7-Eleven is offering a zero franchisee fee on select 7-Eleven stores until Sept. 30, a savings of up to $80,000.
7-Eleven introduced the zero-fee program in 2015 following a period of rapid growth and brought it back in 2016. During that time, the company franchised more than 200 stores.
Now, about 200 more stores available to franchise are located in metropolitan areas across the country, including cities like Buffalo, New York; Richmond, Virginia; and Jacksonville, Florida.
“The Zero Franchise Fee program has been successful on several fronts,” said Larry Hughes, 7-Eleven VP of franchise systems. “It has provided an attainable, affordable entry point for many people wanting to go into business on their own. The company has gained greater diversity with more military veterans and Hispanics joining the franchisee family. And existing franchisees have taken the opportunity to acquire additional stores.”
7-Eleven is offering these stores to prospective qualified franchisees as well as existing 7-Eleven franchisees who want to add stores.
Prospective franchisees for Zero Franchise Fee stores will undergo the standard 7-Eleven franchise approval process, which can take five to seven months.
Basic 7-Eleven franchisee qualifications include being 21 years or older and a permanent U.S. resident, and having excellent credit and $50,000 in liquid assets. Under this program, prospective franchise owners will still be responsible for the costs of licensing, permits and the initial down payment on inventory, totaling approximately $30,000.
After an acquisition and rebranding, 7-Eleven works to establish a local customer base before looking to transition these stores from company to franchise operations.
After extensive training, 7-Eleven franchisees open their doors with a fully equipped and stocked store with retail technology, merchandising and advertising support, high-quality national and private-brand products. Franchisees operate nearly 90 percent of the 7-Eleven stores in the U.S.
