Top 8 Franchises That Made Billionaires

Driven franchisees can scale their businesses to bring in substantial annual revenue, building up their net worth over the years. With the right concept, strategy and time frame, owners can build substantial wealth.

These are the top eight franchise concepts that have made billionaires.

Little Caesars®

The global pizza chain famous for its quick, affordable, delicious meals is a favorite of many established investors. Marian Ilitch, a first-generation American, got her entrepreneurial start with Little Caesars. Marian and her husband Mike opened their first Little Caesars restaurant in Garden City, Michigan and proceeded to grow the brand's presence to over 27 countries and territories worldwide.

Now, Ilitch is worth 4.3 billion dollars, and the franchise continues to produce substantial unit-level revenue for its franchisees.

Chick-fil-A

Dan Cathy, who is now worth over 7 billion dollars, is the chairman of Chick-fil-A. His father originally founded the restaurant in 1967, and Cathy began his work in the franchise by doing odd jobs in restaurants, such as scraping chewed gum from tables.

Cathy became CEO in 2013 before his son, Andrew Cathy, stepped into the role in 2021. Thanks to the chicken giant’s continued success, the Cathy family has amassed billions and continues to support franchisees as they build wealth through restaurant opportunities.

Panda Express

Panda Express is the largest family-owned American Chinese concept in the U.S., founded by Andrew and Peggy Cherng. The pair is now worth 3.6 billion dollars.

“Back in 1973, it was about making a living for the family,” the pair told Forbes. “Today it's about challenging ourselves and seeing what all of us on the team can achieve, living into Panda's mission of inspiring better lives.”

Circle K

Worth 5.7 billion dollars, Alain Bouchard is the man who developed Couche-Tard and Circle K convenience stores. Bouchard co-founded the concept in 1980 and quickly began growing. In 2014, he retired as president and CEO, but he continues to be involved in the business world, growing his wealth through a variety of ventures.

Subway

Founded in 1965, Subway, the made-to-order sandwich, ultimately brought the co-founders billions. Just before his death, Peter Buck was worth 1.7 billion dollars. Buck made a small personal loan to Fred DeLuca, who was worth 2.5 billion dollars prior to his 2015 death, to fund the startup.

Subway boasts an average unit volume of over $400,000, meaning that dedicated franchisees can see success similar to that of Buck and DeLuca with time and dedication.

Hilton Hotels

Prior to Barron Hilton’s 2019 death, his worth measured 2.5 billion dollars in 2011. Barron kicked off his career as an elevator operator at one of his father’s Hilton hotels and quickly followed in his footsteps.

As the family name maintains its fame, the hotel chain continues to grow, with thousands of properties worldwide.

Marriott Hotels

While Marriott Hotels plays a crucial role in this success story, it is not the only franchise in question. John W. Marriott founded Marriott Hotels in 1957, but he first got his start in entrepreneurship in 1927 when he invested in A&W Restaurants.

The hotel business has stayed associated with the Marriott Family, which is now estimated to be worth 10.4 billion dollars.

Whataburger

The Dobson family, worth 2.6 billion dollars in 2015, is behind the popular southern hamburger concept, Whataburger. Harmon Dobson founded the concept in 1950 and sold his first burger for 25 cents. 

Harmon Dobson passed the business to his children after the death of his wife, and they continue to drive the business, securing impressive revenues.