Interviewing Current Franchisees: What to Ask and What to Listen For

Buying a franchise can be one of the most exciting and rewarding steps of your career — but it’s also one of the most complex. Prospective franchisees face a flood of opportunities, conflicting advice, and hidden pitfalls that can derail even the best-laid plans.

The Franchisee Success Blueprint is designed to guide you through every stage of the franchise journey. This series focuses on helping you understand the landscape, evaluate opportunities, set realistic expectations, and develop the knowledge and tools you need to successfully launch and grow a franchise. By following these principles, you’ll increase your chances of finding a franchise that aligns with your goals, lifestyle, and financial reality.

Interviewing Current Franchisees: What to Ask and What to Listen For

Talking to existing franchisees is one of the most valuable steps in evaluating a franchise. They provide insights into day-to-day operations, corporate support, profitability, and potential challenges that no brochure or FDD can fully capture.

Key areas to focus on when interviewing franchisees:

1. Operational realities

   • How many hours do they work weekly?

   • What are the biggest daily challenges?

   • How effective is corporate support?

2. Financial performance

   • Is revenue and profit in line with expectations?

   • How accurate were the projections provided in the FDD?

3. Support and culture

   • How responsive is the franchisor to questions or issues?

   • Is there a sense of community among franchisees?

4. Lessons learned

   • What would they do differently if starting over?

   • Are there common pitfalls they wish they had anticipated?

Practical exercise:

• Prepare a list of 10–15 questions covering operations, financials, and support.

• Interview multiple franchisees to identify trends and patterns rather than relying on a single opinion.

• Document insights and compare them against your own goals, capabilities, and expectations.

Why this matters:
Franchisee interviews often reveal the hidden realities of ownership — both opportunities and challenges. Learning directly from current operators reduces risk, sets realistic expectations, and informs better decision-making.

Key takeaway:
Speaking to multiple franchisees provides a practical reality check. Their insights help you validate your research, understand operational nuances, and gain confidence in your choice before investing.