About the Franchise 500

Before you dive into Entrepreneur's 31st Annual Franchise 500®, a few words about how we compile this mega-list--the first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking in the world.

The process began in July 2009, when we asked franchisors to participate in this year's survey. Each submission was vetted before being entered for data analysis, with 738 companies making the first cut. Of those, the top 500 companies made the Franchise 500® ranking, based on financial and statistical data from July 2008 through July 2009.

Only franchise companies that supplied full Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) or Canadian Disclosure Documents and whose information is verified by Entrepreneur can receive a listing in this issue. To be eligible for the Franchise 500® ranking, a franchise company must have a minimum of 10 units with at least one based in the U.S. It must be seeking new franchisees in the U.S., and it cannot be in Chapter 11 at the time the ranking is compiled. (The exception to these rules is Canada-based companies that are only expanding in Canada.)

All companies, regardless of size, are judged by the same criteria: objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation. The most important factors include financial strength and stability, growth rate and size of the system. We also consider the number of years a company has been in business and the length of time it's been franchising, startup costs, litigation, percentage of terminations, and whether the company provides financing. Financial data are analyzed by an independent CPA. We do not measure subjective elements such as franchisee satisfaction or management style, since these are judgments only you can make based on your own needs and experiences. The objective factors are plugged into our exclusive Franchise 500® formula, with each eligible company receiving a cumulative score. The 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500®.

Remember that the Franchise 500® is not intended to endorse, advertise or recommend any particular franchise. It is solely a research tool you can use to compare franchise operations. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing money in a franchise. Read the FDD and related materials carefully, get help from an attorney and a CPA in reviewing any legal or financial documents, and talk to as many existing and former franchisees as possible and visit their outlets. The best way to protect yourself is to do your homework.

Research compiled by Tracy Stapp with assistance from Mahendran Arullendran, Adam Pringle and Jessica Iavazzi; financial analysis by David R. Juedes, CPA; graphic design by Megan Roy and Nancy Roy; additional assistance from Kelly Cornilliac, Krystel Escarzaga, Kristin Ladd and Deborah Song.