See which franchises are actually growing based on real FDD unit data. Compare openings, closures, and net growth for Jersey Mike's, Club Pilates, 7-Eleven.
Quick answerJersey Mike's is 2026's fastest-growing franchise by net units: +313 (318 opened, 5 closed, a 99.8% retention rate) per Item 20 data across 1,609 FDDs in VetMyFranchise's database. Club Pilates leads fitness at +162. Watch net growth, not gross openings: Coverall opened 526 units but closed 446.
Jersey Mike’s is the fastest-growing franchise in 2026 by the one metric that can’t be spun: +313 net units (318 opened, 5 closed) per Item 20 of its FDD. Club Pilates leads fitness at +162, and 7-Eleven added +224. Here’s the full top 20, and the churn traps hiding inside the “growth” lists.
Every year, dozens of publications release “Top Franchise” or “Fastest Growing Franchise” lists. Most are based on subjective criteria, survey responses from franchisors, or, worst of all, paid placements disguised as editorial rankings.
We took a different approach. Using data extracted from 1,609 Franchise Disclosure Documents filed in 2025-2026 and parsed in VetMyFranchise’s database of 2,000+ franchise systems, we looked at the only objective growth metric that matters: how many units opened versus how many closed in the most recent fiscal year as reported in Item 20 of each FDD.
Item 20 isn’t optional or self-reported in a survey. It’s a disclosure the FTC Franchise Rule legally requires. Franchisors must report exact unit counts, openings, closures, terminations, and transfers. When a franchisor reports 99 openings and 20 closures, those numbers are audited and verifiable.
Here are the franchise systems that opened the most new units in their most recent fiscal year, based on Item 20 FDD data:
| Rank | Franchise | Industry | Units Opened | Units Closed | Net Growth | Total Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coverall North America | Cleaning | 526 | 446 | +80 | 5,588 |
| 2 | CP Franchising (Choice Hotels) | Hospitality | 432 | 170 | +262 | 3,009 |
| 3 | Jersey Mike’s (A Sub Above) | Food & Beverage | 318 | 5 | +313 | 2,955 |
| 4 | 7-Eleven | Food & Beverage | 300 | 76 | +224 | 8,254 |
| 5 | Bimbo Foods | Food & Beverage | 285 | 152 | +133 | 6,957 |
| 6 | Club Pilates | Fitness & Wellness | 166 | 4 | +162 | 1,029 |
| 7 | Ameriprise Financial | Financial Services | 147 | 46 | +101 | 5,578 |
| 8 | Brew Culture | Food & Beverage | 141 | 0 | +141 | 321 |
| 9 | Chick-fil-A | Food & Beverage | 135 | 102 | +33 | 3,109 |
| 10 | Chester’s International | Food & Beverage | 100 | 59 | +41 | 994 |
| 11 | Scooter’s Coffee | Food & Beverage | 99 | 20 | +79 | 849 |
| 12 | Cinnabon | Food & Beverage | 92 | 42 | +50 | 1,030 |
| 13 | Panda Express | Food & Beverage | 89 | 6 | +83 | 2,502 |
| 14 | Auntie Anne’s | Food & Beverage | 75 | 41 | +34 | 1,193 |
| 15 | BAM Franchising | Home Services | 73 | 2 | +71 | 161 |
| 16 | Century 21 | Real Estate | 72 | 110 | -38 | 1,734 |
| 17 | Asphalt Tire Pros | Automotive | 70 | 109 | -39 | 605 |
| 18 | C.T. Franchising (Pet) | Pet Services | 70 | 7 | +63 | 372 |
| 19 | Ace Sushi | Food & Beverage | 73 | 18 | +55 | 106 |
| 20 | Scooter’s Coffee | Food & Beverage | 99 | 20 | +79 | 849 |
Critical insight: Raw openings tell only half the story. Century 21 opened 72 units but closed 110, resulting in a net loss of 38 units. Asphalt Tire Pros opened 70 but closed 109. These franchises are technically “growing” by openings but actually shrinking by net count.
A franchise that opens 100 units and closes 90 isn’t growing — it’s churning. High churn suggests:
The healthiest growth indicators combine:
Jersey Mike’s (operating as A Sub Above, LLC in its FDD) stands out with 318 units opened and only 5 closed — a net growth of +313 units. That’s an extraordinary retention rate of 99.8%.
| Metric | Jersey Mike’s |
|---|---|
| Total Units | 2,955 |
| Units Opened | 318 |
| Units Closed | 5 |
| Net Growth | +313 |
| Retention Rate | 99.8% |
| Investment Range | $185,903 – $1,417,592 |
| Franchise Fee | $20,000 |
| Royalty | 6.5% of Gross Receipts |
Source: Data extracted from 2025-2026 Franchise Disclosure Documents filed with state regulators. Figures may have changed since filing. Verify current terms directly with the franchisor.
What makes this notable: Jersey Mike’s is adding roughly one new unit per day while maintaining near-perfect unit retention. The wide investment range reflects different real estate costs across markets, but the franchise fee of $20,000 is relatively modest for a QSR concept.
Club Pilates opened 166 units with only 4 closures — a 97.6% retention rate and net growth of +162 units. In the fitness category, this growth rate is unmatched.
| Metric | Club Pilates |
|---|---|
| Total Units | 1,029 |
| Units Opened | 166 |
| Units Closed | 4 |
| Net Growth | +162 |
| Investment Range | $385,048 – $839,058 |
| Franchise Fee | N/A |
Source: Data extracted from 2025-2026 Franchise Disclosure Documents filed with state regulators. Figures may have changed since filing. Verify current terms directly with the franchisor.
Club Pilates recently crossed the 1,000-unit milestone, making it one of the few fitness franchises to reach that scale. By comparison, Anytime Fitness has 2,301 units but didn’t match Club Pilates’ recent growth velocity.
Considering one of these fast growers? The full 12-section FDD analysis covers Item 19 earnings, litigation history, fee footnotes, and a buyer verdict personalized to your capital and market: $49 per brand, or browse 2,000+ franchises to compare growth data on your shortlist.
Equally important is identifying franchise systems where closures exceed openings. Our data flagged several:
| Franchise | Industry | Opened | Closed | Net Change | Total Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AmerisourceBergen | Pet Services | 174 | 264 | -90 | 2,361 |
| Chem-Dry | Cleaning | 14 | 101 | -87 | 1,099 |
| Applebee’s | Food & Beverage | 0 | 82 | -82 | 1,507 |
| 9Round | Fitness & Wellness | 4 | 83 | -79 | 200 |
| Amazing Lash | Health & Beauty | 9 | 70 | -61 | 201 |
| Century 21 | Real Estate | 72 | 110 | -38 | 1,734 |
| Merle Norman | Health & Beauty | 5 | 39 | -34 | 797 |
| Blaze Pizza | Food & Beverage | 0 | 31 | -31 | 265 |
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? | Automotive | 1 | 30 | -29 | 146 |
A shrinking franchise isn’t necessarily a bad investment, but it demands much more due diligence. There may be legitimate reasons (market consolidation, strategic closures of underperforming units), but you need to understand them before investing.
If a franchise you’re interested in shows net unit losses, ask these questions during validation:
Growth isn’t evenly distributed across franchise categories; the franchise industry statistics report breaks down investment, disclosure, and growth patterns for every one of them.
Food & Beverage dominates with the highest absolute growth numbers, but that’s partly because it’s the largest category (433 franchises). Jersey Mike’s, 7-Eleven, and Chick-fil-A lead the pack.
Fitness & Wellness shows the most concentrated growth in specific brands. Club Pilates alone accounts for a significant share of the category’s expansion.
Cleaning & Maintenance has high churn: Coverall opened 526 units but closed 446. The business model (lower investment, higher turnover) naturally produces more movement in both directions.
Home Services shows steady, moderate growth with less volatility than other categories. BAM Franchising’s 73 openings with only 2 closures represents the healthiest growth pattern in the sector.
Growth data should inform your franchise evaluation but not be the sole deciding factor. Here’s how to integrate it into your due diligence:
The best franchise isn’t always the fastest-growing one. It’s the one where existing franchisees are profitable, new units are succeeding, and the growth rate is sustainable, not just impressive on paper.
Browse our franchise library to see unit growth data for 2,000+ franchise systems, or read our guide to franchise red flags to learn what warning signs to watch for.
Based on net unit growth from FDD Item 20 data, Jersey Mike's leads with 318 openings and only 5 closures (+313 net growth). Club Pilates (+162) and 7-Eleven (+224) also show strong expansion. However, growth rate as a percentage of total units gives a more accurate picture of momentum.
Franchise growth data is legally required in Item 20 of the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). This section reports total units, new openings, closures, terminations, and transfers for the most recent three fiscal years. Request the FDD directly from the franchisor or use a service like VetMyFranchise to analyze it.
Not necessarily. Fast growth can indicate strong demand, but it can also signal aggressive expansion that outpaces the franchisor's support capacity. Always look at closures alongside openings — a franchise that opens 100 units but closes 80 has a churn problem, not a growth story.
Food & Beverage has the highest absolute growth numbers, but Fitness & Wellness (led by Club Pilates) and Home Services (led by BAM Franchising) show the healthiest growth with high retention rates. Cleaning & Maintenance grows fast but also has higher churn.
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