Wonderly Lights
2 contacts
Investment
$82K – $115K
Item 19 (Reported)
$158K
Units
32
SBA charge-off
N/A
Home Services
Report data issueFDD '24
Best Franchises to Open in Chicago2026 data · Illinois
Chicago's dense metro area and established franchise culture support a wide range of brands, from QSR and pizza to home services and senior care. Below are the top-rated franchise brands nationally — these opportunities are available in Chicago and across Illinois. Every rating is based on public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan records.
Brands analyzed
3,025
Avg. investment
$935K
Top category
Full-Service Restaurants
Top-rated franchise opportunities
Sorted by FranchiseVerdict score. A-rated and B-rated brands with the strongest fundamentals appear first.
Pool Scouts
3 contacts
Investment
$103K – $135K
Item 19 (Reported)
$292K
Units
81
SBA charge-off
~0.0%(n=11)
Cleaning & Maintenance
Report data issueFDD '24
Andy's Frozen Custard
47 contacts
Investment
$1.1M – $2.9M
Item 19 (Reported)
$1.4M
Units
147
SBA charge-off
Limited data
Quick-Service Restaurants
Report data issueFDD '24
Ellianos Coffee
40 contacts
Investment
$187K – $1.4M
Item 19 (Reported)
$1.3M
Units
73
SBA charge-off
0.0%(n=36)
Quick-Service Restaurants
Report data issueFDD '26
Life Saver Pool Fence®
11 contacts
Investment
$72K – $106K
Item 19 (Reported)
$555K
Units
10
SBA charge-off
N/A
Home Services
Report data issueFDD '25
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice
219 contacts
Investment
$295K – $744K
Item 19 (Reported)
$469K
Units
163
SBA charge-off
0.0%(n=186)
Quick-Service Restaurants
Report data issueFDD '25
Culver's
892 contacts
Investment
$2.8M – $6.9M
Item 19 (Reported)
$3.5M
Units
944
SBA charge-off
0.0%(n=114)
Full-Service Restaurants
Report data issueFDD '24
CruiseOne / Dream Vacations
82 contacts
Investment
$13K – $21K
Item 19 (Reported)
$588K
Units
2,175
SBA charge-off
Limited data
Pet Services
Report data issueFDD '25
Renovation Sells
18 contacts
Investment
$79K – $101K
Item 19 (Reported)
N/A
Units
43
SBA charge-off
Limited data
Real Estate
Report data issueFDD '24
Goldfish Swim School
15 contacts
Investment
$1.7M – $3.7M
Item 19 (Reported)
$2.0M
Units
199
SBA charge-off
0.0%(n=106)
Education
Report data issueFDD '26
Wingstop
100 contacts
Investment
$259K – $912K
Item 19 (Reported)
$1.8M
Units
1,926
SBA charge-off
0.8%(n=158)
Quick-Service Restaurants
Report data issueFDD '24
7 Brew
41 contacts
Investment
$894K – $2.2M
Item 19 (Reported)
$2.0M
Units
321
SBA charge-off
~0.0%(n=16)
Quick-Service Restaurants
Report data issueFDD '25
SkyRun
78 contacts
Investment
$105K – $154K
Item 19 (Reported)
$2.1M
Units
48
SBA charge-off
Limited data
Real Estate
Report data issueFDD '25
Amazing Athletes
95 contacts
Investment
$75K – $101K
Item 19 (Reported)
$258K
Units
171
SBA charge-off
Limited data
Health & Fitness
Report data issueFDD '26
HOMEstretch
68 contacts
Investment
$104K – $217K
Item 19 (Reported)
$386K
Units
167
SBA charge-off
N/A
Quick-Service Restaurants
Report data issueFDD '26
Filter by your budget
Not every franchise fits every budget. Use the investment filter to find brands in your price range.
Talk to franchise owners in Illinois
The best due diligence is a phone call. FranchiseVerdict provides verified franchisee contact lists filtered by state — get phone numbers and locations for current owners in Illinois so you can hear directly from operators before you invest.
Get owner contacts — $49/brand