The 2018 Multi-Unit 50: Ranking the Most Multi-Friendly Brands

By: Multi-Unit Franchisee | 10,779 Reads | 33 Shares

Featured in: Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine: Issue 3, 2018

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 2018's rankings of the country's largest multi-brand operators, along with the brands they've chosen.

Top 50 Brands by Number of Multi-Unit Franchisees

RANK	BRAND	MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEES	SINGLE-UNIT FRANCHISEES	TOTAL FRANCHISEES
1	SUBWAY	4,151	3,773	7,924
2	MCDONALD’S	1,996	385	2,381
3	DUNKIN’ DONUTS	1,042	519	1,561
4	THE UPS STORE	818	2,311	3,129
5	AFC (ADVANCED FRESH CONCEPTS)	784	1,727	2,511
6	LIBERTY TAX SERVICE	732	939	1,671
7	LITTLE CAESARS	725	92	817
8	H&R BLOCK	668	771	1,439
9	DQ GRILL & CHILL/DQ TREAT	625	1,807	2,432
10	GREAT CLIPS	580	350	930
11	HEALTH MART PHARMACY	574	3,030	3,604
12	ACE HARDWARE	530	2,544	3,074
13	DOMINO’S PIZZA	522	272	794
14	FIREHOUSE SUBS	494	18	512
15	BURGER KING	473	389	862
16	BASKIN-ROBBINS	451	817	1,268
17	VISION SOURCE	433	2,263	2,696
18	JIMMY JOHN’S	426	343	769
19	HISSHO	418	17	435
20	JACKSON HEWITT TAX SERVICE	413	145	558
21	CENTURY 21	355	848	1,203
22	TACO BELL	343	344	687
23	SPORT CLIPS	320	139	459
24	KFC	302	461	763
25	ANYTIME FITNESS	279	1,523	1,802
26	WENDY’S	273	152	425
27	PAPA JOHN’S	272	443	715
28	EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS	262	297	559
29	PAPA MURPHY’S	250	263	513
30	COLDWELL BANKER	247	542	789
31	SUPERCUTS	240	140	380
32	JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS	234	191	425
33	CHICK-FIL-A	222	1,348	1,570
34	GNC	218	246	464
35	FANTASTIC SAMS	213	308	521
36	SONIC	210	282	492
37	DENNY’S	181	326	507
37	PIZZA HUT	181	117	298
39	COLD STONE CREAMERY	177	407	584
39	ZAXBY’S	177	26	203
41	AUNTIE ANNE’S	175	319	494
41	MIDAS	175	286	461
43	ARBY’S	172	276	448
44	EUROPEAN WAX CENTER	161	104	265
45	SMOOTHIE KING	159	226	385
46	WINGSTOP	155	132	287
47	JIFFY LUBE	151	160	311
48	CULVER’S	149	242	391
49	HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTER	147	37	184
49	POPEYES LOUISIANA KITCHEN	147	606	753
50	MIRACLE-EAR	144	19	163

Source: FRANdata. Brands with 25 or fewer franchisees were excluded.

Top 50 Brands By Percentage of Multi-Unit Franchisees

RANK	BRAND	% MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEES	MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEES	SINGLE-UNIT FRANCHISEES	TOTAL FRANCHISEES
1	PANERA BREAD	100.00%	27	0	27
2	FIVE GUYS BURGERS AND FRIES	98.37%	121	2	123
3	GATEWAY NEWSTANDS	97.33%	73	2	75
4	FIREHOUSE SUBS	96.48%	494	18	512
5	PANCHERO’S	96.43%	27	1	28
6	HISSHO SUSHI	96.09%	418	17	435
7	HWY 55 BURGERS SHAKES & FRIES	94.44%	51	3	54
8	JACK IN THE BOX	92.38%	97	8	105
9	CAPTAIN D’S	90.91%	60	6	66
10	PALM BEACH TAN	89.66%	26	3	29
11	APPLEBEE’S	89.19%	33	4	37
12	LITTLE CAESARS	88.74%	725	92	817
13	MIRACLE-EAR	88.34%	144	19	163
14	ZAXBY’S	87.19%	177	26	203
15	THE LITTLE GYM	86.54%	135	21	156
16	MCDONALD’S	83.83%	1,996	385	2,381
17	HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTER	79.89%	147	37	184
18	AARON’S	79.38%	77	20	97
19	PLANET FITNESS	78.74%	137	37	174
20	GRANDY’S	77.78%	21	6	27
21	BARBERITOS	77.42%	24	7	31
22	HERTZ	76.74%	33	10	43
23	DUTCH BROS.	76.32%	58	18	76
24	CARL’S JR.	75.86%	88	28	116
25	FRONTIER ADJUSTERS	75.00%	123	41	164
26	JACKSON HEWITT TAX SERVICE	74.01%	413	145	558
27	PENN STATION EAST COAST SUBS	72.15%	57	22	79
28	FRESHII	71.70%	38	15	53
29	GODFATHER’S PIZZA	71.67%	129	51	180
30	BOJANGLES’	71.05%	54	22	76
31	VALVOLINE INSTANT OIL CHANGE	70.37%	57	24	81
32	SPORT CLIPS	69.72%	320	139	459
33	RALLY’S	69.70%	23	10	33
34	BUDDY’S HOME FURNISHINGS	68.97%	20	9	29
35	DUNKIN’ DONUTS	66.75%	1,042	519	1,561
36	PACLEASE	66.67%	42	21	63
37	DOMINO’S PIZZA	65.74%	522	272	794
38	AVIS	65.31%	32	17	49
39	DEL’S LEMONADE	64.52%	20	11	31
40	WENDY’S	64.24%	273	152	425
41	BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS REAL ESTATE	63.86%	53	30	83
42	COST CUTTERS FAMILY HAIR SALON	63.77%	44	25	69
43	CHECKERS	63.55%	68	39	107
44	SUPERCUTS	63.16%	240	140	380
45	HARDEE’S	62.99%	80	47	127
46	ARMSTRONG MCCALL	62.50%	40	24	64
47	GREAT CLIPS	62.37%	580	350	930
48	ZPIZZA	62.16%	23	14	37
49	TWO MEN AND A TRUCK	61.15%	85	54	139
50	EUROPEAN WAX CENTER	60.75%	161	104	265