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. We also considered information from franchise disclosure documents.
| 2015 franchised units | 3-year continuity rate | 3-year growth rate | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Brand | Industry or service | Franchising since | Overall | 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 / Dream Vacations | Travel | 1992 | 1,010 | 323 | 85% | 89% | 31% | 138% | $3,245-$21,850 | 20% | -- | 1.5%-3% 1 | -- | Deferred costs and management assistance |
| 2 | Color Glo International | Repair/maintenance | 1982 | 80 | 15 | 79% | 94% | -3% | 15% | $56,300-$61,375 | 10% | 10% | 4% 2 | -- | Management assistance |
| 3 | Marco’s Pizza | Quick service or fast food restaurant | 1978 | 674 | 27 | 95% | 100% | 111% | 145% | $224,092-$549,092 | $5,000 | -- | 5.5%-6% | -- | -- |
| 4 | Boulder Designs | Signage/stone products | 2008 | 67 | 12 | 77% | 92% | -14% | 71% | $74,095-$93,195 | $2,500 | -- | $495/mo. 2, 3 | 25% | Management assistance |
| 5 | Snap-on Tools | Automotive/motor vehicles/parts | 1990 | 3,295 | 386 | 82% | 75% | 2% | -5% | $166,847-$319,547 | -- | $20,000 | $110/mo. | -- | -- |
| 6 | Batteries Plus Bulbs | Retail | 1992 | 674 | 80 | 98% | 99% | 23% | 21% | $211,552-$406,759 | $10,000 | -- | 5% | -- | -- |
| 7 | Budget Blinds | Home décor and kitchen | 1994 | 931 | 54 | 95% | 93% | 29% | 315% | $99,240-$202,070 | $35,000 | -- | $300-$1,500/mo. | -- | -- |
| 8 | ACFN | Banking/financial services | 2003 | 227 | 40 | 80% | 80% | 18% | 29% | $39,385-$64,770 | $1,000 | -- | none 4 | no fee | -- |
| 9 | Juice It Up! | Quick service or fast food restaurant | 1998 | 83 | 5 | 83% | 100% | 1% | 25% | $249,550-$343,726 | $15,000 | -- | 6% 2 | -- | -- |
| 10 | Two Men and a Truck | Moving services | 1989 | 247 | 51 | 99% | 100% | 25% | 50% | $74,000-$590,500 | 10% | no fee | 6% | -- | -- |
| 11 | Right at Home | Health care/health services | 2000 | 432 | 38 | 95% | 83% | 61% | 100% | $77,200-$133,400 | 10% | -- | 5% | -- | -- |
| 12 | Great Harvest Franchising | Food | 1979 | 184 | 7 | 82% | 88% | -6% | 250% | $113,470-$642,004 | 15% | no fee | 4%-7% | -- | -- |
| 13 | Transworld Business Advisors | Business brokerage | 1987 | 415 | no data | 87% | no data | 4% | no data | $94,298-$272,270 | 10%-50% | 10% | 2%-6% | -- | -- |
| 14 | HomeVestors of America | Real estate/property management | 1996 | 660 | 39 | 83% | 72% | 147% | 225% | $81,000-$347,250 | 10% | -- | 0.8%-3% 5 | -- | -- |
| 15 | Surface Specialists | Construction | 1982 | 43 | 7 | 98% | 88% | 2% | -13% | $43,200-$56,000 | 20% | -- | 5% 2 | -- | -- |
| 16 | Line-X | Automotive/motor vehicles/parts | 1999 | 536 | 96 | 92% | 99% | 1% | 16% | $118,001-$279,522 | $7,500 | -- | none 6 | no fee | -- |
| 17 | Signal 88 | Security | 2008 | 123 | 75 | 90% | 81% | 54% | 50% | $73,000-$268,400 | $4,500 | -- | 4% | -- | -- |
| 18 | Tailored Living | Hardware/home improvement | 2006 | 148 | 6 | 92% | 67% | 56% | no data | $131,130-$269,495 | $10,000 | -- | $300-$2,000/mo. | -- | -- |
| 19 | CertaPro Painters | Repair/maintenance | 1992 | 330 | 36 | 84% | 97% | 3% | 29% | $134,750-$169,500 | 10% | -- | 5% 2 | -- | -- |
| 20 | IKOR | Health care/health services | 2000 | 12 | 1 | 60% | 100% | -14% | no data | $83,200-$135,833 | 10% | -- | 8% | -- | -- |
| 21 | Sparkle Wash International | Pressure washing/restoration | 1967 | 82 | 4 | 77% | 100% | -22% | 0% | $77,950-$105,950 | $5,000 | -- | 4%-6% 2 | -- | -- |
| 22 | The UPS Store | Retail | 2003 | 4,433 | 302 | 96% | 100% | 4% | 28% | $130,849-$434,521 | $10,000 | -- | 5% | -- | -- |
| 23 | TSS Photography | Art/photography/journalism | 1983 | 200 | 23 | 67% | 59% | -24% | 28% | $20,550-$74,275 | 10%-20% | -- | none 4 | no fee | -- |
| 24 | Mr. Handyman | Hardware/home improvement | 2000 | 195 | 17 | 87% | 100% | 5% | 55% | $106,500-$138,100 | 15% | -- | 7% 2 | -- | -- |
| 25 | NaturaLawn of America | Environmental | 1989 | 76 | 2 | 96% | 100% | 13% | 0% | $42,500-$112,650 | $10,000 | -- | 7%-15% | -- | -- |
| 26 | IceBorn | Vending | 2012 | 37 | no data | 88% | no data | 650% | no data | $27,095-$213,500 | 50% | -- | 6% | 1st year waived | -- |
| 27 | Mr. Appliance | Appliance/electronics | 1996 | 189 | 31 | 77% | 89% | 35% | 63% | $60,800-$139,515 | 15% | -- | 7% 2 | -- | Deferred costs |
| 28 | Molly Maid | Hardware/home improvement | 1984 | 470 | 38 | 96% | 100% | 7% | 19% | $89,200-$137,200 | 15% | -- | 3%-6.5% 2 | -- | -- |
| 29 | Real Property Management | Real estate/property management | 2005 | 269 | 19 | 88% | 100% | 24% | 46% | $79,875-$103,875 | 10% | -- | 7% 2 | -- | -- |
| 30 | Spring-Green Lawn Care Corp. | Landscaping | 1980 | 135 | 5 | 97% | no data | 16% | no data | $106,047 | $5,000 | -- | 8%-10% | -- | -- |
| 31 | National Property Inspections | Real estate/property management | 1987 | 219 | 33 | 81% | 79% | 3% | 3% | $43,200-$47,000 | 15% | -- | 8% 2 | -- | Deferred costs |
| 32 | Coverall | Repair/maintenance | 1985 | 8,871 | 798 | 81% | 86% | 12% | -3% | $16,839-$49,401 | 10% | -- | 5% | -- | Deferred costs |
| 33 | Homewatch CareGivers | Health care/health services | 1996 | 221 | 13 | 86% | 59% | 12% | -24% | $87,000-$137,400 | 10% | -- | 5% | -- | -- |
| 34 | The Grounds Guys | Landscaping | 2010 | 173 | 32 | 76% | 71% | 151% | 68% | $73,470-$200,070 | 15% | -- | 7% 2 | -- | -- |
| 35 | Tropical Smoothie Cafe | Restaurant | 1997 | 475 | 15 | 94% | no data | 41% | 150% | $210,550-$478,550 | 50% | -- | 6% | -- | -- |
| 36 | Unishippers Global Logistics | Services/corporate business-to-business | 1988 | 219 | no data | 80% | no data | -14% | no data | $45,024-$1,178,791 | 20% | -- | 15%-18.5% 2 | -- | -- |
| 37 | Visiting Angels | Managed care | 1998 | 508 | no data | 95% | no data | 18% | no data | $66,750-$107,500 | 10% | -- | 2%-3.5% 2 | -- | -- |
| 38 | Liberty Tax Service | Retail | 1997 | 3,739 | no data | 72% | no data | -2% | no data | $58,700-$71,900 | 20% | -- | 14% 2 | -- | -- |
| 39 | AireServ | Heating, ventilation, air conditioning | 1992 | 173 | 28 | 73% | 82% | 19% | 33% | $82,600-$206,400 | 15% | -- | 5%-7% 2 | -- | -- |
| 40 | Jackson Hewitt Tax Service | Retail | 1986 | 4,504 | 20 | 84% | no data | -14% | no data | $44,721-$105,375 | 20% | no fee | 5%-15% 2 | no data | -- |
| 41 | Young Rembrandts Franchise | Education/teaching/administration | 2001 | 90 | 5 | 85% | 71% | 11% | 25% | $41,250-$48,120 | 10% | -- | 8%-10% 2 | -- | -- |
| 42 | Rainbow International | Repair/maintenance | 1981 | 278 | 25 | 72% | 89% | 1% | 47% | $171,675-$278,100 | 15% | -- | 4%-8% 2 | -- | -- |
| 43 | Aire-Master of America | Manufacturing | 1976 | 105 | 19 | 88% 7 | 86% | 14% 7 | -5% | $39,584-$142,400 | 10% | -- | 5% 2 | -- | -- |
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