The annual Top 500 Franchise ranking by Entrepreneur introduces new categories this year

The business magazine Entrepreneur has released its 45th annual Top 500 Franchise ranking. Entrepreneur published its first Franchise 500 ranking in 1980. This year is significant because, according to this year's ranking, 419 out of 500 companies on the list started franchising in 1980 or later.

The top 10 leaders are as follows:

1. Taco Bell (Mexican food)
2. Jersey Mike's Subs (sandwiches, fast food)
3. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (chicken dishes, fast food)
4. The UPS Store (delivery and logistics)
5. Ace Hardware (home goods)
6. Dunkin (baked goods, fast food)
7. Culver's (burgers, fast food)
8. Hampton by Hilton (hotels)
9. Arby’s (sandwiches, fast food)
10. Kumon (speed reading and mental arithmetic)

The growth in the number of franchised locations compared to last year was 2.85%.

The largest category of franchises remains food service, with food franchises accounting for a quarter of all listings. Fast food leads in this segment, but there is also noticeable growth in full-service restaurants, especially those specializing in breakfast and late breakfast, with the number increasing to 16 brands compared to 10 last year.

Jason Feifer, the editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine, noted that this year's ranking includes several new subcategories, including mental health services, intravenous therapy, fencing, and self-service laundromats.

The full ranking can be viewed here

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