Crumbl Cookies has been surrounded by rumors of store closures and franchisee struggles. We take a closer look at where those concerns came from, including questions raised about the brand’s hypergrowth and reliance on novelty. Then we dig into the numbers, which show a very different picture in 2024 compared with 2023. The result is a clearer view of what’s really happening—and what it means for franchisees.

Service-based franchises are emerging as one of the strongest growth drivers in the industry. Recurring revenue, lower build-out costs, and territory-based models are making these concepts easier to scale than traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. As a result, operators and investors are increasingly prioritizing service franchises for expansion. This week’s stories show how that trend is playing out in real markets.

This week, all eyes are on the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting. The FOMC is set to announce its decision today, and markets are overwhelmingly expecting a 25-basis-point rate cut (Polymarket currently places the probability at around 94–95% for what it's worth).Why is this important for franchisors? A cut would further ease borrowing costs after 2 years of high-rate pressure, potentially reopening financing pipelines for franchise development and lowering the cost of expansion for operators.This could mark the beginning of a more favorable lending environment heading into 2026.

New data this month shows that franchising continues to outperform the broader U.S. economy: the franchise sector has grown +7.3% over the last five years - double the pace of overall economic growth at 3.6%.This momentum is being driven by strong multi-unit and multi-brand expansion across restaurants, home services, and retail, reflecting a shift toward consolidation and scale rather than single-unit ownership. Franchisors increasingly prefer experienced multi-unit operators over single-unit owners — a trend that suggests the next wave of growth will be anchored in platforms with deeper resources and more operational sophistication.