The franchise concept works best when a franchisor's standardized operations, high name recognition and efficiencies of scale all contribute to success.
Fast food is an obvious example.
In many other businesses, however, the benefits of being a franchisee are less clear. For example, while the franchise route is one way to get started in the copy shop or quick stop market business, you may enjoy equal or greater success by setting up your business without a franchise. You could better tailor your operations to the local market and perhaps run more profitably than you could as a franchiseeespecially when you subtract the costs you must pay the franchisor. After you've identified a few businesses in which you believe being a franchisee could be beneficial, investigate the franchisors in those fields. A good track record counts.