Crunch Fitness Takes #1 Fitness Spot in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500®

The rapidly growing franchisor ranks at the top for fitness for the first time and #29 in the U.S., demonstrating upward movement on the list since 2013

NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Crunch Fitness, one of the fitness industry's leading high-value, low-price gyms, ranked #1 in the fitness category and #29 overall in the annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500^® - the world's first, best, and most comprehensive franchise ranking. The company remains in the top 10 percent for the third straight year.

The Franchise 500^® is a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry, and the 2024 list is Entrepreneur's most competitive ever, with a record number of 1,389 franchisors submitting. The recognition comes during widespread growth for Crunch Fitness, which serves over 2.5 million members at over 450 gyms worldwide and in 41 states, the District of Columbia, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Portugal, Puerto Rico, and Spain. The company notably scored in the top 2% for consistent, positive U.S. franchise unit growth for over a decade, robust training, and support for franchisees.

"It's an honor to receive Entrepreneur's recognition as the leading fitness brand in franchising," said Ben Midgley, CEO of Crunch Franchising. "We're particularly proud to lead the fitness category this year. Crunch has climbed the ranks for over a decade, and this year's ranking is a testament to the commitment of our franchisees, corporate team, millions of loyal members and our culture. Crunch is the originator of the 'No Judgments' environment and our gyms are all about helping members feel good. We look forward to an even more successful year in 2024."

2024 is a milestone year for Crunch Fitness as the company celebrates its 35^th anniversary and projects to increase its franchise footprint to 500 gyms worldwide. The gym franchisor aims to hit 3 million members by the end of the year.

"Every brand on the Franchise 500 has its own unique story, but they all collectively make the same statement: Franchising is strong and resilient, is full of innovation and opportunity, and provides a powerful entrepreneurial path for many people," says Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine. "Our 45th annual ranking is full of companies with fresh ideas, exciting business models, cultural sway, and the kind of business sophistication that will define the next 45 years and beyond."

In Entrepreneur's continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace, the company's ranking formula also continues to evolve. The editorial team researches and assesses several factors, including costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is then given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500^® in ranked order. 

Over its 45 years, the Franchise 500^® has become a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. Crunch's position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity. Entrepreneur previously recognized Crunch in its Franchise 500 10+ Club, which honors an elite group of franchises that have earned a spot on the list for ten or more consecutive years. The high-value, low-price gym believes in making serious exercise fun by fusing fitness and entertainment and pioneering a philosophy of 'No Judgments.'

To learn more about franchising with Crunch Fitness and current opportunities, please visit: https://www.crunch.com/franchise.

Crunch is a gym that believes in making serious exercise fun by fusing fitness and entertainment and pioneering a philosophy of 'No Judgments.' Crunch serves a fitness community for all kinds of people with all types of goals, exercising all different ways, working it out at the same place together. Today, we are renowned for creating one-of-a-kind group fitness classes and unique programming for our wildly diverse members. Headquartered in New York City, Crunch serves 2.5 million members with over 450 gyms worldwide in 41 states, the District of Columbia, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Portugal, Puerto Rico, and Spain. Crunch is rapidly expanding across the U.S. and around the globe.

SOURCE Crunch Fitness