Franchises are sold as "turnkey businesses." The reality is more complicated.
A franchise buys you three things: a proven brand, a playbook, and someone to call when things go wrong. That's genuinely valuable. What it costs you is 6-10% of gross revenue forever, strict operational constraints, and a license you don't actually own.
Whether that trade makes sense depends on one number: what's your fair market wage minus the franchise fees? If you could run the same business concept independently and pocket those fees instead, you're subsidizing the franchisor's system with your time.
Franchises work great when the brand does real heavy lifting on customer acquisition. They work poorly when you're the one generating the customers anyway.
Run the math before you sign.