Franchising has been booming in the past decades, worldwide. No longer in the US, the rest of the world’s entrepreneurs have realised that franchising offers enormous potential.
Franchise Direct has ranked the world’s best franchises for 2009.
It is interesting to learn that from the top 100 list only 15 of them are non-US franchise companies – The US, indeed, still hold the status quo as the origin of some of the best franchises and brand names in the world.
Without further ado, here is the list:
Top 100 Global Franchises for 2009
| Rank | Franchise Name | Country | Industry |
| 1 | McDonald’s | USA | Fast Food Franchises |
| 2 | SUBWAY® | USA | Sandwich & Bagel Franchises |
| 3 | 7 Eleven | USA | Convenience Store Franchises |
| 4 | InterContinental Hotels Group | UK | Hotel Franchises |
| 5 | Pizza Hut | USA | Pizza Franchises |
| 6 | KFC | USA | Chicken Franchises |
| 7 | Burger King | USA | Fast Food Franchises |
| 8 | A&W Restaurants | USA | Restaurant Franchises |
| 9 | Ace Hardware Corporation | USA | Home Improvement Retail Franchises |
| 10 | Naturhouse | Spain | Wellness Products & Services |
| 11 | JAN-PRO Cleaning Systems | USA | Commercial Cleaning Franchises |
| 12 | Tim Hortons | Canada | Bakery & Donut Franchises |
| 13 | Circle K | USA | Convenience Store Franchises |
| 14 | H&R Block | Canada | Financial Services |
| 15 | RE/MAX | USA | Real Estate Franchises |
| 16 | Cold Stone Creamery® | USA | Ice Cream Franchises |
| 17 | Ramada Worldwide | USA | Hotel Franchises |
| 18 | Taco Bell | USA | Fast Food Franchises |
| 19 | The UPS Store® | USA | Mailing & Shipping Franchises |
| 20 | Jani-King | USA | Commercial Cleaning Franchises |
| 21 | ampm Mini Market | USA | Convenience Store Franchises |
| 22 | Kumon | Japan | Children & Education |
| 23 | Long John Silver’s | USA | Fast Food Franchises |
| 24 | Anytime Fitness Inc. | USA | Gym Franchises |
| 25 | Vanguard Cleaning Systems | USA | Commercial Cleaning Franchises |
| 26 | Arby’s | USA | Restaurant Franchises |
| 27 | Cartridge World | Australia | Computer Products Stores |
| 28 | Molly Maid | USA | House Cleaning Franchises |
| 29 | Snap-On Tools | USA | Home Improvement Retail Franchises |
| 30 | Merry Maids | USA | House Cleaning Franchises |
| 31 | Spherion | USA | Employment & Staffing Franchises |
| 32 | Mr. Handyman | USA | Handyman Franchises |
| 33 | Pirtek | Australia | Maintenance Franchises |
| 34 | Dairy Queen | USA | Fast Food Franchises |
| 35 | Expense Reduction Analysts | UK | Business Consulting Services |
| 36 | Bark Busters | Australia | Dog Training Franchises |
| 37 | Edible Arrangements | USA | Health Food Franchises |
| 38 | EmbroidMe | USA | Advertising & Marketing Franchises |
| 39 | Engel & Völkers | Germany | Real Estate Franchises |
| 40 | Merle Norman Cosmetics | USA | Cosmetic Franchises |
| 41 | Auntie Anne’s Pretzels | USA | Bakery & Donut Franchises |
| 42 | MRI Network | USA | Personnel Services |
| 43 | Ben & Jerry’s | USA | Ice Cream Franchises |
| 44 | Jazzercise | USA | Women’s Fitness Franchises |
| 45 | Knight’s Inn | USA | Travel Agency Franchises |
| 46 | GolfTEC | USA | Sports Franchises |
| 47 | Midas | USA | Automotive Repair Franchises |
| 48 | Matco Tools | USA | Automotive Franchises |
| 49 | Pita Pit | Canada | Fast Food Franchises |
| 50 | Chester’s International | USA | Chicken Franchises |
| 51 | Travelodge | USA | Hotel Franchises |
| 52 | TAF™ | USA | Sporting Goods Stores |
| 53 | Days Inn | USA | Hotel Franchises |
| 54 | WSI Internet | Canada | Internet Franchises |
| 55 | Coffee News USA | Canada | Coffee Franchises |
| 56 | Snap Fitness | USA | Gym Franchises |
| 57 | Aussie Pet Mobile | Australia | Pet Grooming Franchises |
| 58 | Chem-Dry | USA | Carpet Cleaning Franchises |
| 59 | SIGNARAMA | USA | Printer, Copying & Sign Franchises |
| 60 | Cinnabon | USA | Bakery & Donut Franchises |
| 61 | Homewatch | USA | Senior Care Franchises |
| 62 | Supercuts | USA | Hair & Beauty Salon Franchises |
| 63 | Hampton Inn & Suites | USA | Hotel Franchises |
| 64 | Mathnasium | USA | Child Education Franchises |
| 65 | The Maids Home Services | USA | House Cleaning Franchises |
| 66 | Gymboree | USA | Child Fitness & Gym Franchises |
| 67 | Precision Tune Auto Care | USA | Automotive Repair Franchises |
| 68 | American Leak Detection | USA | Maintenance Franchises |
| 69 | Heaven’s Best | USA | Carpet Cleaning Franchises |
| 70 | Express Employment Professionals | USA | Employment & Staffing Franchises |
| 71 | Papa Johns | USA | Pizza Franchises |
| 72 | Home Instead | USA | Senior Care Franchises |
| 73 | Budget Blinds | USA | Home Improvement Franchises |
| 74 | Fitness Together | USA | Gym Franchises |
| 75 | Allegra Print & Imaging | USA | Sign, Print & Copy Stores |
| 76 | Microtel Inns and Suites | USA | Hotel Franchises |
| 77 | Great Clips | USA | Hair Salon Franchises |
| 78 | PuroClean | USA | B2B Franchises |
| 79 | Novus | USA | Automotive Repair Franchises |
| 80 | Martinizing Dry Cleaning | USA | Dry-cleaning & Laundry Franchises |
| 81 | Howard Johnson | USA | Hotel Franchises |
| 82 | Sir Speedy | USA | Printer, Copying & Sign Franchises |
| 83 | Action Coach | Australia | Business Consulting Services |
| 84 | Sylvan Learning | USA | Children & Education |
| 85 | The Little Gym International | USA | Child Fitness & Gym Franchises |
| 86 | Jiffy Lube | USA | Oil Change Franchises |
| 87 | Proforma | USA | Printer, Copying & Sign Franchises |
| 88 | Furniture Medic | USA | Repair & Painting Franchises |
| 89 | Moe’s Southwest Grill | USA | Fast Food Franchises |
| 90 | La Quinta | USA | Hotel Franchises |
| 91 | Minuteman Press | USA | Printer, Copying & Sign Franchises |
| 92 | Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza | USA | Pizza Franchises |
| 93 | CertaPro Painters | USA | Repair & Painting Franchises |
| 94 | PostNet | USA | Printer, Copying & Sign Franchises |
| 95 | FASTSIGNS® | USA | Printer, Copying & Sign Franchises |
| 96 | MAACO | USA | Automotive Repair Franchises |
| 97 | Rooter-Man | USA | Maintenance Franchises |
| 98 | Schlotzsky’s | USA | Sandwich & Bagel Franchises |
| 99 | Smoothie King | USA | Smoothie Franchises |
| 100 | Pak Mail | USA | Mailing & Shipping Franchises |
Please visit Franchise Direct for the full report.
Ivan Widjaya
2009 top franchises
