HQ MRI

The vendor opportunity at HQ MRI

HQ MRI operates 170 franchised units across the United States, with no company-owned locations disclosed in the 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document. The system is entirely single-operator: all 160 mapped operators run exactly one unit each. Year-over-year unit growth declined by 16.256%, signaling a contracting footprint that software vendors should weigh when sizing the total addressable market. The top states by unit count are Florida (18), California (12), Texas (11), North Carolina (10), and Georgia (9). Average unit volume is not disclosed in the FDD, and the royalty rate sits at 9.0%.

For a software vendor, the opportunity is narrow but centralized. With 170 units and a mandated, proprietary tech stack, the path in is not through individual franchisees but through corporate leadership. The absence of multi-unit operators simplifies the sales motion: there is one buying center, not a fragmented base of large franchisee groups.

Who controls software purchasing

Software purchasing authority at HQ MRI rests at the corporate level. The FDD lists five executives in Item 1, and the most relevant for technology vendors is Joey Gianzanti, Chief Information Officer. As CIO, Gianzanti is the likely owner of the tech stack strategy and any evaluation of third-party tools. Other C-suite members include Richard F. Hermanns (CEO), John McAnnar (CLO), Steven Crane (CFO), and Cory Smith (CAO).

The system’s structure reinforces HQ control. All 170 units are franchised, and the franchisor mandates specific software systems. Franchisees do not appear to have independent purchasing authority for core operational tools. Vendors should direct outreach to the CIO’s office, not to individual operators.

Mandated and current tech stack

The 2024 FDD mandates four categories of software: applicant tracking software, billing and payroll software, management software, and MRI proprietary billing/payroll and management software. The proprietary systems are named as MRI’s own, meaning the franchisor builds or controls the core operational stack. Additionally, the MRINetwork Recruiter Sentiment Survey is listed, which may be a data-collection or assessment tool rather than a transactional system.

No third-party POS, CRM, or ERP vendors are disclosed as mandated or recommended. This suggests a largely closed technology environment. For vendors selling complementary tools—such as advanced analytics, marketing automation, or HR platforms—the integration story must account for MRI’s proprietary backbone. The absence of named third-party systems in the FDD means the current stack beyond the mandated items is unknown without direct discovery.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

Item 8 of the FDD, which typically describes procurement obligations and designated suppliers, contains no extract in the available data. This leaves the formal procurement model—whether designated supplier, approved supplier, or open—undisclosed. In practice, the mandate of MRI proprietary software implies a designated-supplier dynamic for core systems.

Renewal terms, covered in Item 17, offer a potential window for software evaluation. Initial franchise agreements run 10 years. Renewals are available for 5- to 10-year terms, provided the franchisee meets compliance requirements, pays all fees, and signs the then-current franchise agreement. As franchisees approach renewal, the franchisor may revisit technology requirements, creating openings for new vendor conversations. With 170 units and a 10-year initial term, a portion of the system likely enters renewal windows each year.

How to read the HQ MRI FDD

The 2024 HQ MRI Franchise Disclosure Document is the primary source for the data on this page. It is filed with state franchise regulators and available in the embedded viewer below. Key sections for software vendors include Item 1 (executives), Item 11 (mandated technology), Item 8 (procurement restrictions), and Item 17 (renewal terms). Because the FDD does not disclose average unit volume or company-owned units, vendors will need to supplement with direct discovery to build a full ROI model. For a ranked target list of franchise systems matched to your software category, FranCloud can help.