News

International franchising accelerates for top brands

Franchise Times has published its annual Top 200 list and, once again this year, QSRs dominate the top 10. The top five franchises include McDonald’s, 7-Eleven, KFC, Subway and Burger King, respectively.

October 10, 2014

Franchise Times has published its annual Top 200 list and, once again this year, QSRs dominate the top 10. The top five franchises – unchanged from last year – include McDonald’s, 7-Eleven, KFC, Subway and Burger King, respectively.

Pizza Hut fell from No. 8 to No. 9 in 2014, and Wendy’s was No. 10. Franchise Times said there were no newcomers in the top 10 or the top 25.

Franchise Times said McDonald’s has held the top spot since the list was first published in 2000. And, although it has "come under growing threat” from 7-Eleven, it remains the biggest restaurant chain in the world, with global sales that top KFC, Subway, Burger King and Dunkin’ Donuts combined.

Other restaurant brands in the top 100 include:

• Taco Bell, 13
• Domino’s Pizza, 14
• Dunkin’ Donuts, 16
• Tim Hortons, 18
• Chick-fil-A, 24
• Applebee’s, 25
• Panera, 27
• Chili’s, 30
• Sonic, 31
• Dairy Queen, 32
• Arby’s, 39
• Jack in the Box, 40
• Papa John’s, 41
• IHOP, 43
• Buffalo Wild Wings, 44
• TGI Fridays, 46
• Denny’s, 49
• Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, 51
• Little Caesars, 52
• Hardee’s, 53
• Baskin-Robbins, 60
• Golden Corral, 63
• Carl’s Jr., 64
• Whataburger, 66
• Jimmy John’s, 72
• Red Robin, 74
• Church’s Chicken, 76
• Five Guys, 77
• Zaxby’s, 81
• Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar, 82
• Krispy Kreme, 83
• Hooters, 88
• Bojangles, 90
• Culver’s, 91
• Steak n’ Shake, 93
• Papa Murphy’s, 98

This year’s big story is international growth. The story said the percentage of locations outside of the US has increased every year the list has been published (since 2000) and has accelerated this year.

"The number of international locations operated or franchised by companies on the Franchise Times Top 200 grew by 10.3 percent in 2013. By comparison, domestic growth was just 1.3 percent,” the story said.

For every domestic location added in 2013, the largest franchise systems added four international locations.

"The average franchise system now has 36.3 percent of its locations outside of the United States, nearly two full percentage points higher than 2012, when that number was 34.4 percent. When we first published the ranking in 2000, that percentage was 27 percent,” the story said.

The Franchise Times Top 200 List measures franchise brands based on total worldwide system sales. The full list is available here.