FranCloud Research · Guide

Multi-unit vs HQ: who actually buys

In quick-service, there are two buying motions, and they're completely different. HQ mandates POS and loyalty. Franchisees choose everything else. This guide maps exactly which is which.

18,773

Subway units, now Roark Capital-owned, making one PE firm the procurement gatekeeper for the largest QSR system

73%

of QSR brands mandate POS, an HQ decision. Most other categories are franchisee-choice

17.4%

YoY growth at Wingstop, fastest-growing major QSR, $2M AUV, 6% royalty

What’s inside

Category-by-category breakdown: which tech is HQ-mandated vs franchisee-choice in QSR.
Roark Capital's Subway acquisition: why one PE firm now controls the single most important QSR procurement decision.
Growth leaderboard: Wingstop (+17.4%), Jersey Mike's (+8.3%), Chick-fil-A (+5.4%) vs declining giants Subway (−3.7%), Pizza Hut (−4.9%).
The targeting formula: growth rate × AUV = buying power. Wingstop franchisees at $2M AUV have margin to invest.
Sales motion guide: how to sell HQ-mandated tools (enterprise procurement) vs franchisee-choice tools (referral motion).

FranCloud Research

PE ownership mapped via list_pe_portfolios and find_portfolio across QSR FDDs.

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Multi-unit vs HQ: who actually buys

What’s inside

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