U.S. Retail Industry Companies on 2009 Franchise 500 and Franchise Top 200 Lists

Entrepreneur Magazine and Franchise Times Recognize Top Retail Franchisees

Each year the U.S. retail industry is well represented on the annual "Fortune 500" list published by Fortune Magazine. Since all of the companies on that prestigious ranking are publicly traded, however, most of the world's largest franchise chains are not included.

Entrepreneur Magazine first compiled its "Franchise 500" list in 1980. At that time, there were 9.1 million small businesses in the U.S., and of those, 500,000 were franchises. Within 25 years, franchises were a major component in the globalization of the retail industry, and franchises employed approximately 11 million people, and produced more than $800 billion worth of goods and services.

Entrepreneur’s "Franchise 500" list is compiled based on a formula that the publication chooses not to disclose, (a strategy that is patterned after #14 KFC’s “secret recipe”). Franchise Times, however, compiles its own annual “Top 200 Franchise Chains” list which it openly discloses is based on worldwide sales.

Below is list of the retail companies that have earned rankings on the last version of both the Entrepreneur and Franchise Times "top" lists. This combined list is divided by category and arranged according to the ranking each company was assigned by the "Franchise 500" list first, and the "Top 200 Franchise List" second. An alphabetically sorted list begins on page four.


RESTAURANTS:
Subway
#1 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#6 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

McDonald’s
#2 – Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#1 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Sonic
#4 – Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#25 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Pizza Hut
#7 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#7 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Papa John’s
#10 – Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#47 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Baskin-Robbins USA Co.
#13 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#70 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

KFC Corp.
#14 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#3 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Dairy Queen
#16 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#37 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Arby’s
#18 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#28 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Taco Bell Corp.
#20 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#15 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Denny’s Inc.
#25 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#43 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Hardee’s
#26 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Long John Silver’s Restaurants, Inc.
#32 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#84 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Dunkin’ Donuts
#36 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Domino’s Pizza LLC
#41 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#18 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Cold Stone Creamery
#46 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#116 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Quiznos Sub
#50 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Papa Murphy’s
#51 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#117 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich Shops
#53 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#142 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Carl’s Jr. Restaurants
#62 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#68 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Smoothie King
#67 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Auntie Anne’s Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels
#73 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#162 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Chester’s Int’l.
#74 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Rita’s Italian Ice
#76 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Hot Stuff Foods LLC
#81 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Buffalo Wild Wings
#87 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc.
#89 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#92 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Firehouse Subs
#90 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

CiCi’s Pizza
#91 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#106 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Hungry Howie’s Pizza & Subs
#93 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#175 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Qdoba Mexican Grill
#94 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#151 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Wingstop Restaurants Inc.
#97 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#199 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Pretzelmaker/Pretzel Time
#99 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Moe’s Southwest Grill
#113 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#169 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Cinnabon
#114 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#181 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Ben & Jerry’s
#120 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Golden Corral Franchising Systems Inc.
#125 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#62 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Charley’s Grilled Subs
#132 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

McAlister’s Deli
#136 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#163 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

El Pollo Loco
#150 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#104 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Taco John’s Int’l. Inc.
#152 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#170 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Pizza Pit, Inc.
#157 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Bojangles’ Restaurants Inc.
#158 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#108 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Nathan’s Famous Inc.
#166 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Jersey Mike’s Subs
#168 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Robeks Fruit Smoothies & Health Eats
#172 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Dippin’ Dots Franchising
#175 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Tropical Smoothie Café
#176 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Schlotzsky’s
#181 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#186 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Friendly’s Restaurants
#182 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
#95 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Lenny’s Sub Shop
#183 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Juice It Up!
#189 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

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