John Hamburger, publisher of Restaurant Finance Monitor and Franchise Times Magazine and a former multi-unit operator will trace franchising’s evolution from mom-and-pop ownership to today’s dominance by sophisticated multi-unit, multi-brand operators, especially in restaurants.

Drawing on research he’s conducted from 1991 to 2024, he will discuss the rise of giant franchisees such as the Flynn Group and Sun Holdings, noting that nearly all top operators now run multiple brands.

He’ll discuss the influence of asset-light strategies, the impact of technology enabling above-store management, and abundant, brand-driven financing, alongside franchisors’ desire for reduced company ownership and greater international focus.

Finally, he will flag potential issues that have arisen in the United States that may be instructive for Canadian franchisors including tighter franchisor controls and caps on the number of units franchisees are permitted to own, rising build/remodel costs, and uneven unit economics—pressures that may push some franchisees/operators into other franchise sectors.