The Top 25 Franchise Brands Committed to Serving Their Communities

Franchising provides an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than oneself. And this Thanksgiving, we’re celebrating the brands who are dedicated to the greater good. 

These brands have made it their mission to go beyond just delivering products or services. They are actively investing in the well-being and prosperity of the neighborhoods they call home. 

McDonald’s

• Investment Range: $1.5 million–$2.5 million
• Unit Count: 40,800+ 

The Ronald McDonald House Charity (RMHC) is a McDonald’s decades-old charity that provides overnight stays for families of children with medical needs. The charity provides more than a million overnight stays every year. RMHC is just one of the franchise’s charitable initiatives, along with McDonald's HACER National Scholarship and the McDonald's Black and Positively Golden Scholarship

Jersey Mike’s

• Investment Range: $144,668–$786,233
• Unit Count: 2,550+

During Jersey Mike’s annual Month of Giving, locations across the country accept donations for local charities. It all builds up to the company’s Day of Giving in which 100% of the chain’s sales go directly to nonprofits. Since Month of Giving began in 2011, Jersey Mike’s has raised more than $88 million for local charities.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK*

• Investment Range: $105,500–$435,600
• Unit Count: 430+

At TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, franchisees have several opportunities to make an impact on their local communities, whether that’s through in-house charitable programs or through partnerships with organizations across the country. Over the years, the brand has partnered with a variety of local and national charities, including Toys for Tots, United Way and Habitat for Humanity. 

Pizza Hut

• Investment Range: $40,600–$2,063,500
• Unit Count: 17,990+

In 1992, Pizza Hut became the first of its kind to start a food donation program using extra ingredients and items that its shops didn't need. Over the years, the program has resulted in over 94 million pounds of donated food to charities across the United States. The franchise is also known for its support for students. One of its most well-known programs is The Literacy Project and BOOK IT!, a program that gives kids personal pan pizzas in exchange for reading. 

Paris Baguette*

• Investment Range: $652,565–1,750,900
• Unit Count: 4,000+

At Paris Baguette, Love Baked In programs are at the heart of the franchise’s commitment to serving local neighborhoods. With Dough Raisers, local organizations can host a bake sale at a bakery cafe to earn partial proceeds from the sales. The brand also donates partial proceeds from a designated baked good to a local charity year-round. During an annual Cake Day, proceeds from all cakes go directly to that same local charitable partner.

Burger King

• Investment Range: $1.8 million–$4.5 million
• Unit Count: 19,730+

Burger King contributes to nationwide community improvement through The Burger King Foundation. The foundation provides scholarships, supports literacy programs and aids libraries in India. Additionally, BK Benefit Nights occur regularly, where partnered organizations receive 20% of sales on designated nights to support local communities.

Pool Scouts*

• Investment Range: $87,490–$109,625
• Unit Count: 80

For several years in a row, Pool Scouts has partnered with Hope Floats Foundation during the month of May to raise awareness and provide swimming lessons for families in need. Franchise locations across the United States that opt in to the campaign donate $1 dollar for each service performed during Water Safety Month to provide scholarships through the foundation. 

HomeTeam Inspection Service

• Investment Range: $60,100–$86,800
• Unit Count: 200+

HomeTeam Inspection Service encourages local owners to increase their community involvement through charitable contributions in the form of volunteering, financial donations or in-kind donations. And corporately, HomeTeam endorses the Sunshine Kids Foundation, KW Cares and Red Day. 

KFC

• Investment Range: $1.9 million–$3.8 million
• Unit Count: 28,470+

The KFC Foundation is designed to support, empower and serve joy to KFC restaurant employees and their communities through education accessibility, financial and crisis assistance, and community giving initiatives.

Chicken Salad Chick

• Investment Range: $742,300–$980,300
• Unit Count: 240+

The Chicken Salad Chick (CSC) Foundation was established by founders Stacy and Kevin Brown in 2014 following Kevin’s own cancer diagnosis. Through fundraisers such as its annual Teeing Off On Cancer Golf Classic, the CSC Foundation is able to make sizable donations to local cancer centers as well as the American Cancer Society. 

Taco Bell

• Investment Range: $576,000–$3.4 million
• Unit Count: 8,320+

Since 1992, the Taco Bell Foundation has impacted over 4 million young individuals nationwide, disbursing over $110 million in Live Más Scholarships and grants to nonprofit organizations dedicated to youth education and career readiness. Funds gathered via the Round-Up Program at Taco Bell establishments contribute to the Live Más Scholarships for Consumers Program, the Community Grants Program and educational initiatives.

MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes*

• Investment Range: $495,918–$1,168,251
• Unit Count: 90

This year, MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes partnered with the Kids In Need Foundation (KINF), a national nonprofit organization that directly impacts underserved schools in communities across the country. The fundraising campaign from MOOYAH is designed to support KINF's mission of creating equitable learning spaces by providing supplies and resources to teachers and students in underserved schools.

CertaPro Painters

• Investment Range: $155,750–$302,500
• Unit Count: 360

CertaPro Painters encourages franchisees to pick a charitable cause that matters to them. Additionally, every October and November, CertaPro Painters partners with Breast Cancer Research Foundation for the Paint It Pink initiative. This year, participating franchisees will be donating a percentage of every painting project completed between October 1 and November 30. 

Build-A-Bear

• Minimum capital requirement: $5 million–$12 million 
• Unit Count: 400+

Through the Build-A-Bear Foundation, Build-A-Bear has contributed more than $22 million and 1.5 million stuffed animals to charitable organizations. Core programs include the Build-A-Bear Foundation Literacy Program, which donates reading materials; the Hearts ‘n’ Hugs Fund, which distributes furry friends to children in need; and other charitable partnerships that provide funding to assist people in overcoming challenges.

Wendy’s

• Investment Range: $321,000–$4.6 million
• Unit Count: 7,120+

Wendy's founder Dave Thomas believed in the idea that everyone should give back more than they take. Since its founding, the franchise has backed causes like foster care adoption, addressed hunger and ensuring food quality, supported youth and families, and contributed to local communities.

Footprints Floors*

• Investment Range: $78,505–$113,030
• Unit Count: 160+

Footprints Floors prides itself on being a franchise that believes in the greater good. In 2022, the brand launched The First Fruits Fund, which is dedicated to partnering with faith-based organizations that offer holistic family care services such as help for single moms, counseling/drug rehabilitation, orphan prevention, and foster care and adoption assistance. 

Dog Training Elite*

• Investment Range: $159,050–$186,750
• Unit Count: 320+

Dog Training Elite understands that service dogs can be integral to the healing process, both mentally and physically, for veterans. That’s why it launched the Malinois Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, which provides animal assistance to individuals suffering from PTSD, physical disabilities, and other special needs. It also works with the individuals and their families to train each service animal to meet personalized needs.

Scoop Soldiers

• Investment Range: $68,300–$118,300
• Unit Count: 40+

Scoop Soldiers’ mission to support people and their pets goes far beyond taking the “pooper scooper” out of the equation. The franchise has a partnership with Valor Service Dogs, a nonprofit organization that works to pair veterans and first responders in need with mobility assistance and psychiatric service dogs. Scoop Soldiers also provides donations for raising and training future service dogs. 

Melting Pot

• Investment Range: $1,364,389–$2,069,638
• Unit Count: 94

This year, Melting Pot is celebrating its 20th anniversary with ?St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. One of the ways that Melting Pot supports St. Jude is through the annual?St. Jude Thanks and Giving campaign. From mid-October to the end of December each year, guests have an opportunity to donate to the kids of St. Jude when they dine at any of the Melting Pot Restaurants nationwide.

Shuckin’ Shack

• Investment Range: $472,000–$1.4 million
• Unit Count: 18

Oyster bar franchise Shuckin’ Shack is celebrating $80,000 raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) through the Fresh & Raw Tour Together with Truist. The tour featured artists such as Barrett Baber and Taylor Goyette. Shows were free to attend, but guests were asked to “pay what they can” during each local performance. All donations went directly to LLS. 

Lightbridge Academy*

• Investment Range: $2,611,900–$5,202,500
• Unit Count: 69

Established in 2001, Lightbridge Academy’s Lightbridge Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to supporting and adding value to the communities its child care centers serve. Every Lightbridge Academy center is actively involved in fundraising efforts, participating in a variety of events like bringing canned goods to support the local food pantry, making snacks to sell at the bake sale or washing cars at the Parent Car Wash. 

Denny’s

• Investment Range: $1 million–$2.3 million
• Unit Count: 1,580+

Denny’s has partnered with No Kid Hungry since 2011, providing more than 100 million meals to youth facing food insecurity. The franchise has also raised more than $1.7 million for St. Jude since 2020 by donating $0.05 to St. Jude for every Kid’s Menu item sold throughout the year. 

Wingstop

• Investment Range: $315,310–$948,080
• Unit Count: 2,040+

Through Wingstop Charities, Wingstop has been able to help engage youth in education, arts, sports and career development by providing grant opportunities. The organization also supports Wingstop team members facing financial emergencies through the Team Member Foundation and offers educational scholarships through the Morrison Family Scholarship Program for first-generation Wingstop and brand partner team members.

Little Caesars

• Investment Range: $393,000–$1.7 million

Little Caesars Fundraising was founded in 1997 and helps thousands of schools, churches, sports teams and other nonprofit organizations reach their fundraising goals. The brand also supports veterans through a program designed to provide honorably discharged veterans with incentives to help them open their own franchise when they transition from service or seek a new career. Meanwhile, a nonprofit called Ilitch Charities provides scholarships to eligible youth participants in the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club and the Little Caesars Amateur Hockey League. 

LongHorn Steakhouse

• Unit Count: 560+

LongHorn Steakhouse partners with Feeding America to enhance mobile food pantry programs in communities where food insecurity rates are disproportionately high. Through grants from its parent company’s Darden Foundation and additional support from Penske Truck Leasing and Lineage Logistics, 35 Feeding America food banks in 35 different parts of the country have received a 26-foot refrigerated box truck to help increase access to nutritious food for those who need it most.

Hopefully, the 25 franchise brands mentioned above introduced you to programs you may have not known of and others you will continue to support. Pick one or as many as you like during this Thanksgiving holiday season and beyond. Your support of these brands helps them to continue to spread love to their local communities.