By Matt Haller, President & CEO, International Franchise Association

On the opening day of the 2026 Multi-Unit Franchising Conference (MUFC), I had the opportunity to sit down with Greg Flynn, Founder and CEO of Flynn Group and IFA Board member, for a fireside chat on the main stage.

This was a unique moment for the multi-unit, multi-brand audience to hear directly from him at MUFC for the first time. And given the scale of his enterprise—nearly 3,000 units, 78,000 employees, and about $5 billion in systemwide sales—the lessons were both practical and powerful. The Flynn Group spans eight brands, is the largest franchise operator in the world, and notably, the 3rd largest operator of restaurants in the United States after only Starbucks and Chipotle.

What follows are key themes from our conversation—framed by the questions I asked Greg and the insights he shared.

 

 

 Why franchising? Why choose this model over going it alone?

Greg told us about his first operator experience—and what he learned. Before Flynn Group, he helped build an emerging restaurant concept from scratch. Reflecting on that period, he didn’t sugarcoat it, calling it “the school of hard knocks, like, so hard, I can’t even tell you.”

That experience led to a critical realization: great franchise systems fundamentally change the risk equation. “Being a franchisee of a well-run, top tier brand gives you many advantages,” he said.

He pointed to the realities every operator in the room understands about becoming a franchisee of an established brand:

  • Built-in demand and brand awareness
  • Proven operating systems
  • Established vendor and real estate relationships
  • Scalable marketing power

“Everything about it is easier,” he said. And ultimately, “the royalty you pay… is worth it—you get more for it than it costs you.” And Greg shared how this view became the foundation of everything that followed.

How did you think about scaling—from one brand to a portfolio?

One of the most important lessons Greg shared is that his growth didn’t start with diversification—it started with focus.

Flynn Group spent more than a decade focused exclusively on Applebee’s. That period built the infrastructure—team, systems, culture, and capital access—that made future expansion possible.

When it was time to grow, Greg shared how he and his team wanted to be sure they weren’t buying into temporary fads – but concepts that have broad and general appeal.

From there, Flynn Group concentrated on “the biggest, most successful brands”—what Greg described as “premiere brands only.” That discipline drove expansion into Taco Bell, Panera, Wendy’s, and others—and it’s a reminder for any operator in growth mode: scaling isn’t about doing more things. It’s about doing more of the right things.

Why diversify beyond restaurants—and what are you looking for now?

As Flynn Group entered its next phase, the question became: what’s the third chapter? Greg’s answer was twofold—expand geographically and expand across categories. “It’s a wide world of franchising,” he said. “There are a lot of very viable franchise brands out there.”

That mindset led to international expansion into Australia and New Zealand—and into new categories like fitness. “We now have 43 Planet Fitness clubs,” he shared, adding, “I’ve just come to appreciate what a great business subscription fitness is.”

But what stood out most was how disciplined their criteria remain. Flynn Group is looking for:

  • Large, growing categories
  • Brands with proven staying power
  • Business models that scale

As Greg put it, “If we were going to play in a category, we were going to play with number one.”

How do you scale the organization without losing control?

This is where the conversation became especially relevant for the multi-unit, multi-brand franchisees in the room. As businesses grow, complexity often follows. Greg was candid about the challenge: “We’ve really struggled to keep thinking small.”

Their solution is a hybrid model—centralized support paired with decentralized decision-making. He described Flynn Group as “like a fleet of ships,” or “a state and federal model.” The support center drives efficiency, but “the main thing we do is we push authority down at the operating level.”

That authority sits with Market Presidents, each responsible for a defined geography—typically 20 to 50 units—close enough to truly know the business. And the philosophy is clear: “We trust them to make the right decisions.” Why? Because “the best people enjoy autonomy,” and “the best people are fine with accountability.”

What’s your perspective on AI, technology, and the future of the business?

In franchising, AI is becoming a major theme of change and Greg offered a grounded—and important—perspective.

Technology matters. But it’s not the core. “It’s a people business. It’s a relationship business,” he said. While automation and efficiency have their place, Greg pushed back on the idea that customers only want speed and convenience.

“People are not just buying food… they’re buying experiences.”

He pointed to examples across the industry—from Starbucks re-emphasizing the in-store experience to emerging brands like 7 Brew, where interaction is central to the model.

“They’re not selling coffee drinks only,” he said. “They’re selling interactions… people crave [that].” In a world moving fast toward automation, that’s a powerful reminder.

What does great marketing look like today—and how do you reinvent a brand?

One of the most engaging parts of our conversation was Greg’s take on marketing—and specifically, how to break through.

“There’s such a sea of sameness out there,” he said. His example of setting a new course: launching Wendy’s in Australia.

Rather than replicate the U.S. playbook, Flynn Group rethought the brand for a new market—simplifying the menu, differentiating the visual identity, and repositioning Wendy herself in a more modern, culturally relevant way.

The result? “It went completely viral,” Greg said. “We had girls all over Australia, running around in red wigs.” The second location “broke the worldwide sales records for Wendy’s by 50%.”

His takeaway was simple and powerful – that you can take a legacy brand and reframe it for a new market and new time.

Why does involvement in the IFA—and advocacy—matter?

We closed on something that matters deeply to me, and to the future of franchising – what role does advocacy play in the mind of the leader of such a large enterprise.

Greg didn’t hesitate. Franchising, he said, is “one of the greatest engines of entrepreneurial opportunity in the world.” But it’s also “misunderstood and underappreciated… and there are constant threats to it everywhere.”

That’s why engagement matters. “I think it’s our collective responsibility to protect the model,” he said.

And not just protect it—but improve it. “I think we do have a collective responsibility to improve franchising from within,” Greg added. “I think putting yourself in a room like this is part of that responsibility.”

Final Thoughts: Scaling Better, Not Just Bigger

What makes Greg Flynn’s story so compelling isn’t just the scale—it’s the clarity that he brings to his enterprise and franchising, in general:

  • Be disciplined in what you choose
  • Build the right structure to scale
  • Empower people to lead
  • Stay grounded in the customer experience
  • And protect the model that makes it all possible

For the multi-unit franchisee leaders in the room—and across our industry—those are lessons worth carrying forward. Because in the end, growth isn’t just about getting bigger. It’s about getting better – at the things that matter most.

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