The Best Franchises to Start in 2026

Picking a franchise is less like shopping and more like marrying into a family business you did not grow up in. You inherit the brand, the rules, the supply chain, and the reputation, for better or worse, usually for a decade or two. So the goal is not to find the most famous logo. It is to find the system that still has room for you, fits how you want to work, and is built to back you up after the doors open.

This is a refreshed look at twenty franchises people seriously consider in 2026, spanning restaurants, fitness, retail, lodging, shipping, and childcare. For each one you get the origin, who owns it now, where it stands today, and the detail that matters if you are evaluating it as a business. A few of these brands changed hands or changed direction since this list was first written, and those shifts are flagged because they affect the deal you would actually be signing.

A note before the list: counts here are recent snapshots and will keep moving as locations open and close. Nothing in this article is financial advice or a projection of what any location earns. The real numbers live in each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document, which you should read with your own attorney and accountant.

Key Takeaways

• Available territory matters more than brand size. A chain with thousands of units near you may have little room left for a new operator. Brands with open whitespace, including Jack in the Box across much of the country, tend to give multi-unit operators more runway.
• Confirm who owns the brand today. Several names on this list shifted recently. Jack in the Box sold Del Taco in a deal that closed December 2025, Anytime Fitness now sits under a larger parent that merged with Orangetheory, and Hampton operates as Hampton by Hilton. Ownership shapes fees, support, and strategy.
• Not everything labeled a "franchise" works the same way. Ace Hardware is a retailer-owned cooperative, not a traditional franchise. The UPS Store is 100 percent franchised. Chick-fil-A uses a selective operator model. Read the structure, not just the sign.
• Resilient portfolios mix categories. Restaurants, fitness, business services, lodging, and childcare respond to different economic pressures, which is why many multi-unit owners diversify.
• Off-premise and asset-light formats are spreading. Smaller buildings, double drive-thrus, and pickup windows lower build-out costs and open up more real estate. Jack in the Box's CRAVED prototype is one example.
• Snapshots, not promises. Every figure here is dated and will change, and none of it says what a single unit makes. The FDD is where that question gets answered.

Before you pick: three questions worth answering

Is there open territory near you? This is the question that quietly kills more plans than financing does. A brand can be enormous and still have nothing available within a sensible drive. Ask every franchisor for a current available-markets map.

What is the real model? A heavily franchised system usually means the corporate team is built to support operators. A cooperative, a selective operator program, or a company-heavy chain is a different relationship with different expectations.

One unit or many? Single-unit ownership and multi-unit development are different businesses. Some brands are built for one committed operator per market. Others actively recruit groups to build on a development schedule.

Restaurant and food franchises

Jack in the Box

Founded in San Diego in 1951, Jack in the Box runs a full 24-hour menu across multiple dayparts, so burgers, tacos, specialty sandwiches, bowls, and shakes are all available whenever a customer shows up. For a prospective operator, the building is the headline. The brand's CRAVED prototype is a compact, off-premise format of roughly 1,350 square feet built around a dual Y-lane drive-thru, a walk-up window, and a dedicated pickup window for mobile and delivery orders, with no dining room. The design aims to lower build-out costs and open up real estate a traditional restaurant could not use.

Jack in the Box has franchised under the brand name since 1971 and is recruiting multi-unit operators to grow into open markets across much of the country, including a recent return to Chicago after roughly four decades. Investment ranges, fees, and territory live in the current FDD, which is the right place to weigh the opportunity.

McDonald's

The most recognized restaurant brand in the world, with more than 44,000 locations across over 100 countries as of 2026. The company says roughly 95 percent are owned and operated by independent local business owners. For applicants, the practical catch is access: availability in a given market stays uncertain until you complete the company's training and approval, and relocation is often part of it.

Dunkin

Bill Rosenberg opened the first Dunkin' in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1950 and began franchising within five years. The brand crossed 10,000 U.S. locations in 2025 and runs around 14,000 worldwide. Now part of Inspire Brands, Dunkin' is one of only a handful of restaurant brands with more than 10,000 stores in the United States.

Taco Bell

Glen Bell opened the first Taco Bell in Downey, California in 1962. It is the largest Mexican-inspired quick-service brand in the world by unit count, with more than 8,000 restaurants in the U.S. and over 9,000 worldwide, serving more than 40 million U.S. customers a week. The Yum! Brands chain has set aggressive international growth targets through the end of the decade.

Chick-fil-A

Truett Cathy opened the restaurant that became Chick-fil-A in Hapeville, Georgia in 1946 and franchised the first unit in 1967. The chain now runs more than 3,400 restaurants in the U.S., with Texas leading at over 500, and in 2025 it opened its first locations outside North America in the United Kingdom and Singapore. Worth knowing: Chick-fil-A uses a selective, operator-run model rather than a build-your-portfolio franchise, and the company chooses its sites. It recruits hands-on candidates in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada.

Del Taco

Del Taco built its following on freshly prepared Tex-Mex, with house-grated cheddar, scratch-cooked beans, fresh pico de gallo, and marinated meats, alongside beef burgers and crinkle-cut fries. It runs roughly 550 restaurants across about 17 states and is the second-largest Mexican quick-service brand by units. Ownership note: Jack in the Box bought Del Taco in 2022 and sold it to Yadav Enterprises in a deal that closed in December 2025, so Del Taco is again operated independently of Jack in the Box.

Zaxby's

Childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley opened the first Zaxby's in Statesboro, Georgia in 1990. Known for chicken fingers, wings, and signature sauces, the Athens, Georgia brand now runs more than 970 restaurants across about 20 states, heavily concentrated in the Southeast, with most franchised. It continues recruiting franchisees as it pushes into newer territories.

Whataburger

The Texas icon started as a single burger stand in Corpus Christi in 1950, built on a burger so big it took two hands to hold. As of late 2025 Whataburger had grown past 1,100 locations across 17 states, with most recent openings moving into the Southeast and states like Colorado. The brand shifted from family ownership to backing by an investment firm in 2019, which has accelerated its expansion into new markets.

Culver's

Culver's opened in Sauk City, Wisconsin in 1984 and is known for ButterBurgers, frozen custard, and cheese curds. The chain crossed 1,000 restaurants in 2025 and operates across roughly 26 states, concentrated in the Midwest. Nearly the entire system is franchised, and the brand recruits owner-operators who run a single market well rather than absentee investors.

Wingstop

Wingstop started in Garland, Texas in 1994 and opened its 3,000th restaurant worldwide in late 2025. About 98 percent of the system is franchised, the buildings are small at roughly 1,400 to 1,700 square feet, and the menu stays tight around wings, tenders, and a dozen flavors. The brand operates in 15 countries and has stated a long-term goal of 10,000 restaurants worldwide.

Wendy's

Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy's in Columbus, Ohio in 1969, and square beef patties plus the Frosty did the rest. The Dublin, Ohio company runs more than 7,200 restaurants worldwide and has laid out plans to keep growing at home and abroad, with recent development agreements stretching into Europe. Most units are franchised.

Freddy's

Freddy's launched in Wichita, Kansas in 2002 with cooked-to-order steakburgers, shoestring fries, and frozen custard in a nostalgic setting. The fast-casual brand has grown past 500 locations and has signed agreements to expand into Canada, and it still markets available territory across the U.S.

Moe's Southwest Grill

Moe's launched in Atlanta in December 2000 as a fast-casual take on Mexican food, with burritos, bowls, tacos, quesadillas, nachos, salads, and family-size taco kits. The brand recruits owners who want to build a local following while keeping some independent character in how they run the restaurant.

KFC

Harland "Colonel" Sanders started what became KFC in 1930 and franchised the concept in 1952. Today KFC operates close to 32,000 restaurants across 150-plus countries, and roughly 99 percent are franchised. Most of the brand's growth now comes from outside the United States, where its master-franchise structure has fueled rapid expansion in markets like China and India. KFC is part of Yum! Brands.

McAlister's Deli

A dentist in Oxford, Mississippi turned a 1950s diner set into the first McAlister's Deli in 1989, and the brand built its identity on hearty sandwiches, loaded spuds, sweet tea, and Southern hospitality. It runs more than 575 restaurants across about 31 states, concentrated in suburban Southern and Midwestern markets, and recruits franchisees who want to connect the brand to their community.

Retail and business-service franchises

The UPS Store

The UPS Store is the largest franchisor of retail shipping, postal, printing, mailbox, and small-business service centers, with more than 5,000 locations across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. The system is 100 percent franchised and offers franchising discounts to veterans. It began in 1980 as Mail Boxes Etc., was acquired by UPS in 2001, took on The UPS Store name in 2003, and finished converting in 2012. Its appeal for owners is a non-food, business-hours model that supports local small businesses.

Ace Hardware

Four hardware store owners joined forces in Chicago in 1924, and Ace later became a retailer-owned cooperative rather than a conventional franchise, which is an important distinction for anyone evaluating it. Today Ace operates more than 5,200 stores in the United States and over 8,800 worldwide across roughly 60 countries, and it has tens of millions of Ace Rewards members. The brand has been opening stores at a steady clip and recruiting new local owners.

Fitness franchises

Anytime Fitness

Founded in Woodbury, Minnesota in 2002, Anytime Fitness is the world's largest 24-hour fitness brand, with more than 5,000 gyms across over 30 countries and all seven continents, and more than half of them outside the United States. Members get round-the-clock access, personalized plans, and group training. The brand sits under a larger parent that merged with Orangetheory Fitness in 2024, and it continues to recruit owners in the U.S. and abroad.

Hospitality franchises

Hampton by Hilton (Hampton Inn & Suites)

Founded in Memphis in 1984 and now part of Hilton, Hampton is one of the largest hotel franchises in the country, with more than 3,000 hotels across 40-plus countries and territories. Most are independently owned and operated by franchisees. Guests get free breakfast, free internet, fitness facilities, and meeting space, and the midscale positioning has made it a workhorse brand for lodging operators.

Education and childcare franchises

The Goddard School

Founded in 1988 and based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, The Goddard School is one of the top early-childhood-education franchises in the country, built on a play-based learning approach. It has grown to more than 660 schools across 37 states and Washington, D.C., serving close to 100,000 children, and is actively expanding into new markets with territory available in states like California, Texas, and Florida. Demand for quality childcare has kept the development pipeline busy.

Quick comparison

Footprint figures are recent snapshots and change constantly. None of them speak to what any individual location earns.

How to actually choose

A brand you admire is a weak reason to commit a decade and a lease. A few questions that separate a fit from an expensive lesson:

Is the territory open near you? Whitespace often beats brand size. Confirm it on a current map before you fall for a logo.

What does the full investment include? Look past the franchise fee to real estate, build-out, equipment, technology, working capital, and ongoing royalties. The FDD spells out the ranges.

Do you want one location or a portfolio? Different brands suit single operators versus multi-unit developers. Be honest about which one you are.

Who supports you after opening? Training, supply chain, marketing, and field support vary widely. Talk to current owners, not just the development team.

Who owns the brand, and where is it headed? As this list shows, parents and strategies change. Confirm the current owner and growth plan before you sign.

Frequently asked questions

Which franchise has the most open territory for multi-unit operators? Availability shifts by market, but brands with open whitespace tend to suit operators who want to build several units. Jack in the Box, with its compact CRAVED prototype, markets open territory across much of the country. Ask each franchisor for a current available-markets map.

Is Ace Hardware a franchise? Ace Hardware is a retailer-owned cooperative rather than a traditional franchise. Owners buy into the co-op and operate locally owned stores, which is a different ownership structure from a standard franchise agreement.

Does Jack in the Box still own Del Taco in 2026? No. Jack in the Box bought Del Taco in 2022 and sold it to Yadav Enterprises in a deal that closed in December 2025. Del Taco now operates independently of Jack in the Box.

Which non-food franchises are on this list? The UPS Store (shipping and business services), Ace Hardware (a hardware cooperative), Anytime Fitness (gyms), Hampton by Hilton (lodging), and The Goddard School (early childhood education) round out the restaurant brands.

How much does it cost to start a franchise? It ranges widely by brand and format, from a few hundred thousand dollars to several million, depending on real estate, building size, and equipment. Each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document lays out the investment ranges, which you should review with an attorney and accountant.

Thinking about your next move

The best franchise for you comes down to open territory, fit, and the strength of the system behind you. Jack in the Box is recruiting multi-unit operators to bring its 24/7 menu and compact CRAVED prototype to markets across the country. If you want to see what is available near you and what the investment looks like, the franchise team can walk you through it. To download our brochure, click here.

This article is for general information only. It is not an offer to sell a franchise or a financial performance representation. A franchise offering is made only through a Franchise Disclosure Document. Review any opportunity with your own legal and financial advisors.