Must Know Franchise Terms
August 25, 2018
- The number of franchise establishments currently in the United States is approximately 750,000. All of these businesses directly employ well over 8 million people combined, with Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) and Table/Full Service Restaurants accounting for approximately 50% of all jobs in the franchising industry.
- Albert Singer is widely considered the father of modern-day franchise model, particularly in the United States. Singer is credited with being the first to develop a franchise contract in the mid-1800s in order to help him distribute his sewing machines across the country.
- Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s, learned the franchise restaurant business under Colonel Harlan Sanders of KFC while working at locations in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Thomas would later earn the money to open up Wendy’s by way of profits from an ownership stake given to him by Sanders for turning around underperforming KFC locations in Columbus, Ohio.
- There are over 250,000 possible ways to order a burger at Five Guys. The “Five Guys” behind the burger chain are actually five brothers from Alexandria, Virginia who founded the restaurant, originally a carry-out only burger joint, in 1986.
- Pinkberry rotates its flavor offerings several times a year. However, there is one flavor that is always regardless of the time of year – the frozen yogurt shop’s “Original.” Pinkberry also offers more than 30 toppings for its yogurt to customers.
- AlphaGraphics became the first desktop publishing retailer in 1984. Throughout the years, the company’s business center offerings have evolved to include printing, marketing communications as well as document creation and management.
- The original Gold’s Gym in Venice, California is nicknamed “The Mecca” (of bodybuilding). Gold’s Gym is the largest global co-ed gym in the world with members that range from novice to professional, including Hollywood stars.
- Honest-1 Auto Care has the only ESA (Environmentally Sustainable Actions) Certified eco-friendly locations and national franchise. Pollution prevention, recycling, resource conservation, and offering and promoting eco-friendly auto care services are the four primary categories of its ESA Program.
- Dunkin’ Donuts serves more than three million customers per day. Some of these customers are part of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee subscription service, Regular Refills, where the customers’ choice of coffee blend(s) is delivered to their home or office.
- Baskin-Robbins – known for its “31 flavors” slogan – has introduced over 1,000 ice cream flavors since 1945. The top five selling Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavors are Vanilla, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, Pralines ‘n’ Cream and Chocolate Chip.
