Chester’s Chicken Named Among the Top Franchises in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500® Ranking

Chester’s Chicken has been recognized once again as one of the top 500 franchises in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500®.

For 47 years, the Franchise 500® has served as a valuable resource for potential franchisees, making inclusion in the ranking a highly sought-after honor within the franchise industry. In the 2026 Franchise 500®, Chester’s Chicken is ranked at No. 290, marking its 18th consecutive year on the list and highlighting its strong performance in unit growth, financial strength and stability, operational and marketing support, and brand power.

“For 47 years, the Franchise 500 has been the gold standard for identifying franchise excellence. This year’s ranking proves that the best brands don’t just survive changing markets; they thrive in them,” said Jason Feifer, Entrepreneur magazine’s editor in chief. “These 500 companies represent some of the most reliable pathways to business ownership in America, each one vetted through our rigorous analysis of what actually drives franchisee success.”

In Entrepreneur’s continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace, the company’s 47-year-old ranking formula continues to evolve as well. Each franchise is thoroughly evaluated and given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. The 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500® in ranking order.