe
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 123
Total cost: $66.3K-187.4K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 457/0

Tech

WSI Internet
2009 Franchise 500 ranking: 57
Total cost: $60.4K-166.7K
Total franchises/co.-owned: 1,681/2

Listing compiled by Tracy Stapp