15+ Questions To Ask Franchisees Before Buying a Franchise

There are lots of questions to ask franchisees before buying a franchise. And doing so is a huge part of any serious research.

Correction. Asking questions of franchise owners is the most important part of  franchise research

But what questions should you ask before buying a franchise?

And what should the answers you get from the franchisees help you reveal?

One of two things.

Either…

A. You’re looking at a franchise opportunity that you can be successful owning. Or…

b. You’re looking at a franchise that will bleed you dry.

On that uplifting note, let’s dig in.

Key Takeaways

Talking to franchisees is not a formality. It’s the most important research you will do before writing a check. The answers you get from existing franchise owners will tell you more about what you are actually buying than any sales presentation, franchise website, or discovery day ever will. Take it seriously.

Next, the questions you ask before you buy a franchise matter — but so does how you listen. You’re not just collecting answers. You’re listening for hesitation, vague responses, and the things franchisees almost say but don’t. Pattern recognition is everything here. If three different owners dance around the same topic, that is not a coincidence.

Finally, no amount of franchisee calls replaces proper legal and financial review. Once your calls confirm you are still interested, hire a franchise attorney and get an accountant to look at the numbers. These are not optional steps. They are the difference between a smart investment and an expensive mistake.

“Research means that you don’t know, but are willing to find out.”

– Charles F. Kettering

The 15 Questions To Ask Franchisees Owners Before Buying a Franchise

I encourage you to print out these questions for franchisees, so you’ll have them in front of you when you call them.

Additionally, I’ve provided several proven franchise research tips I know you’ll find useful.

So without further adieu, here are some of the best questions to ask before buying a franchise:

1. What happened that made you decide to buy a franchise business?

2. How did you find this franchise opportunity?

3. Why did you end up choosing this franchise?

4. How long, from beginning to end, did it take for you to do your research, and sign the franchise agreement?

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5. How long did it take for you to open your business?

6. What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the business?

7. Who are your biggest competitors, and what do you do better than them?

8. How long did it take for you to break-even, and is there something you could have done to reach break-even faster?

9. Have your income expectations been met, and if not, why do you think that is?

10. Is there money to be made in this business? How much?

11. How long does it generally take to get help from franchise headquarters? Is it good?

12. If you have a complaint, how do you go about making it, and how does the franchisor respond?

13. Can you tell me about marketing, and how well it works?

14. Can you tell me something I would have no way of knowing unless I was already a franchisee

15. If you had it to do over again, would you buy this franchise? Why or why not?

Updated: 7 New Questions To Ask Franchisees  Before Buying a Franchise

Here are a few more questions for franchisees.

These straightforward questions have the potential to reveal a lot of useful information.

I’m talking specifically about information you’ll need to make a yes or no decision on buying the franchise you’re looking into. But you need to ask them!

#1 – How many franchisees did you talk with before you bought the franchise?

#2 – Is there a franchisee association, or are there discussions happening about forming one?

#3 – Do you feel the executives at franchise headquarters are focused on your profitability as a franchisee?

#4 – What can the franchisor do better?

#5 – Do you publish posts about your business on social media, or does the franchisor do it for you?

#6 – Are you going to purchase more locations, and if so, how soon? If not, why not?

#7 – Have you been hearing any rumors about the company getting acquired by a private equity group or by another franchisor?
I hope you those questions are helpful!

Bonus Franchise Research Tips

Here are a few research tips that will enable you to get the best information you can, in the shortest amount of time. These tips are focused on franchisee phone calls; they’re only part of the research you’ll need to do.

1. Have a printout of the questions you’re going to ask franchise owners in front of you before you start calling them. I know this one sounds obvious, but because you have a lot on your mind, you may forget to print your questions out.

2. Know who you’re going to call before you start the process. One way to do it to circle the names and phone numbers of the franchisees you find in the FDD.

3. As much as you’re tempted, don’t call franchisees who have businesses in your area first!

Instead, call franchisees from other parts of the country. That way, by the time you do talk to franchisees that reside in your area, you’ll sound like you know what you’re doing. You’ll sound more confident.

Case in point:
I promise you that the first few calls you make to existing franchisees are going to be a bit choppy. That’s because you’re new to this, and you’re asking them some pretty personal questions. But don’t worry; after 3-4 calls, you’ll have a feel for how to approach the calls.

4. If something troubling comes up during one of your franchisee calls, contact the franchise development representative (the salesperson) at franchise headquarters, and bring it up. See how he or she reacts, and listen to what’s being said. And bring up the issue you were just told about with other franchisees. See what they have to say.

5. Once you’re finished researching franchises, and you feel like you’ve chosen one that makes sense for you, you need to hire a franchise attorney. Watch this video to see why it’s a must!

Winding Things Up

So there you have it; the top 15 questions to ask franchise owners before buying a franchise.

Ask them to get the answers you need about the franchises you’re looking into.

Finally, for more more franchise research tips, and a list of dozens and dozens of additional questions to ask franchise owners, grab my research guide. You’ll learn the best techniques on how to get your most important questions answered from both franchisees and franchisors. And when to ask them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many franchisees should I talk to before buying a franchise?

Talk to a minimum of 10 to 15 franchisees — and not just the ones the franchisor suggests you call. Go straight to the FDD. Item 20 lists every current and former franchisee. Call people from different regions, different tenure levels, and different unit sizes. The franchisor’s “reference list” is curated. The FDD is not.

What is the single most important question to ask a franchisee?

It’s Question 15: “If you had it to do over again, would you buy this franchise?” That one question cuts through everything. A franchisee who is struggling financially but still says yes is telling you something powerful. One who is profitable but says no is telling you something even more important. Listen carefully — and listen for hesitation, not just the words.

What should I do if a franchisee says something that concerns me?

Don’t bury it. Bring it up with the franchise development rep at headquarters and watch how they respond. Then bring it up with other franchisees on your list. If you hear the same concern from multiple owners, that’s not a coincidence. That’s a pattern — and patterns matter more than any sales pitch.

Can I trust what franchisees tell me?

Generally, yes — with nuance. Most franchisees will be straightforward with you, especially if they’re not in your geographic territory. They have no reason to lie. The ones to watch out for are the cheerleaders — owners who give nothing but glowing reviews with zero specifics. Real experiences have texture. If everything sounds perfect, dig deeper.

Is talking to franchisees enough due diligence before buying?

Not even close. Franchisee calls are the most important part of your research — but they’re one part. You also need a qualified franchise attorney to review the FDD, a financial advisor or accountant to stress-test the numbers, and ideally an independent franchise advisor who works for you — not the franchisor. Skipping any of these steps is how people end up in bad deals.

(Wingstop image courtesy of Leahdi, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)