1851

In the U.S., we idolize big brands. For many prospective business owners, their aspirations to be great start with multi-unit, fast-growing legacy brands like McDonald&#8217;s, Dairy Queen and Subway to show us the right pathway to success. They&#8217;ve all exhibited rapid growth for decades, and they&#8217;re all franchises. A lot of the world&#8217;s biggest chains look the same, act the same and serve the same stuff, and for that reason, it&#8217;s pretty easy to assume that they&#8217;re also franchises. But did you know that not all big chains are synonymous with franchising? Before diving into your next venture, check out our list of the top chains that aren&#8217;t franchise brands. Starbucks With a mission &#8220;to inspire and nurture the human spirit&#8212;one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time,&#8221; Starbucks has been able to become a global powerhouse brand. Unfortunately, for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to get a taste of business ownership with Starbucks, it might be a little harder than you initially thought to bring that vision to your neighborhood. Touting more than 22,000 locations worldwide, Starbucks chose to go public in 1992&#8212;a move that had them building the brand by holding onto their own locations rather than franchising. But the brand does have special licensing agreements with various entities around the world (airport locations, national grocery chains, major food services corporations, college and university campuses, and hospitals) that they also use to grow. Other franchise brands in the coffee space: <a href="http://www.dunkinfranchising.com/franchisee/en.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dunkin&#8217; Donuts</a>, <a href="https://ownascooters.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Scooter&#8217;s Coffee</a>, <a href="http://www.mauiwowifranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees &amp; Smoothies</a> and <a href="http://biggbyfranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Biggby Coffee</a> Cracker Barrel According to the breakfast brand&#8217;s website, in 2015, Cracker Barrel sold 69,474,344 pancakes. With such a loyal following, and more than 600 stores in 42 states, it&#8217;s hard to believe they don&#8217;t utilize franchising as a means for continued growth&#8212;all locations are company-owned and operated. The brand explains that their decision to not franchise was made to ensure the authentic country comforts that their guests rely on. And while Cracker Barrel has seen tremendous success on their own, there&#8217;s no denying that franchise brands can deliver a very high-quality experience. Other franchise brands in the breakfast space: <a href="http://ownatoastery.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Famous Toastery</a>, <a href="http://dennysfranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Denny&#8217;s</a> and <a href="http://www.perkinsrestaurants.com/franchise-opportunity?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Perkins Restaurant &amp; Bakery</a> Chipotle For years, people have been addicted to Chipotle, always wanting more. Unfortunately, Chipotle opportunities for prospective franchisees might be off the table for a long time, if not forever. "We believe that companies franchise for two reasons," said Chris Arnold, Chipotle's communications director, in an interview with <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/237252?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Entrepreneur Magazine</a>. "Either they need money to grow or they need operators to run restaurants." Chipotle currently doesn&#8217;t need franchisees or additional capital as they continue to bring in a huge revenue in their market. Other franchise brands in the space: <a href="http://www.moesfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Moe&#8217;s Southwest Grill</a>, <a href="http://www.deltacofranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Del Taco</a>, <a href="http://tacojohnsfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Taco John&#8217;s</a>, <a href="http://eatchronictacos.com/index.php/franchise_opportunities?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chronic Tacos</a> and <a href="https://www.elpolloloco.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">El Pollo Loco</a>. In-N-Out The iconic California, burger brand In-N-Out opened their first store in 1948. By 2015, they were celebrating the opening of their 300th restaurant&#8212;all of which are company owned. In September 2015, In-N-Out president, Lynsi Snyder told CBS This Morning in an exclusive interview that the brand will never franchise&#8212;that a very definitive answer for this better burger brand. Other franchise brands in the space: <a href="http://www.mooyahfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="">MOOYAH Burgers Fries &amp; Shakes</a>, <a href="http://www.fiveguys.com/contact-us/franchise-opportunities?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="">Five Guys Burgers &amp; Fries</a> and <a href="http://smashburger.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=brands-we-thought-were-franchises-3545" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style="">Smashburger</a>

1851 Franchise

A lot of big chains serve up the same food, but did you know that not all of them are franchises? 

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Brands We Thought Were Franchises  

brands-we-thought-were-franchises

Mellow Mushroom

How Mellow Mushroom’s Model Made it the Perfect Addition to Brad Harper’s Restaurant Portfolio

How Mellow Mushroom’s Flexible Model Made it the Perfect Addition to Brad Harper’s Growing Restaurant Portfolio

mellow-mushroom-brad-harper-restaurant-growth

Dillas Quesadillas

Dillas Quesadillas Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

dillas-quesadillas-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-for-2025

Paris Baguette

image of paris baguette Love Baked In Culture & Community Impact No Kid Hungry and City Harvest

How Paris Baguette’s ‘Love Baked In’ Culture Nourishes Communities

culture-love-baked-in-community

Mellow Mushroom CEO Richard Brasch Reveals How the Iconic Pizza Brand Is Evolving Without Losing Its Soul

mellow-mushroom-ceo-richard-brasch-reveals-how-the-iconic-pizza-brand-is-evolving-without-losing-its-soul

Children's Lighthouse

Why Family-Owned Children’s Lighthouse Gives Franchisees a Long-Term Advantage

why-family-owned-childrens-lighthouse-franchise-advantage

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Pieology Pizza Enters Chapter 11 Following Costly Bid To Save Struggling Stores

pieology-pizza-files-chapter-11-bankruptcy

CNBC: McDonald’s Will Assess if Franchisees Are Offering Value for Customers Under New Standards

mcdonalds-franchise-standards-value-metric

How AI Is Transforming Restaurant Operations and Franchises

ai-impact-restaurants-franchises-human-centric-technology

Round Table Pizza Franchisees Take FAT Brands to Court Over Marketing Fund Mismanagement

round-table-pizza-franchisees-take-fat-brands-to-court-over-marketing-fund-mismanagement

FAT Brands Nears Bankruptcy as Creditors Demand Repayment of $1.3 Billion Debt

fat-brands-nears-bankruptcy-as-creditors-demand-repayment-of-13-billion-debt

image of jerome hanway from right at home Las Cruces, New Mexico 1851 franchise franchisee spotlight

Jerome Hanway Is Building His Right at Home Franchise Around His Mission To Serve

right-at-home-franchise-las-cruces-jerome-hanway

image of manar landis and maha zirn kashoor from griswold franchise in oklahoma city

Sisters Channel Humanitarian Experience Into New Griswold Franchise Serving Oklahoma City Families

griswold-franchise-oklahoma-city-north-manar-landis-maha-zirn-kashoor

1851 Franchisee Spotlight graphic with photo of Eli Cohen, Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

C5 Restaurants Grows its Texas Footprint with 40 Layne’s Chicken Fingers Locations Planned Statewide

eli-cohen-laynes-chicken-fingers-texas

image of stephen westerman and matthew westerman, owners Fort Walton Beach Two men and a junk truck

Twin Brothers Move From Managers to Owners with New TWO MEN AND A JUNK TRUCK Franchise on the Gulf Coast

twin-brothers-two-men-and-a-junk-truck-fort-walton-beach

A Practical Playbook: Who To Call First When Franchising Your Business

franchising-your-business-who-to-call-first

Photo of group of dogs standing together in day care facility

Top Pet Boarding and Day Care Franchise Opportunities for 2025

top-pet-boarding-daycare-franchises

AI-related job cuts, October U.S. job cuts, American job cut record

AI-Fueled Layoffs Reshape the U.S. Job Market — And Highlight Franchising’s Resilience

Brands We Thought Were Franchises

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS