International Franchises

Ray Kroc, a milkshake mixer salesman, ventured to California in 1954 to visit McDonald's hamburger stand, where he heard they were running eight mixers at once. Kroc was impressed by how rapidly customers were served and, seeing an opportunity to sell many more milkshake machines, encouraged brothers Dick and Mac McDonald to open a chain of their restaurants. Kroc became their business partner and opened the first McDonald's in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955. McDonald's and the Golden Arches have since become an internationally-recognized symbol of quick-service hamburgers, fries, chicken, breakfast items, salads and milkshakes.

In 1965, 17-year-old Fred DeLuca and family friend Peter Buck opened Pete's Super Submarines in Bridgeport, Connecticut. With a loan from Buck for only $1,000, DeLuca hoped the tiny sandwich shop would earn enough to put him through college. After struggling through the first few years, the founders changed the company's name to Subway and began franchising in 1974. Subway has franchises throughout the United States and in 98 countries, with locations in traditional and nontraditional sites alike.

Café Barbera - The Italian Coffee House - is an unique franchise, meeting consumer demands for a fresher, tastier, healthier menu and premium-grade coffees. Featuring Caffè Barbera coffee, our Café Barbera franchises are the expression of over 145 years of coffee perfection and passion from six generations of the Barbera family.

We are a franchise company whose main focus is individualized one-on-one fitness, group sessions, and corporate fitness. When GYMGUYZ started in 2008 with only one van, we trained people only in the local area. Now, we have a fleet of vans and are servicing the tri-state area.

Drama Kids Int'l. has been the exclusive U.S. provider of the Helen O'Grady Children's Drama Program since 2000. Helen O'Grady is an international franchise organization which began offering programs in 1979 in Perth, Australia, and later began offering franchises in 1989. Drama Kids franchisees offer children ages 5 to 17 drama classes at schools, community centers and churches. The program runs on a 40-week school year basis, and consists of single, hour-long classes each week. Each year ends with a performance for family and friends. Classes focus on the following developmental areas: public speaking and articulation skills, leadership abilities, creativity, collaboration skills, social skills, and self-confidence and self-esteem. Drama Kids franchise owners also offer a variety of summer camps.

As a teenager in the 1930s, Irv Robbins managed an ice cream shop in Tacoma, Washington. Bored with serving traditional flavors like chocolate and vanilla, Robbins began experimenting by mixing fruit and candy into the ice cream. After serving in World War II, Robbins bought an ice cream parlor in Glendale, California. Three years later, he convinced his brother-in-law, Burt Baskin, to join the business. The two men flipped a coin to see whose name would go first on the sign. Baskin won, and in 1945, Baskin-Robbins was born.

Ask anyone who has grown up in a community with a Round Table Pizza, and they’ll regale you with stories of birthday parties, family pizza night, and hanging out after the big game. Since the brand’s inception in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1959, Round Table has been committed to being “The Last Honest Pizza,” not only by providing a superior product but by dedicating ourselves to providing great service as both a restaurant and a neighbor in every community we’re located in.

The first Hooters Restaurant opened in Clearwater, Florida, in 1983. The company, known for its Hooters Girls waitresses, began franchising in 1986. The beach-theme restaurants feature sports displayed on flat-screen TVs and a menu offering seafood, sandwiches, burgers, salads, chicken wings and alcohol.

Our gelato on a stick is a fun concept and is all natural, easy to eat, and customizable to your own individual choice. A kid-friendly treat which is easily replicable, yet freshly made daily on site to provide an eventful, personalized and memorable experience. Popbar offers a timeless product that caters to all demographics. Owning your own Popbar location will give you the opportunity to grow into a successful and continuously expanding brand in your own market.

The first Cheeburger Cheeburger, named for a Saturday Night Live sketch, opened on Sanibel Island in Florida, in 1986. The company began franchising its 50's-style diners five years later. The menu offers customizable hamburgers, french fries, salads and milk shakes.

Jim Carpenter opened the first Wild Birds Unlimited store in Indianapolis in 1981. In 1983 he began franchising, and the company is now based in Carmel, Indiana. Each store sells bird-feeding and bird-watching supplies, including birdhouses, feeders, food and binoculars.

Bodybuilders training outside on Muscle Beach were the first customers for the original Gold's Gym when it opened in Venice, California, in 1965. Arnold Schwarznegger's movie "Pumping Iron" focused on Gold's Gym, propelling it into the spotlight in 1975. Gold's Gym has been franchising since 1980. In addition to running the health club facilities, franchisees sell Gold's Gym licensed apparel through their Pro Shops.

For 40 years, World Gym has been at the epicenter of the modern fitness scene-the place where Muscle Beach meets Hollywood, and where serious fitness meets celebrity. We LOVE working out, and we’re constantly developing ways to make the gym experience more rewarding.

Tailored Living® is a member of a family of brands under the umbrella of Home Franchise Concepts® (HFC), parent company and franchisor of home improvement service companies that include Budget Blinds® and Concrete Craft®. As a franchising expert, HFC is dedicated to helping people go into business for themselves and to help them grow their home-based franchise business to be as successful as possible.

Based in Atlanta, Floor Coverings International is a mobile floor-covering franchise that lets customers shop at home for hardwood, laminate and tile flooring, carpet and area rugs, and window coverings. The company's mobile van showrooms hold more than 3,000 styles and colors of name-brand products for residential and commercial use.

Joseph Lunsford wasn't looking to start a business when he moved into a new home and realized that several pieces of his furniture had been damaged in transit, but start one he did. He founded Furniture Medic in 1992 in response to his dissatisfaction with the long turnaround time that was common with most refurnishing shops. In 1996 Furniture Medic was acquired by ServiceMaster. ServiceMaster's franchise family also includes franchisors Merry Maids, Terminix and AmeriSpec.

Our philosophy is focused on following a system to ensure highly satisfied customers at every stage of their bathroom renovation project. From customized marketing materials to a Sales Support team dedicated to scheduling new appointments, Five Star Bath Solutions provides the tools and support needed to help franchisees grow their business.

ShelfGenie franchisees design and install the company's Glide-Out shelves in kitchen cabinets, pantries, bathrooms and garages to improve organization and availability for homeowners. The company was founded in 2000 in Richmond, Virginia, and has been offering franchises since 2008.

When AmeriSpec was launched in Anaheim, California, its aim was to offer inspection services to homebuyers. The company soon began franchising, offering interior, exterior and structural inspections of homes to potential buyers across the country. In 1996, AmeriSpec became part of ServiceMaster, allowing for co-branding with companies like Terminix, Merry Maids and Furniture Medic. These relationships allow AmeriSpec to offer its customers discounts on services from its partner companies. In addition to the home inspections the company has offered from the beginning, AmeriSpec also performs environmental inspections, checking homes and property for the presence of water contaminants, mold, carbon monoxide, lead and radon.

Camille Albane is the largest salon and beauty franchise in Europe and with over 300 locations, is now expanding into the US. Owned by upscale Paris salon chain Dessange International, which also owns Fantastic Sams, Camille Albane is making authentic French beauty and hair services available for the first time in the US. Customers are craving the unique and popular looks and service Camille Albane provides, making it worth researching for anyone looking at the hair and beauty industry.

MY SALON Suite® was founded by salon owners, Al and Alan, who saw the salon industry evolving – evoking a movement where beauty professionals could join together and build a community where everyone has the freedom to be their own boss and own their own salon.

Dallen W. Peterson founded Merry Maids in 1979 in Omaha, Nebraska. The company cleans more than 300,000 homes, apartments and condominiums each month in North America. It has franchises in Denmark, Hong Kong, Japan and the United Kingdom. In 1988 Merry Maids joined the ServiceMaster Quality Service Network, which includes franchise companies AmeriSpec, Terminix and Furniture Medic. Merry Maids is based in Memphis, Tennessee.

The first Padgett Business Services office opened in the 1960's to help small business owners with their taxes. In 1975, the company began expanding through franchising, and its services have expanded as well. In addition to tax advice and preparation, Padgett franchisees offer business advice, management financial reporting, credit card processing, payroll solutions and other business services.

Style Encore is the newest brand in the Winmark family joining award winning brands - Plato’s Closet, Once Upon A Child, Play It Again Sports and Music Go Round in the growing resale retail industry.