The rankings are in and Entrepreneur’s 31st Annual Franchise 500® is out, with Subway taking the number-one spot. McDonald’s, 7-Eleven, Hampton Inn and Supercuts are next up in positions two through five, respectively, in the world’s first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking.
While Subway leads, in all, 21 sandwich shops made the ranking this year, including many smaller chains like Charley’s Grilled Subs, Jimmy John’s, Jersey Mike’s and Firehouse Subs showing strong growth.
Together, the 500 franchises on the ranking added more than 12,000 units, or 2.9 percent above 2008’s numbers, proving the growth of franchises as a whole – recession or not. Not that it hasn’t been a tough year – growth is still down from the 4.7 percent seen the year before. The franchises that grew the most were the ones who serve a budget-minded consumer, didn’t cost as much to set up, or both. Take Subway, which with its $5 Footlong offer started a chain reaction among countless sandwich and fast-food franchises to bring out similar $5 programs. Carry on reading.
