QSR Magazine Reveals Their Best Franchise Deals for 2016

For the past six years, QSR Magazine has revealed its list of the top 10 to 12 quick-service and fast-casual concepts that provide franchisees the best return on their investment. But this year’s list is slightly different.

QSR teamed up with Franchise Business Review (FBR) to name 2016’s best franchise deals. The leading market research firm, which specializes in franchisee satisfaction and performance, helps the annual report go beyond companies’ financial success to also look at franchisor support and overall system satisfaction.

In an interview with QSR, FBR CEO Eric Stites said, “When you’re looking at the totality of a restaurant franchise and the value it delivers for its franchise owners, it’s absolutely important to understand if the franchise owners are happy and satisfied, because it’s the collection of everything—financial, support, and so on—that drives overall success and makes owners feel that their investment was a worthy one.”

Both QSR and FBR considered a wide range of factors to determine this year’s best franchise deals, including franchisee satisfaction surveys, management team experience, litigation history, estimated ROI as a factor of average unit volume and average startup costs, unit growth and continuity and momentum.

Checkers & Rally’s: With 828 U.S. units—505 of which are franchised—the Tampa, Florida-based sister chains are fully aligned with their franchisees. Checkers & Rally’s has also experienced same-store sales growth for the past five years.

Toppers Pizza: Over the past three years, Toppers Pizza has doubled its store count to 73 units in the U.S. The Wisconsin-based brand has also tapped into millennial consumers through its commitment to a strong digital presence.

Your Pie: The Georgia-based brand is poised to double its unit count by the end of 2016. Your Pie’s handcrafted pizzas and selection of craft beers also stand out in the increasingly crowded fast-casual pizza category.