Ask anyone today to name a popular franchise, the majority will refer to big companies like McDonald’s or Subway. A franchise, of course, is a specific growth model based on the independent ownership of locations supported by a parent company that provides an established identity, model, and brand.

However, you may be surprised to learn that some of the hottest franchises today are not in the food sector. As it turns out, a franchise is a powerful way to grow many kinds of businesses that do not involve flipping burgers or stacking deli meat on hoagie rolls. 

Let’s look at some of the fast-growing franchise sectors.

1. Education

Everyone understands what a traditional school is, what teachers are, and the goals of our public and private educational systems. But one significant aspect of education gets less notice – that of tutoring.

Today, many of the most popular tutorial subjects – such as a piano tutor, a foreign language instructor, or a gourmet cooking teacher – are highly amenable to the franchise model.

Tutoring franchise models that offer everything from musical instruction and math to computer coding and creative writing are thriving. Indeed, the U.S. tutoring market is expected to grow to $9.8 billion by 2026, according to Statista.

2. Fitness and Wellness

Long before franchising was a concept, it was common to find small independent businesses teaching such skills as yoga, weight training, or ballroom dancing.

The fitness and wellness sector has proven to be among the most fertile grounds for franchise opportunities. In the Yoga sector alone, there are now more than a dozen major “brands” an entrepreneur can buy into to start a “ready-made” yoga school.

Another area where franchises have proven extremely popular is gyms and health clubs. Competition among health club franchise brands is fierce. This industry continues to grow.

3. Home and Commercial Cleaning

Small business owners who will come to your home on a schedule to provide cleaning have long been an example of lucrative self-starter operations. The same goes for cleaning office buildings and other commercial locations.

The cleaning industry seems tailor-made to support a franchise model, and that turns out to be true. The opportunities in this sector are robust. There are three categories of cleaning franchises thriving in the U.S. today: residential cleaners, commercial cleaners, and specialty cleaners.

4. Tech Support

How many times have you tried to call the company that made your computer to get answers to vexing problems you are having with your laptop, desktop model, or some software application? Pretty frustrating, right?

Well, it’s tech support franchise owners to the rescue! It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that millions of people have technical computer problems they desperately want to resolve on any given day.

The demand for computer tech support – from minor problems to major issues – is huge, growing, and only showing signs of expanding in demand for the future.

5. Pet Care

Another sector highly amenable to franchises is pet care, specifically things like a home pet sitting service, a dog walking service, or a dog grooming service. Indeed, different species of animals all provide unique franchise opportunities. For example, horse training and boarding are much in demand. Even pet memorial service franchises are experiencing growth.