---
title: Restaurant Brokers Weigh in on Top 40 Restaurant Franchises based on Satisfaction with Brand
description: The restaurant brokers dig into a recent survey on restaurant franchise satisfaction. Who made the list? Is it an accurate portrayal? Is culture good enough?
image: https://blog.wesellrestaurants.com/hs-fs/hub/147530/file-53879744.jpg
---
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# BUYING A RESTAURANT
[Read More](https://blog.wesellrestaurants.com/updated-guide-to-buying-a-restaurant)
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# SELLING A RESTAURANT
[Read More](https://blog.wesellrestaurants.com/download-our-essential-guide-to-selling-your-restaurant)
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# LEASING A RESTAURANT
[Read More](https://blog.wesellrestaurants.com/restaurant-broker-guide-to-leasing-a-restaurant-0)
# Restaurant Brokers Weigh in on Top 40 Restaurant Franchises based on Satisfaction with Brand
Posted by [Robin Gagnon](https://blog.wesellrestaurants.com/author/robin-gagnon) on Sep 21, 2017 12:18:22 PM
Chain Restaurants just published a recent survey of more than 4,300 franchisess across 100 brands. Theiy were searching for franchisee satisfaction. Then they ranked the best and published their Top 40 Restaurant Franchises list.
What do the restaurant brokers think? Well , I for one, would have appreciated a ranking from first to last rather than just an alphabetized list. I would also like more clarity on what the survey asked. The article cites part of the reason for landing on the top 40 list was the ability of these brands to deliver an, "intense focus on company culture."Is culture enough however? For these restaurant brokers, looking at a list of concepts ranging from emerging brand Dicks Wings & Grill with only 23 units to Zaxby's with 946 units is a very wide range. Is the culture great because the brand is so small that there's immense individualized attention? Conversely, is the culture great because a large brand has the money and payroll to keep a team in place to make everyone "feel good" even if they are not making money.
What about the store development costs and return on investment? This list showns startup investment costs for these restaurant franchises ranging from a low of $45,000 for Happy and Healthy Concepts to a whoppping $3 million for Buffalo Wings & Rings, Both are "Happy franchisees" and I want to know more about the difference between what makes each investor and franchisee of these brands make the list.
What do you think? The survey respondents totaled more than 4,300 franchisees from almost 100 foodservice brands. Franchise Business review analyzed 18 months of data before naming their Top 40 Food and Beverage Franchises for franchisee satisfaction.
Looking at this data another way, if "almost 100" foodservice brands were included and the ultimate list was 40 brands, was this a self-serving survey since the brand had almost a 50% chance of landing in the top? Without ranking, we don't know if one of the restaurant franchieses listed below was number 40 out of 100 which is not that super great. On the other hand, they did throw in everything from soup to nuts (or Zoup! to Biggby Coffee) so that's a positive.
The list is below and it was published in an article by Chain Restaurants written by Peggy Carouthers. Let the restaurant brokers know what you think about the list.
These are the year's Top 40 franchisees in alphabetical order:
- Startup Investment: $223,346 – $720,825
- Cash Requirement: $90,000
- Total Units: 89
- Startup Investment: $220,000
- Cash Requirement: $70,000
- Total Units: 254
- Startup Investment: $169,000 – $433,000
- Cash Requirement: $60,000
- Total Units: 59
- Startup Investment: $1,224,000 – $3,085,000
- Cash Requirement: $300,000
- Total Units: 57
- Startup Investment: $771,000 – $1,003,000
- Cash Requirement: $350,000
- Total Units: 522
- Startup Investment: $96,414 – $1,501,265
- Cash Requirement: $250,000
- Total Units: 855
- Startup Investment: $237,500 – $772,500
- Cash Requirement: $100,000
- Total Units: 23
- Startup Investment: $449,000 – $667,000
- Cash Requirement: $449,000 – $667,000
- Total Units: 152
- Startup Investment: $658,875 – $1,133,502
- Cash Requirement: $250,000
- Total Units: 35
- Startup Investment: $883,000 – $1,399,000
- Cash Requirement: $250,000
- Total Units: 334
- Startup Investment: $335,000 – $1,035,000
- Cash Requirement: $250,000
- Total Units: 112
- Startup Investment: $2,120,644 – $6,170,713
- Cash Requirement: $500,000
- Total Units: 482
- Startup Investment: $450,000 – $2,200,000
- Cash Requirement: $350,000
- Total Units: 27
- Startup Investment: $45,000 – $90,000
- Cash Requirement: $45,000 – $90,000
- Total Units: 65
- Startup Investment: $251,375 – $495,850
- Cash Requirement: $100,000
- Total Units: 548
- Startup Investment: $191,255 – $385,155
- Cash Requirement: $125,000
- Total Units: 137
- Startup Investment: $201,000 – $619,300
- Cash Requirement: $350,000
- Total Units: 953
- Startup Investment: $905,891
- Cash Requirement: $905,891
- Total Units: 261
- Startup Investment: $120,225 – $143,025
- Cash Requirement: $20,000
- Total Units: 941
- Startup Investment: $800,000 – $1,000,000
- Cash Requirement: $500,000
- Total Units: 66
- Startup Investment: $188,216 – $396,146
- Cash Requirement: $75,000
- Total Units: 96
- Startup Investment: $221,592 – $546,592
- Cash Requirement: $221,592 – $546,592
- Total Units: 682
- Startup Investment: $412,750 – $620,000
- Cash Requirement: $250,000
- Total Units: 98
- Startup Investment: $392,875 – $545,475
- Cash Requirement: $150,000
- Total Units: 168
- Startup Investment: $293,102 – $593,027
- Cash Requirement: $300,000
- Total Units: 310
- Startup Investment: $156,000 – $643,500
- Cash Requirement: $90,000
- Total Units: 109
- Startup Investment: $182,500 – $402,000
- Cash Requirement: $100,000
- Total Units: 58
- Startup Investment: $334,000 – $514,000
- Cash Requirement: $100,000
- Total Units: 167
- Startup Investment: $225,650 – $426,185
- Cash Requirement: $100,000
- Total Units: 907
- Startup Investment: $154,158 – $542,408
- Cash Requirement: $154,158 – $542,408
- Total Units: 206
- Startup Investment: $299,200 – $468,200
- Cash Requirement: $100,000
- Total Units: 405
- Startup Investment: $300,000 – $3,000,000
- Cash Requirement: $2,000,000
- Total Units: 6,564
- Startup Investment: $291,666 – $527,152
- Cash Requirement: $150,000
- Total Units: 99
- Startup Investment: $198,050 – $478,550
- Cash Requirement: $125,000
- Total Units: 541
- Startup Investment: $736,000 – $1,850,500
- Cash Requirement: $750,000
- Total Units: 196
- Startup Investment: $300,000 – $780,000
- Cash Requirement: $300,000 – $780,000
- Total Units: 40
- Startup Investment: $346,775 – $733,249
- Required net worth $1,200,000; $600,000 liquid
- Total Units: 1,056—21 are corporate-owned stores, and the rest are franchise
- Startup Investment: $352,000 – $664,300
- Cash Requirement: $300,000
- Total Units: 946
- Startup Investment: $321,400 – $609,400
- Cash Requirement: $321,400 – $609,400
- Total Units: 87
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