Top Food Franchises of 2013 Restaurants or other food-related businesses represent a large portion of our franchise 500 ranking. Here is a list of the 122 food-related companies by category.

By Tracy Stapp Herold

Shutterstock

Franchising and food: They go together like peanut butter and jelly. Many of the oldest, largest and most successful franchises in the U.S. and around the world are restaurants or other food-related businesses. In fact, 122 of the companies on our annual Franchise 500® ranking--almost a quarter of the list--are food businesses. You'll find them all here, divided by category and ranking, along with some stats and stories about what's going on in the world of food franchising.

BIZ Experiences's rankings are based on objective, quantifiable criteria, including system size, growth and financial strength and stability. They are not intended as an endorsement of any particular franchise, but simply as a starting point for your own research. Always conduct your due diligence before investing: Read the company's legal documents, consult with a lawyer and an accountant and talk to other franchisees about their experiences.

Baked Goods

Chicken

Coffee

Full-Service Restaurants

Hamburgers

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts

Juice Bars

Mexican Food

Pizza

Retail Food Sales

Sandwiches

Miscellaneous Quick Service

Tracy Stapp Herold

BIZ Experiences Staff

Tracy Stapp Herold is the special projects editor at BIZ Experiences magazine. She works on franchise and business opportunity stories and listings, including the annual Franchise 500.

Want to be an BIZ Experiences Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Growing a Business

Forget Investors and Co-Founders — Here's How I Built a Lean, Scalable Business on My Terms

You don't need a partner or investors to build something that lasts. You need vision, systems and the guts to go all in on yourself. Here's how I built alone — and why I still would, even now.

Side Hustle

This 26-Year-Old's Side Hustle Turned Full-Time Business Led to $100,000 in 2.5 Months and Is On Track for $2.5 Million in 2025

Ross Friedman's successful venture started with a "Teen Night" in Boston, Massachusetts.

Business News

How Much Does Apple Pay Its Employees? Here Are the Exact Salaries of Staff Jobs, Including Developers, Engineers, and Consultants.

New federal filings submitted by Apple reveal how much the tech giant pays its employees for a variety of roles.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for BIZ Experiencess to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Here's Why Meta's Earnings Were Better-Than-Expected, According to CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Meta stock reached a record high after the tech giant reported its second-quarter earnings on Wednesday.

Starting a Business

These Brothers Started a Business to Improve an Everyday Task. They Made Their First Products in the Garage — Now They've Raised Over $100 Million.

Coulter and Trent Lewis had an early research breakthrough that helped them solve for the right problem.