Famous Franchises
Picking four or five famous franchises is a lot like picking a Top 10 list. There are bound to be differences based on locale, opinion and perceived prominence. The top famous franchises generally are nationwide, decades old and major advertisers. It's not surprising the biggest and most famous franchises are based on cars and food, two central themes in American life.
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Avis
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The long-time "We try harder" Avis Rent-A-Car offers independent operators the opportunity to own their own car rental business. The difference with Avis' independent operator compared to a conventional franchise is the lack of an upfront cost to the applicant. With Avis, up-front expenses can be as little as $8,000. Compare that to the franchise cost of a McDonald's of at least $500,000 and Taco Bell's expensive $1,200,000 franchise minimum. Avis independent operators earn a percentage of every dollar of time-and-mileage rental revenue. They also can earn income an add-on rental charges like child seats and insurance coverages.
Denny's
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Denny's began in Lakewood, California, in 1953. In 2011, Denny's is one of America's largest full-service restaurant chains. Denny's offers sit-down dining at reasonable prices from a wide-range budget-priced menu, and has franchises in selected markets throughout the U.S. Qualifications start with an initial investment of $40,000. The royalty payable to Denny's on an on-going basis is 4 percent of its weekly gross sales.
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McDonalds
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The king of franchises is expensive to get into, and delivers the most income on average of any fast food franchise. McDonald's is the leading global food-service retailer in the world, with more than 30,000 restaurants located in more than 100 countries. McDonald's seeks franchisees who have been successful in business in other fields, requires significant financial resources, and the owner/operator must actively work in the location..A minimum investment of $300,000 in non-borrowed, personal resources is required to be considered for a franchise. McDonald's training is also required prior to becoming an owner/operator.
7-Eleven
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7-Eleven stores focus on meeting the needs of convenience-seeking customers by providing a broad selection of fresh, high-quality products. 7-Eleven is a mini supermarket in its variety of goods. The franchise fee is $70,000 and, like McDonald's, 7-Eleven offers no financing assistance; all financing must be secured by third-party sources of the franchisee.
Taco Bell
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Taco Bell began in 1962, and aggressively markets a range of low-cost Mexican foods. More recently, as part of Yum! Brands, many Taco Bells are partnered with Pizza Hut under the same roof. In 2005, more than 80 percent of Taco Bell restaurants were owned and operated by independent franchisees. Taco Bell and Yum! want a commitment to building at least three Taco Bell locations over three years. Taco Bell's franchise fees are high; costing between $1,200,000 and $1,700,000, and those amounts do not include the land or lease costs.
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References
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