Building your wealth means searching for new opportunities and learning when to, and how to, take advantage of them. There is always money to make for those that aren’t afraid to look. Americans all over the country are netting millions of dollars by investing in a profitable franchise. Yet it’s likely that you’ve never seriously considered doing the same yourself.

The road to success starts by learning as much as possible online. Familiarizing yourself with the sector’s biggest brands and their major players is probably a good idea too. Today, we’re going to take a look at the largest franchise-based businesses in the country right now, how many locations they have, and how much they make.

What is a Franchise?

You may have heard the term in passing, but that’s a long way from knowing enough about franchises to invest your hard earned capital. A franchise is a licensing deal that lets independent entrepreneurs pay for the right to use a larger company’s logo, name, and products at a different location.

The costs associated with owning and operating a franchise can vary substantially depending on the location, size, and business model of the company. Despite the arrangement’s complexity, roughly 11.4% of all businesses in the US are franchises. So, what do those investors know that you don’t? Read ahead to find out.

Why Invest in a Franchise?

So many Americans are investing in franchises precisely because there are so many fantastic advantages. New entrepreneurs love them because of the assistance they receive from the franchisor. They’re also a lot less risky than going out alone, and can benefit from pre-established brand recognition.

There are disadvantages too. Franchise owners aren’t completely in control and are usually asked to come up with a sizable sum of money up front. The size of the initial investment varies from brand to brand, but the bigger the brand the higher the cost of entry.

The Franchise Times Top 500

The Franchise Times is an industry magazine that reports on every facet of franchising, from breaking news to features, and profiles of franchisors and franchisees. Each year, they take an in depth look at the most successful franchises in the world and feature a list of the 500 best on their website.

The Franchise Times annual research process takes 5-months and uses a combination of voluntary company reports and publicly available data to ensure accuracy. The system is backed by more than 20 years of research, making it the most comprehensive ranking of the 500 largest franchises in the United States.

This Year’s Top 10

It’s likely that your first foray into the franchise investment space could begin by partnering with one of the businesses featured here inside the top ten. These companies are at the top of the franchise totem pole precisely because they’re so attractive to investors.

Still, the industry-standard Franchise Times rankings stretch all the way to 500. That’s a lot of variety for one entrepreneur to sift through. With that in mind, it’s important to understand that the list of franchise opportunities is vast, and varied. So if you don’t find an intriguing opportunity below, you’re encouraged to continue your online search until you do.

McDonald’s

  • System Sales: $112,500,000,000
  • Total Locations: 40,031

7-Eleven

  • System Sales: $95,100,000,000
  • Total Locations: 78,413

KFC

  • System Sales: $31,365,000,000
  • Total Locations: 26,934

Burger King

  • System Sales: $23,450,000,000
  • Total Locations: 19,247

Ace Hardware

  • System Sales: $22,386,805,955
  • Total Locations: 5,583

Domino’s

  • System Sales: $17,779,000,000
  • Total Locations: 18,848

Subway

  • System Sales: $17,500,000,000
  • Total Locations: 37,147

Chick-fil-A

  • System Sales: $17,090,000,000
  • Total Locations: 2,709

RE/MAX

  • System Sales: $16,130,000,000
  • Total Locations: 8,964

Circle K

  • System Sales: $15,236,410,066
  • Total Locations: 11,154

Start Growing Your Wealth Today!

It’s important to note that just because big-ticket franchises like McDonalds, Domino’s, Circle K, and Burger King are at the top of this list doesn’t guarantee your success. Any franchise, regardless of renown, requires hard work to be successful. Only you know which one works best for you.

Whether you’re investing in a franchise of your own, or exploring some other opportunity, learning about new ways to grow your wealth never goes out of style. Consumer demand shifts and trends change, which is why the savvy investor can never stop searching for new opportunities.