2023 Dominators

By: Multi-Unit Franchisee | 2,433 Reads | 1 Shares

Featured in: Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine: Issue 4, 2023

2023 Dominators

Despite the regulatory, legislative, and other existential threats to the business model, franchising continues to grow and evolve. (See the IFA’s Legislative Update column in this issue). The evidence is in the numbers, as the following tables from FRANdata demonstrate.

Multi-unit/multi-brand operators continue to increase in number and reach with each passing year. Flynn Restaurant Group (FRG), the country’s largest franchisee, with more than 2,600 restaurants, $4.2 billion in annual sales, and 75,000 employees dominates in the U.S. And this past summer, the company realized a long-held dream to grow internationally by expanding into Australia with the purchase of 260 Pizza Huts—along with the master franchise license for the country.

FRG may be the largest, but it’s only one of many multi-unit/multi-brand franchisee organizations that dominate franchising today. These “Dominators” grow through acquisitions, new unit buildouts, refranchising, and buying up units from retiring or underperforming franchisees—a trend that only accelerated during Covid-19 as smaller or weaker operators sold out to larger and stronger ones.

Banking on their good credit, solid infrastructure, and proven track record, these larger operators are creating historically large franchisee organizations that have changed the face of modern franchising.

Today, during these post-pandemic (we hope) times, these dominators continue to create jobs by the thousands, hiring young employees and providing a career path for them to grow and become the next generation of franchise leaders. And they give back to their communities, encouraging employees to support local organizations and charities.

From its early days as a “buy yourself a job” for mom-and-pop operators, franchising has come a long way, baby!

LARGEST FRANCHISEES BY STATE

STATES & D.C.	LARGEST FRANCHISEE	UNITSTS
ALABAMA	PREMIER KINGS	122
ALASKA	MICHAEL DAVIDSON; SUBWAY DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA (tie)	21
ARIZONA	DESERT DE ORO FOODS	172
ARKANSAS	K-MAC ENTERPRISES	95
CALIFORNIA	G & M OIL CO	279
COLORADO	FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	137
CONNECTICUT	GREAT AMERICAN DONUT/ICA DONUTS/VALLEY DONUTS/D&D PLAINVILLE	41
D.C.	KOVAN GROUP	11
DELAWARE	NISTAZOS AND SONGS FRANCHISE MANAGEMENT SERVICES	23
FLORIDA	SUMMIT RESTAURANT GROUP (NEIGHBORHOOD HOSPITALITY/ARGONNE CAPITAL)	216
GEORGIA	GPS HOSPITALITY	137
HAWAII	KAZI FOODS	37
IDAHO	FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	53
ILLINOIS	THE DHANANI GROUP	208
INDIANA	FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	139
IOWA	MERCHANT INVESTMENTS	40
KANSAS	ROTTINGHAUS COMPANY	150
KENTUCKY	FOURTEEN FOODS	62
LOUISIANA	GPS HOSPITALITY	119
MAINE	MDM MANAGEMENT GROUP/MYSTIC VALLEY MANAGEMENT	36
MARYLAND	FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	91
MASSACHUSETTS	HK ENTERPRISES; CAPE COD ENTERPRISES/COUTO MANAGEMENT GROUP/DARTMOUTH MANAGEMENT GROUP/CAPE MANAGEMENT TEAM (tie)	73
MICHIGAN	TEAM SCHOSTAK FAMILY RESTAURANTS	133
MINNESOTA	THE DHANANI GROUP	106
MISSISSIPPI	CARLISLE	78
MISSOURI	FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	212
MONTANA	MERIDIAN RESTAURANTS UNLIMITED	22
NEBRASKA	THE DHANANI GROUP	70
NEVADA	DIVERSIFIED RESTAURANT GROUP	89
NEW HAMPSHIRE	NGP MANAGEMENT	44
NEW JERSEY	THE BRIAD GROUP	63
NEW MEXICO	MERRITT GROUP	69
NEW YORK	METRO FRANCHISING COMMISSARY	139
NORTH CAROLINA	CARROLS RESTAURANT GROUP	157
NORTH DAKOTA	MIDWEST SUBWAY DEVELOPMENT	20
OHIO	THE COVELLI FAMILY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP	135
OKLAHOMA	FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	113
OREGON	JCK RESTAURANTS/KB RESTAURANTS	71
PENNSYLVANNIA	FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	123
RHODE ISLAND	DAN’S MANAGEMENT COMPANY	31
SOUTH CAROLINA	CAROLINA RESTAURANT GROUP	53
SOUTH DAKOTA	CAVE ENTERPRISES OPERATIONS	23
TENNESSEE	CARROLS RESTAURANT GROUP	127
TEXAS	THE DHANANI GROUP	712
UTAH	SIZZLING PLATTER	74
VERMONT	VERMONT DONUT ENTERPRISES	17
VIRGINIA	BODDIE-NOELL ENTERPRISES	176
WASHINGTON	NORTHWEST RESTAURANTS	106
WEST VIRGINIA	LITTLE GENERAL STORE	48
WISCONSIN	CAVE ENTERPRISES OPERATIONS	108
WYOMING	GRAND MERE RESTAURANT GROUP	20

ENTIRE U.S.

MSA	FRANCHISED UNITS
LOS ANGELES-RIVERSIDE-ORANGE COUNTY CA	19,204
NEW YORK-NORTHERN NEW JERSEY-LONG ISLAND NY-NJ-CT-PA	18,834
CHICAGO-GARY-KENOSHA IL-IN-WI	11,175
WASHINGTON-BALTIMORE DC-MD-VA-WV	10,639
DALLAS-FORT WORTH TX	10,421
HOUSTON-GALVESTON-BRAZORIA TX	9,452
ATLANTA GA	8,609
SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND-SAN JOSE CA	7,781
BOSTON-WORCESTER-LAWRENCE MA-NH-ME-CT	7,347
PHILADELPHIA-WILMINGTON-ATLANTIC CITY PA-NJ-DE-MD	7,106
DETROIT-ANN ARBOR-FLINT MI	6,447
PHOENIX-MESA AZ	5,968
SEATTLE-TACOMA-BREMERTON WA	5,054
DENVER-BOULDER-GREELEY CO	4,951
MIAMI-FORT LAUDERDALE FL	4,657
MINNEAPOLIS-SAINT PAUL MN-WI	4,646
TAMPA-SAINT PETERSBURG-CLEARWATER FL	4,515
SAN DIEGO CA	3,860
CHARLOTTE-GASTONIA-ROCK HILL NC-SC	3,822
ORLANDO FL	3,754
SAINT LOUIS MO-IL	3,715
CLEVELAND-AKRON OH	3,526
PORTLAND-SALEM OR-WA	3,358
LAS VEGAS NV-AZ	3,255
CINCINNATI-HAMILTON OH-KY-IN	3,220
INDIANAPOLIS IN	3,184
SACRAMENTO-YOLO CA	3,071
SAN ANTONIO TX	3,056
AUSTIN-SAN MARCOS TX	2,999
NASHVILLE TN	2,991
KANSAS CITY MO-KS	2,964
RALEIGH-DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL NC	2,933
PITTSBURGH PA	2,832
NORFOLK-VIRGINIA BEACH-NEWPORT NEWS VA-NC	2,801
COLUMBUS OH	2,737
MILWAUKEE-RACINE WI	2,392
JACKSONVILLE FL	2,316
SALT LAKE CITY-OGDEN UT	2,262
OKLAHOMA CITY OK	2,086
WEST PALM BEACH-BOCA RATON FL	2,057
RICHMOND-PETERSBURG VA	1,956
GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-ANDERSON SC	1,877
HARTFORD CT	1,818
GREENSBORO--WINSTON-SALEM-HIGH POINT NC	1,788
LOUISVILLE KY-IN	1,667
NEW ORLEANS LA	1,656
MEMPHIS TN-AR-MS	1,619
OMAHA NE-IA	1,467
BIRMINGHAM AL	1,453
GRAND RAPIDS-MUSKEGON-HOLLAND MI	1,445
KNOXVILLE TN	1,445
DAYTON-SPRINGFIELD OH	1,337
TULSA OK	1,285
CHARLESTON-NORTH CHARLESTON SC	1,283
SARASOTA-BRADENTON FL	1,239
LITTLE ROCK-NORTH LITTLE ROCK AR	1,177
FRESNO CA	1,164
COLORADO SPRINGS CO	1,155
FORT MYERS-CAPE CORAL FL	1,146
TUCSON AZ	1,144
COLUMBIA SC	1,131
DES MOINES IA	1,119
ALBUQUERQUE NM	1,116
BUFFALO-NIAGARA FALLS NY	1,088
BATON ROUGE LA	1,071
HONOLULU HI	1,063
BOISE CITY ID	1,028
LEXINGTON KY	991
ROCHESTER NY	988
MOBILE AL	980
ALBANY-SCHENECTADY-TROY NY	973
CHATTANOOGA TN-GA	936
WICHITA KS	935
EL PASO TX	935
HARRISBURG-LEBANON-CARLISLE PA	920
BAKERSFIELD CA	918
PROVIDENCE-FALL RIVER-WARWICK RI-MA	917
MADISON WI	901
STOCKTON-LODI CA	842
AUGUSTA-AIKEN GA-SC	840
DAYTONA BEACH FL	839
ALLENTOWN-BETHLEHEM-EASTON PA	837
MELBOURNE-TITUSVILLE-PALM BAY FL	818
LAKELAND-WINTER HAVEN FL	809
FAYETTEVILLE-SPRINGDALE-ROGERS AR	802
JACKSON MS	794
TOLEDO OH	769
SAVANNAH GA	755
HUNTSVILLE AL	752
PENSACOLA FL	749
FORT WAYNE IN	720
SYRACUSE NY	707
MCALLEN-EDINBURG-MISSION TX	701
MYRTLE BEACH SC	700
WILMINGTON NC	690
PROVO-OREM UT	684
SCRANTON--WILKES-BARRE--HAZLETON PA	659
FORT PIERCE-PORT SAINT LUCIE FL	648
MODESTO CA	644
SPOKANE WA	642
RENO NV	642
JOHNSON CITY-KINGSPORT-BRISTOL TN-VA	635
SPRINGFIELD MO	635
LAFAYETTE LA	630
MACON GA	615
YOUNGSTOWN-WARREN OH	603
LANSING-EAST LANSING MI	593
APPLETON-OSHKOSH-NEENAH WI	592
FORT COLLINS-LOVELAND CO	591

LARGEST FRANCHISEES BY REGION

WEST (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)	UNITS
G & M OIL CO	279
HARMAN MANAGEMENT	244
AMERICAN WEST RESTAURANT GROUP	233
FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	222
AKASH MANAGEMENT	211

MOUNTAIN WEST (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)	UNITS
FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	245
SIZZLING PLATTER	118
HARMAN MANAGEMENT	106
ALVARADO CONCEPTS	94
MBN BRANDS	81

SOUTHWEST (AZ, NV, NM)	UNITS
DESERT DE ORO FOODS	182
MERRITT GROUP	143
DIVERSIFIED RESTAURANT GROUP	89
TERRIBLE HERBST	85
STINE ENTERPRISES	79

PLAINS (IA, KS, MO, NE, ND, OK, SD)	UNITS
FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	490
ROTTINGHAUS COMPANY	285
LOVE’S TRAVEL STOPS & COUNTRY STORES	177
K-MAC ENTERPRISES	162
FUGATE ENTERPRISES	138

MIDWEST (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI)	UNITS
DHANANI GROUP	460
FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	322
CARROLS RESTAURANT GROUP	294
KBP BRANDS	277
ALLINE SALON GROUP	212

SOUTH (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, IA, MS, NC, SC, TN, TX, VA)	UNITS
DHANANI GROUP	999
FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	810
SUN HOLDINGS	662
CARROLS RESTAURANT GROUP	546
KBP BRANDS	496

EAST (DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, WV)	UNITS
FLYNN RESTAURANT GROUP	262
CARROLS RESTAURANT GROUP	229
FQSR (dba KBP BRANDS)	143
METRO FRANCHISING COMMISSARY	139
BRIAD RESTAURANT & LODGING GROUP	113

NEW ENGLAND (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)	UNITS
NGP MANAGEMENT	123
CAFUA MANAGEMENT COMPANY (CMC)	117
THE DHANANI GROUP	104
HK ENTERPRISES	89
CAPE COD ENTERPRISES/COUTO MANAGEMENT GROUP/DARTMOUTH MANAGEMENT GROUP/CAPE MANAGEMENT TEAM	85