The franchise category I get asked about most often is food! Everyone has to eat, and it’s well known that franchise businesses provide popular, profitable options for serving consumer demand.

The franchise food industry in the US generates about $37 billion annually.

Most food franchise owners choose to be semi-absentee. However, I’ve helped a number of clients who choose to be owner-operators.

The fastest growing areas in the food market include catering, fast casual food, and specialty food. Increasingly, middle class Americans are concerned about the nutritional value, variety, and quality of their food. Consequently, I often encourage business owners to consider how they can serve the demographics in their area who have the most disposable income for delicious, convenient meals.