Franchise deals, development agreements, M&A, and the moves reshaping unit counts.
QSR Magazine / Lola BeansA Texas husband-and-wife team running established Crumbl and Wingstop portfolios chose Lola Beans as their next brand, targeting 15 Dallas-Fort Worth locations from Q1 2026.
FranchiseWireMore than 12 percent of active U.S. franchise brands now carry PE backing, and investors are moving in earlier, often before a system reaches 50 units.
PIRTEK USAThe hydraulic hose franchise sold 22 territories and opened 7 locations in Q3, entering New Hampshire and Kansas while climbing 12 spots on Franchise Times' Top 400.
Wikimedia CommonsB Wild Investments, led by KBP Brands co-founder Barry Dubin, acquires 20 existing locations to become Qdoba's largest franchisee overnight.
Shipley Do-NutsThe Houston-based donut brand opened 25 shops through September, with Q4 on pace to outrun 2024's full-year total by more than 60 percent.
ScenthoundDr. Jaime Pickett brings 18 years of multi-unit franchise operations to a pet wellness brand built on subscription-based grooming.
Nation's Restaurant NewsPie Investments absorbs a large corporate portfolio and commits to 52 additional locations, clearing 150 units across six states.
Jersey Mike'sJersey Mike's is entering the UK and Ireland with a 400-location development deal, one of franchising's largest international commitments of the year.
FranchiseWireNew data shows franchise buyers in 2026 cite community ties and generational wealth as primary motivators, not just income.
FranchiseWireFrom stabilizing interest rates to the emergence of generative search, the forces reshaping franchise development and unit performance in 2026 are already visible.
Auxo Capital AdvisorsNew franchise buyers are still entering the market, but the operators closing the most development agreements are overwhelmingly existing franchisees expanding within their systems. The shift is reshaping development pipelines, franchisor relationships, and how brands think about the difference between growing their system and growing their network.
Chicken Salad ChickThe Southern fast casual brand committed to 25 locations across Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and the Upper Hudson Valley — its largest single development agreement on record. The deal extends Chicken Salad Chick's footprint toward the Canadian border and signals an accelerating push into Northern markets.
FranchiseWireLower interest rates, solid unit economics, and pent-up PE capital are converging to make 2026 one of the most active deal years in franchise history.
FranchiseWireThe rapid-oil-change franchise secured outside capital to accelerate unit count, a move that reflects rising investor appetite for automotive services.
Franchise FastLaneThe spin-strength-yoga brand rejoins its development partner with a compact footprint and three new revenue streams designed for multi-unit scale.
FranchiseWireCombining candidate sourcing with brand evaluation under one roof reshapes how franchisors recruit and vet qualified buyers.
FranchiseWireOne of North America's largest HVAC service networks is inviting owner-operators into its system for the first time since 1990, targeting markets where its corporate footprint has gaps.
FranchiseWireSimultaneous investments from two unrelated families in Southlake point to growing confidence in the surface refinishing brand.
FranchiseWireThe New York bagel startup's Series B round signals that institutional investors see franchise-ready food concepts as a durable asset class even at significant valuations.
FranchiseWireThe nation's largest franchise operator adds nearly 100 Planet Fitness locations to its portfolio, continuing its strategy of absorbing large multi-unit blocks from exiting operators.
FranchiseWireThe tech-forward real estate franchisor's unsolicited bid would combine two of the industry's largest franchise networks under one parent.
JETSET Pilates via PR NewswireA wave of master franchise and area development deals signals that American franchise systems are moving faster than ever to lock up international territory.
Access WinnipegFoodtastic wins exclusive master franchise rights to develop Dunkin across the Canadian market it abandoned eight years ago.
Revscale MediaAs recruitment and lead response move to always-on software, franchise brands are rethinking how they find franchisees and fill new units.
