We invited franchise brands across the country to complete a rigorous survey telling us about their companies as well as their accommodations for service members and veterans. The rankings were created based on the answers provided to questions about the company's culture, the performance of franchise units, the costs associated with franchising, and the financial and other support offered to veteran and active-duty service members and their families.
| 2014 franchised units | 3-year continuity rate | 3-year growth rate | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Brand | Industry or service | Franchising since | Total | Vet-owned | Overall | Vet-owned | Overall | Vet-owned | Initial investment | Franchise fee discount | Startup cost discount | Royalty or similar fee | Royalty discount | Reservist help |
| 1 | CruiseOne | Travel | 1992 | 922 | 276 | 93% | 90% | 9% | 37% | $3,245-$21,850 | 20% | — | 1.5%-3% | — | Deferred costs and management assistance |
| 2 | TSS Photography | Art / photography / journalism | 1984 | 200 | 20 | 90% | 74% | -3% | -1% | $35,940-$74,215 | $5,000 | — | none 1 | no fee | — |
| 3 | Snap-on Tools | Automotive | 1990 | 3,267 | 406 | 93% | 94% | 1% | -2% | $159,742-$316,254 | — | $20,000 | $110/month | — | — |
| 4 | ACFN, the ATM Franchise Business | Banking / financial services | 2003 | 246 | 38 | 92% | 100% | 10% | 28% | $40,400-$67,815 | $1,000 | — | none 1 | no fee | — |
| 5 | Sport Clips Haircuts | Beauty / wellness / grooming | 1995 | 1,272 | 126 | 100% | 100% | 16% | 17% | $168,300-$326,500 | 20% | — | 6% | — | — |
| 6 | Budget Blinds | Home décor and kitchen | 1994 | 833 | 49 | 98% | 93% | 7% | 47% | $89,240-$187,070 | $15,000 | — | $300 2 | — | — |
| 7 | Boulder Designs | Signage / stone products | 2008 | 58 | 12 | 91% | 100% | -7% | 21% | $71,650-$83,800 | $5,000 | — | $400/month 3 | 25% | Management assistance |
| 8 | Massage Envy Spa | Health care / health services | 2003 | 1,051 | 42 | 100% | 100% 4 | 12% | 88% 4 | $413,700-$960,850 | $5,000 | — | 6% | $3,000 | Management assistance |
| 9 | HouseMaster Home Inspections | Real estate / property management | 1979 | 282 | 7 | 91% 5 | 100% | -4% 5 | 21% | $61,100-$107,900 5 | 15% | — | 7.5% 5 | — | Deferred costs |
| 10 | U.S. Lawns | Landscaping | 1986 | 264 | 28 | 93% | 97% | 2% | 12% | $51,500-$79,300 | $5,000 | — | 3%-6% | — | — |
| 11 | Matco Tools | Automotive | 1993 | 1,535 | 124 | 89% | 87% | 2% | 67% | $85,229-$247,710 | — | $6,500 | none 6 | no fee | Deferred costs and management assistance |
| 12 | Surface Specialists | Repair / maintenance | 1982 | 44 | 10 | 98% | 100% | 2% | 0% | $43,200-$56,000 | 20% | — | 5% | — | — |
| 13 | Batteries Plus Bulbs | Retail | 1992 | 598 | 76 | 99% | 100% | 9% | 8% | $215,061-$389,037 | $10,000 | — | 5% | — | — |
| 14 | Always Best Care Senior Services | Senior care | 2007 | 197 | 25 | 91% | 95% | 6% | 16% | $62,225-$111,400 | 5% | — | 6% | — | Deferred costs |
| 15 | Fastsigns International | Printing / publishing | 1986 | 506 | 56 | 99% | 100% | 4% | 4% | $164,753-$299,874 | 50% | — | 6% 7 | — | — |
| 16 | HomeVestors of America | Real estate / property management | 1996 | 452 | 31 | 90% | 67% | 42% | 54% | $81,000-$347,250 | 10% | — | .8%-3% | — | — |
| 17 | Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services | Repair / maintenance | 1996 | 120 | 12 | 89% | no data | 0% | no data | $51,400-$100,100 | 10% | — | 9% | — | — |
| 18 | Sparkle Wash | Pressure washing / surface restoration | 1967 | 93 | 4 | 96% 5 | 92% | -3% 5 | 0% | $77,950-$100,950 5 | $5,000 | — | 4%-6% 5 | — | — |
| 19 | Win Home Inspection | Home inspection | 1993 | 182 | no data | 95% | no data | 3% | no data | $37,550-$53,500 | $13,500 | — | 6%-7% | — | — |
| 20 | Two Men and a Truck | Moving Service | 1989 | 231 | 37 | 100% | 99% | 6% | 16% | $178,000-$590,500 | 10% | — | 6% | — | — |
| 21 | Comfort Keepers | Senior Care | 1999 | 684 | 16 | 98% | 100% | 2% | 2% | $83,060-$114,390 | 10% | — | 5% | 10% | — |
| 22 | MM Nutrition by Max Muscle | Retail | 2004 | 138 | 16 | 91% | no data | -3% | 40% | $131,100-$281,300 | — | $10,000 | 3%-6% | — | — |
| 23 | The Great Frame Up | Retail | 1975 | 90 | 5 | 95% | 90% | -5% | -10% | $111,973-$177,791 | $5,000 | — | 5% | — | — |
| 24 | Tailored Living | Hardware | 2006 | 112 | 5 | 92% | no data | 1% | no data | $111,130-$249,495 | $5,000 | — | $300/month-$1,500/month 2 | — | — |
| 25 | MRINetwork | Recruiting / staffing | 1965 | 615 | 81 | 91% | no data | -7% | 2% 4 | $52,380-$76,730 | 20% | — | 3%-9% | — | — |
| 26 | CMIT Solutions | Corporate services | 1998 | 146 | 18 | 93% | 100% | 3% | 32% | $126,300-$174,439 | 20% | — | 0%-6% | — | — |
| 27 | Vanguard Cleaning Systems | Corporate services | 1984 | 2,794 | 64 | 89% | no data | 8% | no data | $4,348-$34,480 | 10% | — | 10% | — | — |
| 28 | Coverall | Repair / maintenance | 1985 | 7,998 | 720 | 87% | 90% | -4% | -5% | $14,519-$48,001 | 10% | — | 5% | — | Deferred costs |
| 29 | Real Property Management | Real estate / property management | 2005 | 257 | 13 | 95% | 100% | 17% | 25% | $56,550-$99,900 | 10% | — | 7% | — | — |
| 30 | Border Magic | Landscaping | 2003 | 36 | 3 | 91% | 87% | -7% | 0% 4 | $71,650-$83,800 | 10% | — | $400/month 3 | 25% | Management assistance |
| 31 | Young Rembrandts Franchise | Education | 2001 | 89 | 4 | 95% | 87% | 8% | 13% | $40,225-$48,880 | 10% | — | 10% | — | — |
| 32 | Tropical Smoothie Café | Restaurant | 1997 | 410 | 10 | 96% 5 | 100% | 8% 5 | 39% | $165,940-$414,685 5 | 50% | — | 6% 5 | — | — |
| 33 | Rita's Water Ice Franchise Co. | Food | 1989 | 592 | 3 | 95% | no data | 3% | 6% | $140,500-$414,200 | $15,000 | — | 6.5% | — | — |
| 34 | Unishippers Global Logistics | Corporate services | 1988 | 229 | no data | 93% | no data | -4% | no data | $45,024-$2,242,691 | 20% | — | 15%-18.5% 8 | — | — |
| 35 | IceBorn | Vending | 2012 | 35 | 5 | no data | no data | no data | no data | $138,000-$400,500 5 | 50% | — | 6% 5 | — | — |
| 36 | Spring-Green Lawn Care | Landscaping | 1980 | 130 | 11 | 98% | no data | 3% | 5% 4 | $89,286-$103,132 | $5,000 | — | 8%-10% | — | — |
| 37 | PJ's Coffee of New Orleans | Coffee shop | 1989 | 66 | no data | 96% | no data | 9% | no data | $171,400-$474,500 | 20% | — | 5% | — | — |
| 38 | Padgett Business Services | Accounting / finance | 1975 | 269 | 39 | 90% | 100% | -4% | 1% | $99,975 | $4,000 | — | 9% | — | — |
| 39 | Caring Transitions | Senior moving | 2006 | 168 | 8 | 83% | 93% | 14% | -6% | $55,850-$84,530 | $2,000 | — | 5% | — | — |
| 40 | HomeTeam Inspection Service | Home inspection | 1992 | 138 | 26 | 94% | no data | -5% | 1% | $38,700-$72,400 | 25% | — | 6% | — | — |
| 41 | Foot Solutions | Retail | 2000 | 131 | no data | 87% | no data | -11% | no data | $200,000-$250,000 | $10,000 | — | 5% | — | — |
| 42 | Great Clips | Beauty / wellness / grooming | 1983 | 3,694 | no data | 98% | no data | 6% | no data | $122,250-$233,100 | — | — | 6% | — | — |
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