2009 - 2010 U.S. Retail Industry Franchise 500 and Franchise Top 200 Lists

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, with the restaurant category listed first, followed by direct selling franchises and franchised retail stores.


Entrepreneur Franchise 500 and Franchise Times Top 200 Rankings for 2009 - 2010

Arby’s
2009 - #18 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #28 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Auntie Anne’s Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels
2010 - #50 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #73 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #162 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Baskin-Robbins USA Co.
2010 - #47 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #13 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #70 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Ben & Jerry’s
2009 - #120 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Bojangles’ Restaurants Inc.
2009 - #158 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #108 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Buffalo Wild Wings
2009 - #87 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Carl’s Jr. Restaurants
2009 - #62 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #68 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Charley’s Grilled Subs
2009 - #132 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc.
2009 - #89 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #92 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Chester’s Int’l.
2009 - #74 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

CiCi’s Pizza
2009 - #91 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #106 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Cinnabon
2009 - #114 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #181 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Cold Stone Creamery
2010 - #35 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #46 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #116 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Dairy Queen
2009 - #16 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #37 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Denny’s Inc.
20010 - #17 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #25 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #43 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Dippin’ Dots Franchising
2009 - #175 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Domino’s Pizza LLC
2009 - #41 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #18 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Dunkin’ Donuts
2010 - # 7 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #36 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

El Pollo Loco
2009 - #150 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #104 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Firehouse Subs
2009 - #90 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Friendly’s Restaurants
2009 - #182 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #95 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Golden Corral Franchising Systems Inc.
2009 - #125 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #62 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Hardee’s
20010 - #16 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #26 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Hot Stuff Foods LLC
2009 - #81 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Hungry Howie’s Pizza & Subs
2009 - #93 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #175 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Jersey Mike’s Subs
2009 - #168 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich Shops
2009 - #53 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #142 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Juice It Up!
2009 - #189 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

KFC Corp.
2009 - #14 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - # 3 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Lenny’s Sub Shop
2009 - #183 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Long John Silver’s Restaurants, Inc.
2009 - #32 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #84 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

McAlister’s Deli
2009 - #136 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #163 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

McDonald’s
2010 - # 2 – Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - # 2 – Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - # 1 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Nathan’s Famous Inc.
2009 - #166 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking

Moe’s Southwest Grill
2009 - #113 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #169 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Papa John’s
2009 - #10 – Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #47 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Papa Murphy’s
2009 - #51 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - #117 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

Pizza Hut
2010 - #15 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - # 7 - Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Ranking
2009 - # 7 - Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Chains

More restaurant franchise rankings...

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