CRUNCH FITNESS TAKES NO. 20 SPOT IN ENTREPRENEUR'S FRANCHISE 500®

The rapidly growing franchisor rises closer to the top, demonstrating upward movement on the list

NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Crunch Fitness, one of the fitness industry's leading high-value, low-price gyms, has ranked #20 overall in the annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500® - the world's first and most comprehensive franchise ranking. Entering the top 20 and climbing the ranks from #32 to #20 overall, Crunch exhibits how the brand has successfully evolved to meet the unique needs of modern consumers and gym-goers.

For 47 years, The Franchise 500® has been recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees, and placement in the ranking has been a highly sought-after honor within the franchise industry. In the 2026 Franchise 500®, Crunch Fitness has ranked #2 in the fitness category and #20 overall for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, operational and marketing support, and brand power.

"It's an honor for us to receive Entrepreneur's recognition as one of the leading fitness brands in franchising," said Jim Rowley, CEO of Crunch Fitness. "As the original 'No Judgments' gym, we have defined the high-value, low-price fitness sector. This year's ranking is a testament to the commitment of our franchisees, corporate team, team members at our gyms, and millions of loyal members around the world. We look forward to even more success in 2026."

The ranking follows another milestone year for Crunch Fitness, when the company announced a strategic investment from Leonard Green & Partners, marking a new chapter of accelerated growth; raced past the 3-million-member mark; rolled out Crunch 3.0, an innovative new gym design; and launched a major franchise expansion into India, making its South Asian debut. The company has plans to open approximately 100 gyms worldwide this year. 

"Entrepreneur's recognition further cements our position as one of the leading fitness brands in franchising as we enter 2026," said Chequan Lewis, President of Crunch Fitness. "As we celebrate this year's ranking, we want to recognize the operational excellence of Crunch franchisees and team members, and the legendary experiences we create at our gyms across the U.S. and around the globe. Above all, we look forward to transforming lives as we treat every check-in as a moment of truth in our clubs. Growth is on the other side of legendary experiences. We are here to deliver both."

"For 47 years, the Franchise 500 has been the gold standard for identifying franchise excellence. This year's ranking proves that the best brands don't just survive changing markets; they thrive in them," said Jason Feifer, Entrepreneur's editor in chief. "These 500 companies represent some of the most reliable pathways to business ownership in America, each one vetted through our rigorous analysis of what actually drives franchisee success."

In Entrepreneur's continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace, the company's 47-year-old ranking formula continues to evolve as well. Each franchise is thoroughly evaluated and given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. The 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500® in ranking order.

Over its 47 years in existence, the Franchise 500® has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for prospective franchisees. Crunch Fitness' position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity.

To view Crunch Fitness in the full ranking, visit www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500. Results can also be seen in the January/February 2026 issue of Entrepreneur, available on newsstands January 13th.

About Crunch Fitness:

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 over 3.5 million members with over 550 gyms worldwide in 41 states, the District of Columbia, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain and India. Crunch is rapidly expanding across the U.S. and around the globe.

SOURCE Crunch Fitness