The 7 Best Franchising Opportunities for U.S. Veterans If you've served in the military, these franchises offer extra incentives to invest.
By Matthew McCreary •
We trust our military to keep us safe, whether they are across the globe or in our neighborhood. It only makes sense that they would be worthy of that trust in other areas of life, including business.
These seven businesses from the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list have put an emphasis on adding veterans to their teams to help both parties grow. So, if you're a veteran looking for a new start, or you know someone who is, check out this quick rundown or see the full list of top franchises for veterans here.
Related: The 7 Cheapest Franchises on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 List
Dream Vacations
Dream Vacations, ranked 138th on the Franchise 500, is a home-based travel agency franchise.
It's already one of the most affordable franchises on our Franchise 500 -- you can start a unit franchise for as little as $3,245. But the cost for veterans is even more affordable: Veterans save 20 percent off the franchise fee (which is between $495 and $9,800), as well as free or reduced costs on training fees and marketing support.
CEO: Brad Tolkin
Business headquarters: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Franchising since: 1992
Initial investment: $3,245 to $21,850
Initial franchise fee: $495 to $9,800
New units in 2016: 27 units (2.7 percent)
Training: 45 hours in the classroom
Marketing support: Co-op advertising, ad templates, national media, regional advertising, social media, website development, email marketing, loyalty program and app
Snap-on Tools
Snap-on Tools is a hardware store franchise that sells hand tools, power tools, diagnostic tools and more. It's ranked 30th on the Franchise 500 list.
Obviously, with a hardware store, one of the biggest startup costs is the inventory -- if you're selling tools, you need to actually have the tools and setup to do it. Snap-on Tools helps veterans by taking $20,000 off startup inventory, which is more than the franchise fee ($7,500 to $15,000).
CEO: Michelle Fee
Business headquarters: Kenosha, Wisc.
Franchising since: 1991
Initial investment: $169,503 to $350,231
Initial franchise fee: $7,500 to $15,000
New units in 2016: 1 units (0.0 percent)
Training: 135 hours on the job, 57 hours in the classroom
Marketing support: National media, regional advertising, social media, website development, email marketing
Related: The 10 Best Franchises to Open in 2018
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is a household name, and its international brand helped the convenience store business earn the second position on the Franchise 500.
The company offers 10 to 20 percent off its franchise fee and special financing for veterans. Depending on the specifics of each franchise, this could add up to incredible savings. (The 7-Eleven franchise fee ranges from $10,000 and $1 million.
CEO: Joseph DePinto
Business headquarters: Dallas
Franchising since: 1964
Initial investment: $37,550 to $1,149,900
Initial franchise fee: $10,000 to $1,000,000
New units in 2016: 3,336 units (5.4 percent)
Training: 240 hours on the job, 24 hours in the classroom
Marketing support: Co-op advertising, ad templates, national media, regional advertising, social media, SEO, website development, email marketing, loyalty program and app
Related: The 5 Best Pizza Franchises You Can Start Today
Precision Tune Auto Care
Precision Tune Auto Care is a car maintenance franchise, and it's ranked 292nd on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500.
For veterans, Precision Tune Auto Care offers $15,000 off its franchise fee, knocking it down from $25,000 to $10,000 and lowering the overall investment to somewhere between $112,000 and $237,600. It also offers a reduced royalty fee for the first year. (Normally, it's 7 percent for the ongoing royalty fee and 1.5 percent for the ad royalty fee.)
CEO: Robert Falconi
Business headquarters: Leesburg, Va.
Franchising since: 1978
Initial investment: $127,000 to $253,600
Initial franchise fee: $25,000
New units in 2016: 2 units (0.6 percent)
Training: 4 hours on the job, 46.5 hours in the classroom
Marketing support: Co-op advertising, ad templates, national media, social media, SEO, website development, email marketing, loyalty program and app
Related: The 13 Fastest Growing Franchise Opportunities From Our Franchise 500 List
Cruise Planners
Like Dream Vacations, Cruise Planners is a home-based travel agency business and is ranked 60th on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500.
Because of its structure, Cruise Planners is incredibly affordable. In fact, it has the cheapest minimum cost of any business on the Franchise 500. However, Cruise Planners offers further incentives for veterans, which include:
- 25 percent off franchise fee
- Free training for co-owner/associate
- $250 marketing credit
- $60 design credit
- 3 months free technology access
- Free software license
- One year free errors and omissions insurance
CEO: Michelle Fee
Business headquarters: Coral Springs, Fla.
Franchising since: 1999
Initial investment: $2,095 to $22,867
Initial franchise fee: $495 to $10,495
New units in 2016: 132 units (5.4 percent)
Training: Ongoing training on the job, 58.5 hours in the classroom
Marketing support: Co-op advertising, ad templates, national media, social media, SEO, website development, email marketing, loyalty program and app
Related: The 5 Best Pizza Franchises You Can Start Today
Marco's Pizza
Marco's Pizza isn't just one of the best franchises for veterans, it's one of the best franchises -- period. It's ranked 25th overall on the Franchise 500, and second among pizza franchises.
Marco's offers $10,000 off its franchise fee for all veterans, but it waives the fee entirely for veterans with service-related disabilities.
CEO: John Butorac Jr.
Business headquarters: Toledo, Ohio
Franchising since: 1979
Initial investment: $222,830 to $663,830
Initial franchise fee: $25,000
New units in 2016: 109 units (14.9 percent)
Training: 266 hours on the job, 60.4 hours in the classroom
Marketing support: Co-op advertising, ad templates, regional advertising, social media, SEO, website development, email marketing, loyalty program and app
Related: The 5 Best Pizza Franchises You Can Start Today
Budget Blinds
Budget Blinds sells window coverings, providing customers in-home consultations, window measurements and installations. It's ranked 23rd on the Franchise 500.
Budget Blinds offers $15,000 off franchise and territory fees -- a little more than 75 percent of the business's $19,950 usual franchise fee.
CEO: Shirin Behzadi
Business headquarters: Orange, Calif.
Franchising since: 1994
Initial investment: $110,140 to $230,870
Initial franchise fee: $19,950
New units in 2016: 58 units (5.5 percent)
Training: 80 hours in the classroom
Marketing support: Co-op advertising, ad templates, national media, regional advertising, social media, SEO, website development, email marketing, loyalty program and app
