Cookies are having a moment in the franchising world, and Blueprint Cookies threw their hat into the ring (and into the crowded dessert category) in Nov. 2022. Voted best chocolate chip cookie by Tasting Table, Blueprint Cookies prides itself on being more than just a typical cookie brand with flavors like peach cobbler and brown sugar oat cookie. 

“We are a hospitality company that makes delicious cookies,” a representative for Blueprint Cookies said. “We believe we are the blueprint for hospitality and how companies should treat and support their team members. Our mission is to uplift, encourage and empower people in their life journey. That includes everyone that is part of our Blueprint community, team members and guests.”

Since launching franchising last fall, Blueprint Cookies has signed three franchise deals, including its first location outside of Florida, in Philadelphia this summer. In one year, the company hopes to have 10 franchised locations open across three states, and in five years, hopes to grow that number to 100 locations, including international stores.

The average check for Blueprint Cookies is $14.50 and store sizes range from 650-1100 square feet. 

Cilantro Taco Grill was founded by a Mexican immigrant in Chicago and grew to 15 fast-casual taco locations in Chicago. Founder Temoc Morfin is now working with Fransmart and rapper Armanda Christian Perez (aka, Pitbull) to grow the concept outside of Chicago to 1,000 locations globally over the next decade. 

Cilantro Taco Grill was founded in 2013 as a way to bring Morfin’s treasured family recipes to more people. The company began franchising in August and has been moving quickly to bring several franchising deals to fruition, starting in the top metropolitan areas in the United States, and prioritizing Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Illinois, and Ohio.

The average check is $23.50 and average square footage is 1,186.

Love and Honey Fried Chicken — the Philadelphia-based, takeout spot that has grown so popular it is selling 750 pounds of chicken tenders and 600 sandwiches a week — has signed its first franchisee. The company first started franchising in February and will now be working with franchisee Nafee Hossain, who will open the next Love & Honey Fried Chicken in University City in early 2024. 

“Combining our culinary expertise as founders and classically trained chefs, we launched a Southern-style fried chicken concept that goes beyond fast food. From our humble beginnings in 2017, our mission has been to 'share the love' with fellow entrepreneurs and fried chicken enthusiasts alike,” co-owners Todd and Laura Lyons said in a statement.

The company is currently working with Franchise Founders Group to grow the concept, with four Love & Honey locations currently in development. The goal at first was to award five franchises in the Northeast region in 2023, but the husband-and-wife duo will easily be exceeding that due to extensive interest, they said. 

The average check is $28 and future locations will vary in size. 

Nation’s Giant Hamburgers was founded as Harvey’s in 1961 in California as a humble hamburger joint. Janitor Dale Power worked his way up in the restaurant and soon was opening his own Nation’s Giant Hamburgers location and becoming a partner in the company. Today, Dale’s son Grant Power is the owner of the 30-unit restaurant chain which has become just as well-known for its pies and shakes as it has for its large burgers.

Nation’s Giant Hamburgers announced that it would begin franchising for the first time in August 2023 in partnership with Hot Dish to spread the concept around California, specifically in the 10 major metropolitan markets in the state, including San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Fresno. The goal is to eventually have 1,000 restaurants in 10 years, with future markets including Texas, Oklahoma, Florida and Georgia. 

The average check is $20 and average restaurant size is 2,000-2,500 square feet.

As seen by the success of concepts like First Watch and Famous Toastery, updated casual-dining breakfast and brunch chains are having a moment. Wild Eggs – a Louisville-based, 15-unit concept known for its produce-forward omelets, housemade cinnamon rolls, and other unique breakfast creations, began franchising in July.

Right now, the brand plans to expand mostly in the Louisville area and has a goal of reaching three franchise locations in the next year and opening an additional 14 company-owned stores and 32 franchise locations over five years.

The average check is $28 and average restaurant size is 3,900-4,300 square-feet.

Yampa Sandwich Company, a six-unit, premium sandwich chain based in Denver, Colorado, began searching for franchisees in earnest this fall after first announcing franchising in 2021. The chain prides itself on its simple and classic ready-to-order sandwiches made with fresh ingredients and is working with Franchise Elevation Partners to help bring its concept to more markets.

Currently, the brand does not have any franchised locations announced but Yampa is opening two corporate locations in Denver by the end of the year. The goal is to open 30 additional corporate and franchised locations over the next five years, particularly in the Utah, Arizona, and Texas markets.

Yampa Sandwich Company’s average check is $26 and its average store size is 1,000-2,000 square-feet.