50 of the Fastest Growing U.S. Franchise Brands in 2020

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How many times have you heard about or seen a sign or advertisement for a franchise and not known anything about it? Then, all of a sudden, that franchise is everywhere. Many franchises you’ve had a similar experience with may be on this list.

Below is a list of 50 of the fastest growing U.S. franchise brands, along with some factoids on selected franchises. All brands listed were all founded in the United States and have an impressive year-over-year percentage growth rate from mid-to-end of year 2018 to mid-to-end of year 2019. (Please note: This list isn’t exhaustive.)

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Snapology is definitely one of those franchises you’ve seen pop up seemingly out of nowhere. The home-based, mobile STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) education provider was founded just over 10 years ago, but has exploded in popularity over the last five. But, Snapology isn’t solely for kids. The education franchise also offers team building exercises for adults as well as senior citizen programs.

With all the ways technology impacts our day-to-day lives, it’s no surprise to see a franchise that helps people keep their gadgets operating growing quickly. uBreakiFix started in 2009 after a broken iPhone 3G screen led to a revelation. Now, the repair franchise that services phones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles and more, has over 500 stores across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

Orangetheory Fitness is one of those franchises that is present on both this list and our Top 100. The purveyor of the popular high-intensity exercise its clients swear by isn’t taking a breather on expansion any time soon. Co-founder and CEO Dave Long is on the record as saying the fitness company is aiming to have 2,500 studios in operation globally by 2024.

It doesn’t hurt that appliances will consistently need maintenance, but it’s possible the brand refresh is helping the growth rate some too. Mr. Appliance, part of the mega franchise company Neighborly, updated its logo and other elements of its brand identity in 2018 in order to better communicate what the home services franchise wants to represent. Its company president said at the time, the refresh “reflects how the brand has evolved over the past two decades and better communicates to consumers that Mr. Appliance is the best destination for efficient and dependable service.”

Camp Bow Wow has over 175 pet care franchises open and is already in the process of opening more than 50 across North America, as of February 2020. In addition to day care and overnight camp, the franchise also offers grooming services and a rewards-based dog training program.

Water safety is becoming serious franchise business, evidenced by both Aqua-Tots and British Swim School growing noticeably fast. However, the payoff for these franchises is about much more than money. “Our tagline, ‘Survival of the Littlest,’ is truly meaningful.” That’s what British Swim School president Brian Garrison said in our interview with him about the children’s franchise opportunity—though services do include a growing adult segment.

The franchise, which recently transitioned from founder Rita Goldberg to the ownership of Buzz Franchise Brands, is currently focused on growth in the U.S. and Canada, and wants to partner with those with “a passion for both business and for making a difference in their communities.”

Speaking of trying to make a difference in its communities, “We’re truly taking our mission, ‘To improve the self-esteem of the world,’ to another level. It’s something our brand takes incredibly seriously, and it’s up to our leadership team to make our vision a reality.” That’s what Anytime Fitness CEO Chuck Runyon told Inside Franchise Business in January 2020.

The fitness franchise literally went where no other franchise has gone before, opening a studio on Antarctica21’s newest cruise ship, Magellan Explorer. The opening made it the first franchise with representation on all seven continents. “Being the only franchise to operate on all seven continents and land a gym on the coldest, windiest, driest region of the world was no easy feat but was a necessary step in contributing to our mission,” Runyon said.

Franchising for over 40 years, Kinderdance isn’t showing any sign of slowing down. So how has the children’s franchise done it? “What makes Kinderdance unique is that all our programs incorporate educational concepts in a developmentally designed curriculum,” says Karen Maltese, Kinderdance’s VP of franchise development. “The strong brand Kinderdance has built over the last 40 years has helped us become the top ranked children’s STEAM enrichment franchise in the world.”

Per AARP, about 76% of Americans over 50 say they want to grow old in their own homes. And, when you add it that at least 10,000 baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) will turn 65 every day until 2029, you realize the market for home healthcare services is substantial and only going to get bigger. Interim HealthCare, in business since 1966, is one of the premier franchises in this area.

About this list:
The franchises were pulled from the submissions for our annual Top 100 Global Franchises ranking. Thus, all of these franchises are operating not only in the United States, but at least one other country as well. However, it wasn’t a requirement for any of these franchises appearing on this list to be one of the Top 100. Unit data was compiled from company-submitted data or published industry sources. All efforts were made to obtain accurate data.