Fastest Growing Franchises 2026

Top 10 Fastest Growing Franchises (2022–2024)

1. 1

   Row House +94%

   The boutique rowing franchise added roughly 26 locations to reach 54 — a 94% growth rate that leads this dataset, though the small starting base deserves context. At 54 units, Row House hasn't yet proven the model works across diverse markets the way Club Pilates (1,029 units) has. Investment runs $276K–$499K, and Item 19 is disclosed, which is a green flag for a young brand — most franchisors at this stage don't share revenue data. Worth watching, but not yet the safest bet in the fitness category.

2. 2

   Buffalo Wild Wings GO +44%

   The smaller-footprint spinoff of Buffalo Wild Wings added ~43 locations to reach 140, +43.6% growth. GO units are designed for non-traditional venues — ghost kitchens, food halls, smaller inline spaces — at $564K–$1.05M vs. a full BWW's $3M+ build. Item 19 discloses average revenue of $938K, which at the low end of investment creates a viable ROI story. The growth is driven by the format solving a real problem: QSR-oriented buyers who want wings without the sports-bar footprint commitment.

3. 3

   Scenthound +38%

   The membership-based dog grooming brand added ~34 locations to reach 122, growing 37.7%. The model is structurally different from traditional pet groomers: recurring monthly memberships replace variable walk-in revenue, which makes unit economics more predictable for a franchisee. Item 19 reports $452K average revenue on an investment of $328K–$549K — a 1.0× revenue-to-investment ratio at the midpoint, which is workable in a service category with low COGS. Health score 89/100. The pet spending tailwind that lifted the entire category is accelerating this brand specifically.

4. 4

   British Swim School +25%

   The children's aquatics franchise added 52 locations to reach 258, +25.2% growth — notable because the investment is $122K–$168K, the lowest of any brand in the top 10. British Swim School leases pool time from existing hotels, gyms, and community centers rather than building pool infrastructure, which explains the low capital requirement. Item 19 discloses $580K average revenue, producing a 3.5×–4.7× revenue-to-investment ratio that is among the strongest in this entire dataset. The only caveat: pool availability and scheduling contracts with host facilities introduce operational risk that owned-location operators don't face.

5. 5

   KidStrong +24%

   The children's development and fitness brand added ~25 locations to reach 131, +23.7% growth. Investment is $448K–$600K — meaningfully higher than British Swim School for a similar children's activity category. KidStrong does not disclose Item 19 revenue data, which is a significant information gap for buyers evaluating the investment at this price point. The growth rate is real, but 131 units across ~3 years means the system is still building its proof base. Health score 79/100 reflects this unresolved uncertainty.

6. 6

   Nothing Bundt Cakes +18%

   At 660 units and $1.48M average revenue (Item 19), Nothing Bundt Cakes is the most financially transparent fast-growing brand in this cohort. The investment is $667K–$906K — heavy for a bakery — but the revenue-to-investment ratio at the midpoint (about 1.9×) beats most QSR brands. Growth has been driven by the gift and occasion bakery category holding up through multiple recession scares: bundt cakes for birthdays, holidays, and corporate events don't face the same discretionary spend cuts as mid-price restaurants. The system size (660 units) provides enough location diversity to validate that the economics aren't just working in favorable markets.

7. 7

   Club Pilates +17%

   With 1,029 units and the highest health score in this top 10 (94/100), Club Pilates is the most proven growth story in boutique fitness. The 17.5% growth rate on a 1,000+ unit system represents ~153 net new locations — more absolute additions than any other brand here except Take 5. Item 19 discloses $984K average revenue. Investment runs $385K–$839K, and the mid-investment tier of this range produced documented returns in the Item 19 disclosures. The headwind: boutique fitness broadly is contracting (see CycleBar, 9Round), which makes Club Pilates' ability to keep growing at scale particularly notable — it's winning category share, not just riding a tailwind.

8. 8

   Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming +17%

   A specialty pet retail and grooming concept at 236 units, +16.5% growth. Investment is $184K–$506K, and Item 19 discloses $640K average revenue — producing a 1.3×–3.5× revenue-to-investment ratio that varies significantly across locations. Growth is driven by the combination of retail pet food (recurring purchase) and grooming services (recurring appointments) in a single location, which creates a customer retention loop that pure groomers and pure retailers don't have. Health score 84/100.

9. 9

   Take 5 Oil Change +15%

   At $912K–$2.05M investment and $1.38M average revenue (Item 19), Take 5 is the highest-capital entry in this top 10. The growth story is specifically about format: stay-in-your-car service with transparent pricing and a 10-minute target time is systematically taking customers from dealer service departments and full-service lube shops. 1,142 units means the model has been validated at significant geographic scale. The investment hurdle is real — this requires meaningful capital — but the automotive service category averages +3.2% net growth across all tracked brands, and Take 5 is well above category average at +15%. Health score 89/100.

10. 10

    Scooter's Coffee +13%

    The drive-through coffee chain added ~99 locations to reach 849, +13.2% growth. Investment is $954K–$1.52M — an unusual cost structure for coffee because the model requires purpose-built drive-through kiosks, not converted retail space. Item 19 discloses $914K average revenue, which at the top of the investment range produces a break-even scenario that requires disciplined cost management. Where Scooter's is winning: the drive-through coffee format is growing faster than sit-down coffee or coffee-with-seating concepts, and Scooter's has the midwest and rural market to itself while Starbucks and Dutch Bros concentrate on metros. Health score 94/100.

11. 11

    Crunch Fitness +13%

    Crunch added ~49 locations to reach 423, +13% growth — notable in a fitness category where 9Round, CycleBar, and Merry Maids are all contracting. The distinction: Crunch operates value-priced, no-frills, 24-hour gyms in the $928K–$3.74M investment range, competing on access and price rather than boutique experience. Item 19 discloses $2.5M average revenue — the highest in this top 11 — driven by high membership volume at low per-member price points. The wide investment range ($928K–$3.74M) reflects significant variation in location size and market; the upper range is a full large-format gym, which requires significant operator experience to open and manage profitably.