Franchise Times Releases Annual "Fast & Serious" List of Smartest-Growing Franchise Brands

On Tuesday, Franchise Times released its Fast & Serious List of the 40 Smartest-Growing Franchise Brands in 2020.

According to the article, Franchise Times “created a formula to identify fast-growing franchise systems that also have staying power, as an antidote to multiple other rankings that include too many one-year wonders.”

To compile the database for the Fast & Serious project, the publication used its Franchise Times Top 200+ list — an annual ranking published in October of the largest franchise systems by revenue. According to the article, Franchise Times “identified the companies that submitted information for all three years for that project, then selected for analysis those with systemwide sales above $40 million.”

Included in the Fast & Serious list are many of the industry’s most exciting franchise opportunities, including Slim Chickens (No. 34), Lightbridge Academy (No. 31), Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa (No. 26), Mosquito Joe (No. 21) and Amazing Lash Studio (No. 14).

Coming in at number one is Club Pilates, followed by Urban Air Park Adventures, Orangetheory Fitness, Burn Boot Camp, Circle K, Chicken Salad Chick, uBreakiFix, Restoration 1, CycleBar and Realty One Group.

With concepts ranging from fitness and retail locations to doggy daycare and bakeries, the Franchise Times’ Fast & Serious list proves that in franchising, many segments are doing well despite the challenges of COVID-19. The list shows that, regardless of their category, the franchise concepts that are truly thriving right now are the ones that are growing the smartest, supporting franchisees, sticking to core values and adapting their business models for the future.