Franchising

Gen Z, millennial franchisees want purpose, flexibility, tech — not just a second career

Gong cha, Chicken Salad Chick, PrimoHoagies and Yougurtland execs reveal why franchising has become a popular career choice for millennials and Gen Z.

Source: Audrey Popov/Shutterstock

July 16, 2026 by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Summarize with

Phillip Chang, Yorgurtland

For decades, the typical restaurant franchisee has been an experienced business owner looking for a proven operating model, established systems and predictable customer and financial growth.

Enter millennials and Gen Z.

While they also value established operating systems, they're entering franchising with more diverse backgrounds, skills and expectations. Rather than viewing units as a business investment or second career, these young adults want brands that match their values, embrace technology and provide growth opportunities.

Compared to older generations, who often pursued franchising later in their careers as a second act or diversification strategy, younger franchisees are entering earlier and with a growth mindset," Yogurtland founder Phillip Chang told FastCasual. "They're also more motivated by lifestyle flexibility, brand alignment and purpose rather than just financial return."

As younger entrepreneurs enter restaurant franchising, brands are shifting everything from recruitment and training methods to technology and long-term development strategies.

By the numbers

Younger franchisees already represent a growing portion of many restaurant systems.

Gong cha president of the Americas, Geoff Henry, told FastCasual that close to 35% of his franchisees are younger than 40, while Chang said as many as 40% of Yogurtland franchisees are younger than 40.

At Chicken Salad Chick, Mark Verges, vice president of franchise development, told FastCasual that interest from younger entrepreneurs is fueling the development of approximately 300 restaurants.

PrimoHoagies has experienced a similar shift.

"As a 30-plus-year-old system with many one- to two-unit owners, we're seeing the number rise as some of our legacy franchisees begin to retire and exit the system," the company's vice president of development, Angela Coppler, told FastCasual.

"Over the past few years, we've seen younger franchisees going from less than 5% of the system to 15% to 20% of the system and still growing."

This trend reflects the broader workforce.

Mark Verges, Chicken Salad Chick

According to Deloitte's 2026 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, younger workers value flexibility, leadership opportunities, continuous learning and access to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Many also want to find purpose in their work.

Restaurant franchising increasingly checks those boxes.

"Younger franchisees are often equally motivated by flexibility, community impact and the opportunity to grow with a brand that aligns with their values," Verges said.

Economic conditions are also influencing career choices.

"Gen Z and younger millennials have encountered tightening job markets, increased experiences with layoffs, and are more apt to take a risk on making the move towards business ownership," Coppler said.

Henry is seeing this trend firsthand.

"At Gong cha, we're seeing more younger candidates come in with real intent, not just kicking the tires," he said. "They're thinking about franchising as a legitimate path to ownership and long-term growth, and that interest has continued to grow steadily."

A different skill set

The newest generation of franchisees brings a different set of strengths than their older counterparts. Many are comfortable with technology, digital marketing, data analytics and social media, abilities that help restaurants quickly adapt to changing customer preferences.

"Older franchisees may bring deeper management, financial or multi-business experience, while younger franchisees may bring speed, adaptability and digital fluency," Verges said.

Henry agreed, noting that younger operators tend to absorb new systems quickly while keeping a close eye on the customer experience.

"They tend to pick up things fast, and they're usually in tune with what guests are looking for," he said.

Such abilities can also support experimenting with local marketing campaigns, monitoring real-time guest feedback and relying on data to guide decisions.

Angela Coppler, PrimoHoagies

"They tend to think a lot about how the store feels to a customer, not just whether things are running efficiently behind the scenes," Henry said.

That willingness to test new ideas can also improve operations and growth opportunities across the system.

This doesn't mean that the newer generation doesn't benefit from their predecessors.

"While they're strong in innovation and marketing, they sometimes need support in operational discipline and team leadership," Chang said.

Rethinking franchise training

As younger entrepreneurs enter restaurant ownership, franchisors are also reconsidering how they train and support operators. Rather than lecture-style classroom instruction, younger franchisees often prefer shorter, technology-enabled learning modules, interactive content and ongoing coaching.

"They want to understand the 'why' of something, rather than simply following a process," Henry said.

"They're looking for context — how things work, what's proven and how their decisions impact the business overall."

PrimoHoagies has broadened its approach to support those expectations. Coppler said the company's onboarding goes beyond restaurant operations to include information about product sourcing and how menu items are brought to market, giving franchisees a more complete understanding of the business.

Support also extends well beyond opening day.

"That can look like more regular check-ins, easier access to tools and data or more open, collaborative conversations around things like marketing and operations," Henry said.

Preparing for the next generation

For restaurant brands, the younger demographic isn't a niche audience, but an important source of future growth. Part of this means attracting them requires more than offering franchise opportunities.

"Brands need to offer a compelling culture, strong support, modern tools and a clear path to growth," Verges said.

Chang added that younger entrepreneurs want more than ownership. They also want to be part of brands that feel current, innovative and culturally relevant.

Geoff Henry, Gong cha

To meet those expectations, franchisors may need to continue investing in technology, modernizing training programs and creating more flexible paths to ownership. Those options could include lower capital requirements, co-ownership opportunities or alternative restaurant prototypes that reduce startup costs.

At the same time, executives say the future isn't about replacing experienced franchisees with younger ones. The strongest systems will be built by combining the strengths of both.

"We find the greatest benefits in bringing together both younger and more tenured franchise owners," Coppler said.

"All can contribute to driving strong consumer engagement, continuing to improve operations and leaning into new marketing and development programs."

About Amy Sorter

Amy W. Sorter is an award-winning journalist, copywriter and content producer. Sorter has generated quality articles, blogs and thought leadership pieces for multiple industries during her many decades as a writer. Her byline has appeared in local and national publications including the American Business Journal, Connect CRE, Bankrate, CURE Magazine and the Dallas Morning News.

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