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FranchiseVerdict

FOIA data · 7(a) loans · FY1992 to FY2026 · as of 2025-12-31

SBA 7(a) franchise loan charge-off rates, 2026 report

One in six SBA 7(a) loans to franchise businesses has ended in a charge-off. This report takes SBA's own loan-level FOIA release, 129,240 franchise loans across 6,100 systems and 2,784 lenders, and breaks that rate down by brand, lender and state, with the method stated and every table downloadable. Use it to check a brand's loan history before you sign; read the caveats before you rank anything by it.

The headline numbers

Franchise loans disbursed
129,240
$70.3B approved
Resolved loans
94,550
paid in full or charged off
Charged off
15,145
all years
Charge-off rate
16.0%
10.1% on the FY2010-2019 cohort

A charge-off is a loan outcome, not a business outcome: it says the borrower stopped paying and SBA absorbed the loss. It says nothing about whether the units that kept paying were profitable.

By fiscal year of approval

Read the recent years with care. A loan approved in 2024 has barely had time to be repaid, let alone to fail, so its low rate is youth, not quality. The FY2010 to FY2019 cohort is old enough to judge and is shown beside every all-time figure below.

Franchise 7(a) loans by fiscal year of approval
Fiscal yearLoansResolvedCharged offRateApproved
20002,7052,69951619.1%$857.1M
20012,5652,55949819.5%$718.4M
20023,6513,64661917.0%$1.1B
20034,4024,39682518.8%$1.0B
20044,6994,67797720.9%$1.2B
20054,9174,8871,24425.5%$1.3B
20063,1693,1341,11235.5%$1.0B
20073,3043,2461,23638.1%$1.0B
20083,0262,99098232.8%$968.3M
20091,8271,80827014.9%$628.8M
20102,0682,0461808.8%$719.8M
20112,2782,2271687.5%$1.4B
20122,2542,1931557.1%$1.3B
20132,8592,7491916.9%$1.8B
20144,2384,0763308.1%$2.6B
20155,3424,9664929.9%$3.4B
20165,4774,59551311.2%$3.5B
20175,4424,23355313.1%$3.7B
20186,3764,47058513.1%$4.6B
20196,1323,68140310.9%$4.5B
20204,9812,6082047.8%$4.1B
20217,0432,7561766.4%$6.8B
20225,7721,3671239.0%$5.0B
20236,459842809.5%$4.5B
20245,14225862.3%$3.6B
20255,4604200.0%$4.4B
202613600limited data$78.4M

Download by-year.csv · all years from FY1992

By franchise system: the 50 most-financed brands

Grouped by SBA's franchise name, spelling variants folded together. A brand name links to its FranchiseVerdict page, which carries the same rate under its own curated match and may show a slightly different loan count where the match unions more spellings. Rates need 10 resolved loans; the cohort column needs 20.

Charge-off rates for the 50 most-financed franchise systems
Franchise systemLoansResolvedCharged offRate, all yearsRate, FY2010-19Approved
Subway Sandwich Shop5,0794,7683246.8%7.7%$961.7M
Quiznos2,2192,21062028.1%22.9%$331.8M
The UPS Store1,8391,102837.5%0.7%$491.4M
Dairy Queen1,4251,2601189.4%2.8%$564.0M
Mail Boxes Etc. USA1,1161,11013512.2%4.0%$135.5M
Days Inn1,0978348410.1%2.3%$1.8B
Anytime Fitness1,0938019411.7%12.2%$440.0M
Cold Stone Creamery, Inc.1,07592228631.0%2.0%$279.6M
Super 8 Motel1,071802668.2%2.5%$1.6B
Dunkin Donuts1,054999757.5%1.2%$617.3M
Domino's Pizza991829829.9%1.4%$364.6M
Jimmy John's918759455.9%7.1%$402.5M
Ace Hardware8385757713.4%6.0%$559.1M
Quality Inn by Choice Hotels /818513254.9%2.8%$1.9B
Servpro702567376.5%4.6%$293.6M
Matco Tools (Rent Tools)67165122634.7%21.7%$53.5M
Firehouse Subs6274585111.1%8.5%$189.2M
Smoothie King6054615812.6%4.0%$163.7M
Jersey Mike's580409184.4%2.3%$195.9M
Meineke Car Care57449413427.1%24.1%$192.4M
Econo Lodge Motel572416307.2%1.2%$762.1M
Tropical Smoothie Cafe5533534011.3%3.2%$194.5M
Baskin-Robbins 31 Ice Cream5494968016.1%8.9%$103.7M
Great Clips547514275.3%2.3%$118.9M
Blimpie52452116030.7%limited data$70.2M
The Goddard School52023383.4%3.3%$974.1M
Massage Envy520472408.5%10.1%$232.3M
Papa Murphy's Take & Bake Pizz484437306.9%7.6%$120.0M
Motel 646825972.7%2.5%$1.1B
Minuteman Press4553829224.1%17.3%$95.7M
Aamco Transmissions45037611630.9%22.1%$122.3M
Maaco Auto Painting Center4503937519.1%10.9%$175.6M
Marco's Pizza447277217.6%7.4%$160.6M
Ameriprise Financial44437210.3%0.3%$289.6M
Sports Clips444444204.5%1.2%$71.5M
Edible Arrangements4333615415.0%14.0%$88.3M
Schlotzsky's Sandwich Shop4324058420.7%8.8%$176.8M
Fastsigns4293013612.0%8.0%$141.7M
Curves For Women4274278018.7%15.0%$41.0M
Wingstop Restaurant426394338.4%0.7%$138.9M
Holiday Inn423310165.2%2.2%$1.1B
Best Western Inn418387348.8%2.4%$710.6M
Culver's Frozen Custard41830672.3%0.0%$500.4M
Comfort Inn41630062.0%4.8%$957.9M
Hotworx40610521.9%0.0%$152.2M
Orange Theory Fitness40431951.6%1.6%$231.5M
Cici's Pizza3993989423.6%12.5%$117.2M
Kiddie Academy378229167.0%4.5%$519.6M
Play IT Again Sports3643034414.5%5.1%$63.7M
Fantastic Sam's3573566819.1%3.4%$43.4M

Download by-brand.csv · every system with 10 or more loans, 400 rows shown here, spellings included

Highest charge-off rates

Systems with at least 30 resolved loans. Many are systems that stopped franchising; a high all-time rate with a low cohort rate is a brand whose bad years are behind it.

Highest charge-off rates, 30 or more resolved loans
SystemResolvedRateFY2010-19
24 Seven Vending3073.3%limited data
Executive Tans4669.6%limited data
Experimac5969.5%69.5%
Image Sun3268.8%limited data
Play N Trade4963.3%limited data
Window Genie6058.3%60.9%
Dental Fix Rx4858.3%58.3%
Pro Golf4257.1%limited data
Obee's Soup Salad Subs3956.4%limited data
Paciugo Italian Gelato Renaiss3154.8%limited data
Planet Beach27554.5%limited data
Golf Etc.13254.5%limited data
Camille's Sidewalk Cafe3953.8%limited data
Super Suppers Of Keller3452.9%limited data
Nick-N-Willy's Pizza3751.4%limited data

Lowest charge-off rates

Same floor. A zero on a young system means its loans have not matured; the FY2010-19 column is the fairer read.

Lowest charge-off rates, 30 or more resolved loans
SystemResolvedRateFY2010-19
Primrose Schools1570.0%0.0%
Christian Brothers Automotive2070.0%0.0%
Nothing Bundt Cakes1710.0%0.0%
Crumbl1050.0%limited data
Club Pilates1750.0%0.0%
Scooter's Coffee480.0%limited data
La Quinta by Wyndham a.k.a. La850.0%limited data
Home Instead/Home Instead Seni630.0%0.0%
Planet Fitness1220.0%0.0%
Visiting Angels780.0%0.0%
Goldfish Swim School720.0%0.0%
Smash My Trash600.0%limited data
Culligan Soft Water Service870.0%limited data
School of Rock400.0%0.0%
Chevron - Retail Supply Contra380.0%limited data

By lender: the 30 most active franchise lenders

The bank the loan is currently assigned to, as SBA records it. A lender's rate reflects which brands and borrowers it chose to fund as much as how it underwrote them.

Charge-off rates for the 30 most active franchise lenders
LenderLoansResolvedRate, all yearsRate, FY2010-19Approved
The Huntington National Bank7,8213,22411.5%8.5%$2.4B
Wells Fargo Bank National Association7,4626,55017.1%13.0%$3.1B
United Midwest Savings Bank National Association4,1971,30936.5%41.0%$877.1M
Readycap Lending, LLC4,1303,59132.4%15.8%$2.2B
PNC Bank, National Association3,4353,15917.1%3.7%$1.2B
Stearns Bank National Association3,3402,69213.0%12.3%$975.4M
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association3,0982,90514.1%7.0%$747.6M
Bank of America, National Association2,3022,13015.0%1.8%$410.5M
U.S. Bank, National Association2,0391,73414.5%9.9%$714.3M
Celtic Bank Corporation1,9161,29228.0%32.5%$1.6B
Simmons Bank1,8881,58613.6%11.8%$616.6M
Live Oak Banking Company1,8266922.3%2.6%$2.2B
Comerica Bank1,8061,77733.0%3.6%$767.9M
Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company1,7201,34813.2%14.9%$370.0M
TD Bank, National Association1,7151,37715.1%10.3%$764.3M
KeyBank National Association1,5071,09611.7%7.0%$578.6M
Truist Bank1,5041,35311.4%4.9%$585.2M
Zions Bank, A Division of1,4061,22515.6%6.0%$383.1M
Popular Bank1,2751,25248.1%limited data$311.5M
Cadence Bank1,1796279.6%7.6%$995.2M
Citizens Bank1,10444212.9%10.9%$726.1M
BMO Bank National Association1,1011,01113.2%1.6%$356.2M
Columbia Bank1,09696313.6%6.4%$760.1M
Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.96172919.2%10.0%$458.4M
Bank of Hope93878013.3%4.4%$1.0B
SouthState Bank, National Association93662210.5%5.1%$603.9M
First Bank of the Lake919863.5%limited data$543.9M
Byline Bank91750816.3%20.1%$895.1M
United Community Bank84441711.3%12.4%$574.5M
Fifth Third Bank81370617.3%11.5%$252.4M

Download by-lender.csv · every lender with 10 or more franchise loans

By state

Borrower state. Nevada has the highest rate among states with 100 or more resolved loans (21.3%); North Dakota the lowest (7.0%).

Charge-off rates by borrower state
StateLoansResolvedRate, all yearsRate, FY2010-19Approved
Texas16,17311,12320.5%14.5%$10.4B
California12,5909,61015.3%8.8%$7.7B
Florida7,9565,34820.9%12.5%$4.3B
Georgia5,9304,08515.5%8.8%$4.3B
Ohio5,7854,26013.5%7.3%$2.7B
Illinois4,6943,47416.5%11.1%$2.6B
Pennsylvania4,4693,41013.7%11.3%$2.0B
North Carolina3,9252,56914.1%8.9%$2.8B
Michigan3,8742,79614.4%7.3%$1.8B
New Jersey3,6502,70715.3%11.1%$1.7B
New York3,4842,62518.3%11.7%$1.6B
Colorado3,3162,36415.7%8.1%$1.8B
Washington3,2382,44511.9%6.6%$2.4B
Indiana3,1702,30612.7%8.2%$1.8B
Minnesota3,1672,41714.0%8.6%$1.1B
Virginia3,0352,14415.8%10.9%$1.7B
Arizona3,0182,26518.9%7.7%$1.7B
Missouri2,8722,26617.0%12.0%$1.2B
Wisconsin2,7172,11312.4%8.4%$1.3B
Tennessee2,1411,42117.5%10.7%$1.2B
Maryland2,0381,46916.7%12.5%$956.8M
Massachusetts2,0031,55412.2%8.4%$637.7M
South Carolina1,9801,30414.9%10.5%$1.5B
Utah1,7021,24711.6%8.0%$770.9M
Oklahoma1,5821,19318.2%14.1%$752.5M
Kansas1,5801,23016.4%10.1%$633.0M
Kentucky1,5391,16216.9%11.6%$724.8M
Iowa1,5031,25816.7%12.6%$504.7M
Louisiana1,4151,05516.8%12.6%$744.2M
Oregon1,3911,04815.0%9.3%$803.1M
Alabama1,35593217.1%10.2%$872.3M
Connecticut1,17689916.0%8.3%$489.1M
Nevada1,14783521.3%12.7%$571.0M
Idaho1,04778711.9%3.7%$455.8M
Nebraska97376516.1%8.8%$356.6M
Arkansas86965914.1%11.3%$472.7M
Mississippi80357015.1%7.0%$526.8M
New Mexico71652815.7%7.1%$481.9M
Montana6195308.1%3.9%$222.5M
New Hampshire56644713.0%10.3%$167.4M
West Virginia48638815.5%9.0%$221.0M
South Dakota48540911.0%7.3%$148.6M
Rhode Island44137114.3%8.1%$110.2M
Puerto Rico43338015.5%11.3%$85.5M
Delaware39029513.6%7.5%$159.3M
Maine38531513.3%11.4%$118.4M
North Dakota3833147.0%3.2%$140.8M
Wyoming29324810.5%16.0%$122.1M
Hawaii21118611.8%9.1%$40.7M
Alaska17813814.5%11.4%$93.2M
District of Columbia16211714.5%15.8%$62.3M
Vermont15413812.3%7.1%$49.4M
Guam20205.0%limited data$1.4M
U.S. Virgin Islands101010.0%limited data$3.5M
Northern Mariana Islands11limited datalimited data$150K

Download by-state.csv

Method

  1. Source. SBA's 7(a) FOIA loan-level files, fiscal years 1992 to 2026, as of 2025-12-31, downloaded from data.sba.gov. 504 loans are excluded; they finance real estate and behave differently.
  2. Franchise loans. A loan is counted when SBA's FranchiseName field is filled. That is SBA's label, not ours; it includes some dealer and licence systems SBA classifies as franchises.
  3. Counting. “Loans” are disbursed loans: paid in full, charged off, or still open. Cancelled and never-disbursed commitments are excluded. “Resolved” means paid in full or charged off; open loans are in neither the numerator nor the denominator.
  4. The rate. Charge-offs divided by resolved loans, the definition every brand page on this site uses. It is printed only with 10 or more resolved loans, and the highest and lowest lists require 30.
  5. Cohorts. The FY2010 to FY2019 column restricts the same arithmetic to loans approved in those years, old enough to have failed if they were going to. Rates on FY2022 and later approvals are not yet meaningful.
  6. Brand families. SBA spells one system several ways. A spelling is folded into the shorter name it begins with when that name is distinctive (so “Subway Sandwich Shop” joins “Subway”, but nothing joins “Pizza”). The CSV lists every spelling folded into a row. Brand pages on this site use a curated match that can union more spellings, so a page's loan count can exceed the row here; the rate is computed the same way.
  7. Amounts and jobs. Amounts are gross approvals, the whole loan rather than SBA's guaranteed share. Jobs are the lender's self-reported estimate at application, which SBA does not audit; they are in the downloads, not the tables above.
  8. What it is not. A charge-off rate measures loan outcomes. It is not a unit failure rate, not a profitability measure, and not investment advice. Read the brand's FDD and call current and former franchisees before you rely on any single number.

Cite as: FranchiseVerdict, SBA 7(a) franchise loan charge-off rates, 2026 report, from SBA FOIA data as of 2025-12-31. The tables are free to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0).