From Powerhouses Like Jersey Mike's and Taco Bell to Icons Like Pizza Hut, These are the Top Fast-Food Franchises in 2025

As we measurement into 2025, the quick service nutrient manufacture is much competitory than ever, pinch brands leveraging value, sustainability initiatives and paper invention to enactment ahead. This year's apical franchises person not only withstood economical shifts but person thrived, expanding their footprints and redefining convenience.

In this exclusive list, we dive into the 10 astir successful quick-service nutrient franchises of 2025, based connected Entrepreneur's 2025 Franchise 500 ranking. From family names to rising stars, these powerfulness players person cemented their position arsenic manufacture leaders and are shaping the early of fast food.

Related: Considering franchise ownership? Get started now to find your personalized database of franchises that lucifer your lifestyle, interests and budget.

1. Taco Bell

• Founded: 1962
• Franchising since: 1964
• Overall Rank: 1
• Number of units: 8,565
• Change successful units: +13.2% complete 3 years
• Initial investment: $610,750 - $3,980,200
• Leadership: Sean Tresvant, CEO
• Parent company: Yum! Brands Inc.

Taco Bell continues to reign arsenic the world's largest purveyor of Mexican cuisine — and the apical franchise connected Entrepreneur's 2025 Franchise 500 — offering a lucrative opportunity for aspiring franchisees. With complete 8,500 locations crossed much than 30 countries, the marque has not only maintained its power successful the fast-food manufacture but has besides embraced invention to enactment ahead.

Taco Bell made waves successful 2024 pinch its early status community, The Cantinas — which sold out successful little than 3 minutes — and the Decades Menu, which featured nostalgic fan-favorite items from the 1960s to the early 2000s. The marque besides doubled down connected drive-thru integer ordering, AI-powered kitchen efficiency and sustainable packaging initiatives, reinforcing its committedness to modernizing accelerated food.

Related: Taco Bell Is More Than 60 Years Old — Here's the Brand's Secret to Staying Relevant, According to Its CEO

2. Jersey Mike's Subs

• Founded: 1956
• Franchising since: 1987
• Overall rank: 2
• Number of units: 2,861
• Change successful units: +45% complete 3 years
• Initial investment: $203,583 - $1,317,005
• Leadership: Peter Cancro, Founder and CEO
• Parent company: Jersey Mike's Franchise Systems Inc.

Jersey Mike's Subs has solidified its spot arsenic 1 of the fastest-growing and astir successful QSR franchises. Known for its fresh, high-quality ingredients and signature "Mike's Way" sandwiches, Jersey Mike's continues to predominate the sub shop segment.

Private equity patient Blackstone acquired Jersey Mike's for $8 cardinal successful precocious 2024, signaling beardown investor assurance successful the brand's early growth. This acquisition provides Jersey Mike's pinch moreover greater resources to grow its footprint, heighten integer ordering capabilities and innovate its menu.

Related: Jersey Mike's Embraced Change — Then Sold for $8 Billion

3. Dunkin'

• Founded: 1950
• Franchising since: 1955
• Overall rank: 3
• Number of units: 13,790
• Change successful units: +7.7% complete 3 years
• Initial investment: $435,500 - $1,832,500
• Leadership: Paul Brown, Inspire Brands CEO & Co-Founder
• Parent company: Inspire Brands

With astir 14,000 locations worldwide, Dunkin' continues to predominate the coffee space, offering franchisees a elastic business exemplary and a devoted customer base. Its community-driven attack and popular civilization relevance person kept it successful the spotlight, particularly pinch high-profile personage collaborations.

In 2024, Dunkin' made headlines erstwhile Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Tom Brady joined forces arsenic The DunKings successful a viral Super Bowl run that drove grounds engagement. Limited-edition merch tied to the run sold retired quickly, proving Dunkin's expertise to blend nostalgia pinch modern marketing.

Related: Dunkin' Kicks Off 2025 With a Sabrina Carpenter Partnership and New Winter Menu

4. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen

• Founded: 1972
• Franchising since: 1976
• Overall rank: 4
• Number of units: 4,796
• Change successful units: +34.2% complete 3 years
• Initial investment: $471,000 - $3,875,700
• Leadership: Jeff Klein, President
• Parent company: Restaurant Brands Int'l.

Popeyes made awesome moves to grow its footprint successful 2024, entering high-traffic locations for illustration airports and assemblage campuses. This strategical push allows the marque to pat into a captive assemblage craving value comfortableness nutrient connected the go. Beyond the U.S., Popeyes is accelerating its global presence, expanding into caller countries pinch a attraction connected world maturation strategies that support its signature Southern charm.

With its increasing world appeal, beardown franchise support and a proven way grounds of profitability, Popeyes remains 1 of the astir charismatic QSR investments successful 2025.

Related: Why Is Popeyes Taking Over Airports and College Campuses? The Chicken Chain's VP Explains Its Strategy.

5. Culver's

• Founded: 1984
• Franchising since: 1988
• Overall rank: 7
• Number of units: 978
• Change successful units: +21% complete 3 years
• Initial investment: $2,811,500 - $6,867,000
• Leadership: Rick Silva, CEO
• Parent company: Culver Franchising System LLC

Culver's mightiness not person the sheer shop count of immoderate fast-food giants, but what it lacks successful numbers, it much than makes up for successful loyalty and an ever-growing cult following. Known for its ButterBurgers, caller stiff custard and Midwestern hospitality, the marque has built a estimation for delivering higher-quality accelerated nutrient that keeps customers coming back.

Despite its location roots, Culver's has been expanding astatine an awesome pace, pinch 2024 marking different twelvemonth of important growth. The marque has continued to punch above its weight successful the competitory fast-food industry, thriving successful a scenery wherever galore chains are cutting costs and streamlining menus.

Related: The Culver Family Opened Their First Restaurant successful 1984 — Now Culver's Has 1,000 Locations. What's Its Secret?

6. Wendy's

• Founded: 1969
• Franchising since: 1971
• Overall rank: 8
• Number of units: 7,282
• Change successful units: +5.8% complete 3 years
• Initial investment: $310,095 - $2,828,707
• Leadership: Kirk Tanner, President & CEO
• Parent company: Wendy's Int'l. Inc.

Last twelvemonth marked awesome shifts for Wendy's, starting pinch the assignment of new CEO Kirk Tanner, a longtime PepsiCo executive, who has group the shape for eager growth. Under his leadership, Wendy's has doubled down connected description , leveraging a operation of accepted locations and its innovative Next Gen restaurant designs. These new, tech-driven stores attraction connected streamlined operations, AI-enhanced drive-thrus, integer ordering and transportation efficiency, allowing franchisees to trim costs while maximizing revenue.

With beardown leadership, cutting-edge shop concepts and an fierce maturation strategy, Wendy's is positioning itself arsenic a top-tier franchise finance for 2025.

Related: Wendy's Has a New Restaurant Design That Lets Them Take 400 Times More Digital Orders

7. Wingstop

• Founded: 1994
• Franchising since: 1998
• Overall rank: 11
• Number of units: 2,352
• Change successful units: +44.8% complete 3 years
• Initial investment: $259,400 - $912,100
• Leadership: Michael Skipworth, President & CEO
• Parent company: Wingstop Restaurants Inc.

Operationally, Wingstop's digital-first attack is simply a game-changer, allowing restaurants to grip a precocious measurement of orders without requiring a monolithic staff. This thin exemplary intends less employees, little overhead and a much businesslike wide operation. The marque besides offers territory protections, helping franchisees build a beardown beingness without oversaturation.

For those looking to get successful connected the action, Wingstop provides 2 franchising paths successful the U.S. Entrepreneurs tin opt for a single-unit operation, which requires hands-on engagement and residency successful the chosen market, aliases research multi-unit opportunities for broader description .

Related: ChatGPT Can Now Complete a Major Task That Would Take a Human Up to 30 Days. Here's How it Works.

8. Arby's

• Founded: 1964
• Franchising since: 1965
• Overall rank: 12
• Number of units: 3,613
• Change successful units: +2.1% complete 3 years
• Initial investment: $644,950 - $2,451,000
• Leadership: David Graves, Brand President
• Parent company: Inspire Brands

Arby's isn't conscionable astir roast beef anymore — it's a fast-food powerhouse that's redefining what a sandwich concatenation tin be. Although the marque built its bequest connected slow-roasted, freshly sliced meats, it has evolved into a apical contender successful the accelerated nutrient manufacture acknowledgment to bold paper innovations and a dedicated fanbase.

Beyond the food, Arby's knows really to prosecute its assemblage successful nosy and unexpected ways. In 2024, the marque made headlines by launching a giveaway of branded play clubs. And successful 2021, location were Arby's french fry-flavored vodkas, which came successful 2 varieties — curly fries aliases crinkle fries — and quickly sold out astatine $60 per bottle.

With beardown firm backing, a divers paper that keeps customers coming backmost and a estimation for quality, Arby's offers franchisees a compelling opportunity successful 2025. Arby's continues to beryllium that it has the meats — and the momentum — to predominate the industry.

Related: From Roast Beef Titans to Innovative Trendsetters — 10 Surprising Facts About Arby's

9. Papa Johns

• Founded: 1985
• Franchising since: 1986
• Overall rank: 13
• Number of units: 6,071
• Change successful units: +12.4% complete 3 years
• Initial investment: $272,915 - $989,415
• Leadership: Todd Penegor, CEO
• Parent company: Papa Johns Franchising LLC

One of Papa Johns' biggest strengths is leveraging personage and influencer partnerships to supercharge its marque — the Shaquille O'Neal pizza helped Papa Johns raise much than $3 cardinal for charity. By collaborating pinch high-profile figures, the institution has been capable to pat into caller audiences, make buzz and reenforce its estimation arsenic a go-to pizza destination. This strategy has helped franchisees use from built-in marque loyalty and wide sanction recognition, making customer acquisition easier than ever.

Related: How Shaq Is Bringing Fun Back to Papa Johns

10. Pizza Hut

• Founded: 1958
• Franchising since: 1959
• Overall rank: 14
• Number of units: 18,598
• Change successful units: +12.1% complete 3 years
• Initial investment: $412,000 - $2,053,500
• Leadership: Diane Simrall, Director of Franchise Finance
• Parent company: Yum! Brands Inc.

Few brands successful the pizza industry bid the aforesaid level of world nickname and customer loyalty arsenic Pizza Hut. With much than 18,000 locations worldwide, Pizza Hut continues to evolve, blending time-tested recipes pinch modern convenience to enactment up successful a competitory market.

Pizza Hut made headlines successful 2024 pinch its bold trading initiatives and tech-driven innovations. The marque launched self-service Personal Pan Pizza Hut kiosks, offering customers a quick, on-the-go experience. It besides grabbed attraction pinch its job-seeker campaign, delivering resumes connected free pizza boxes to thief crafty applicants onshore interviews.

Related: Tired of Your Resume Being Ignored? Pizza Hut Will Deliver it — With aPizza.