Pizza Franchise Outlook for the Southeast
Each year, the International Franchise Association provides entrepreneurs and investors with an overview of trends in the United States franchise market. Packed with information about the health of the franchise industry, as well as breakdowns by segment and state, it’s a helpful guide that may assist you in making smarter franchise investments.
For 2025, the IFA is once again calling out the remarkable strength of the QSR industry, of which pizza franchises like Hungry Howie’s are a part. It has also indicated that the Southeast region of the United States is a particularly good place to invest. From business-friendly climates to stable economic growth, the Southeast has quite a lot to offer potential pizza franchise owners.
It’s a great time to invest in the Southeast, and an even better time to invest in the pizza industry. Explore your Southeastern franchise opportunities with Hungry Howie’s.
Fertile Ground for Franchise Growth
The IFA’s 2025 Franchising Economic Outlook includes six Southeastern states in their top 10 states for franchise growth, with four of the top five states – Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina – coming from the region[1]. In the report, the IFA notes that 30.4% of the total projected franchise units in 2025 will be located in the Southeast[2].
So, what makes the Southeast such a uniquely promising place to open a pizza franchise? Let’s take a closer look at the trends driving this growth.
Economic and Population Growth
Many of the fastest-growing states in America are located in the Southeast. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, Florida and South Carolina were in the top five states for population growth from July 2023 to July 2024, with the rest of the Southeast not far behind. When long-term population growth is considered, the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center projects that the South as a whole will experience more population growth than any other region through 2050. More residents create more economic opportunities.
Additionally, the Southeastern states have robust tourism markets, whether visitors are coming for beaches along the coast, historical attractions, the vibrant culture in popular Southern cities like Atlanta and Charleston, or world-class recreation. These visitors help to boost the local economy, giving trusted franchise brands like Hungry Howie’s even more chances to thrive.
Business-Friendly Policies
Southeastern states pride themselves on being great places to do business. As a matter of fact, Forbes’ most recent list of the Best States for Business includes three Southeastern states in the top five, with North Carolina coming in at number one. CNBC’s 2024 list had Virginia atop the list and North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida rounding out the top five. These states create a business-friendly climate by structuring their tax systems in a way that is favorable to entrepreneurs, keeping the cost of doing business competitive, and committing to technology and innovation.
QSR Franchises Remain Smart Investments
Many savvy investors have at least one QSR franchise in their portfolio, and it’s not hard to see why. Quick-serve restaurants continue to experience stable growth, with 2.2% growth in new units, 2.6% growth in employment, and 5.4% growth in overall industry output projected by IFA for 2025[3].
Though inflation and food costs continue to be a concern, QSR restaurants are responding by creating more value for their customers through promotions. Beyond that, as more workers return to the office, on-the-go options and menu items that can feed a group – like pizza – are expected to grow in popularity.
One considerable plus to QSR franchising is the segment’s ability to adapt. Convenience is a top priority in the post-pandemic landscape, with many consumers preferring to order their meals digitally and either have them delivered or pick them up on the go. While Hungry Howie’s has long centered our services around carryout and delivery, we’ve continued evolving to meet the needs of our customers with more online offerings and a loyalty rewards program, Howie Rewards, that encourages return visits.
Bring Hungry Howie’s to the Southeast
Hungry Howie’s is pleased to offer single and multi-unit franchise opportunities to investors in available markets throughout the Southeast. Top-quality pizza is welcome in any community, and with so many new arrivals to the Southeast from regions where Hungry Howie’s is a mainstay, there’s potential to profit from untapped customer loyalty.
It’s true that you have a wide range of choices when you’re considering a pizza franchise, but Hungry Howie’s stands out from the rest. Although our menu is simple and streamlined, our brand prioritizes innovation, with our one-of-a-kind Flavored Crust® making our menu more expansive than our competitors.
We’ve also developed our business model to maximize efficiency. Hungry Howie’s focuses on delivery and carryout rather than dine-in service, allowing us to meet the needs of pizza lovers in any community. With this small operational footprint, we have a lower investment cost per square foot than many of our competitors, which leads in turn to a higher sales-to-investment ratio.
Though we don’t currently have territories for purchase in Virginia, every other Southeastern state is open for single and multi-unit agreements. If you’re interested in franchising with Hungry Howie’s in the Southeast and beyond,
Let’s Get Started
Hungry Howie’s is growing throughout the Southeast, and we want you to be part of it. Our franchise development team is seeking entrepreneurs who share our core values and commitment to service to bring our brand to this fast-growing region. We’ll guide you through each step of the franchise process, helping you find pizza franchise success in the Southeast’s many high-growth markets.
To explore pizza franchise costs, Hungry Howie’s pizza locations in your area, and other requirements for joining our franchise system, request more information today.
