Biggest Shifts in Franchise SBA Loan Size
SBA 7(a) loan default data, FY2010–FY2019 · Updated 2026
Among 213 franchise brands with at least 20 resolved 2010s SBA 7(a) loans and 10 loans since 2020, the average loan grew most at TeamLogic IT ($99,390 to $472,614, +376%) and shrank most at Mellow Mushroom ($1,154,957 to $886,250, -23%), according to U.S. Small Business Administration data. The median brand's average loan changed by +54%.
Most SBA default figures published online use loans approved since 2020 — loans that have had six years or less to fail — so those rates are floors, not outcomes. Every rate on this site is computed from the matured FY2010–FY2019 cohort: loans that have been paid in full or charged off, so the result is settled. Loans approved since 2020 are shown as counts so early charge-offs are visible without being mistaken for a rate.
Which 25 franchises saw the biggest increase in average SBA loan size?
A rising average loan is often consistent with larger or costlier units, more real-estate-heavy deals, or a shift toward multi-unit borrowers. It does not by itself mean the franchise became more expensive to open. Compare with the brand's Item 7 in its FDD.
| Rank | Brand | Avg loan, 2010s | Avg loan since 2020 | Change | Loans 2010s / since 2020 | Default rate, 2010s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TeamLogic IT | $99,390 | $472,614 | +376% | 21 / 35 | 4.8% |
| 2 | Liberty Tax Service | $124,834 | $557,777 | +347% | 122 / 26 | 9.8% |
| 3 | Great Clips | $219,089 | $952,805 | +335% | 222 / 43 | 2.3% |
| 4 | Line-x | $176,573 | $752,200 | +326% | 41 / 23 | 14.6% |
| 5 | Visiting Angels | $209,133 | $772,373 | +269% | 49 / 77 | 2.0% |
| 6 | Wild Birds Unlimited | $112,357 | $385,883 | +243% | 33 / 47 | 3.0% |
| 7 | Minuteman Press | $161,946 | $545,889 | +237% | 82 / 84 | 17.1% |
| 8 | Servpro | $285,649 | $934,026 | +227% | 287 / 199 | 4.5% |
| 9 | CertaPro Painters | $169,124 | $512,951 | +203% | 50 / 80 | 12.0% |
| 10 | U.S. Lawns | $215,064 | $648,319 | +201% | 22 / 27 | 22.7% |
| 11 | Two Men and a Truck | $289,559 | $824,708 | +185% | 46 / 51 | 2.2% |
| 12 | Paul Davis Restoration | $293,015 | $792,721 | +171% | 49 / 87 | 10.2% |
| 13 | Jackson Hewitt Tax Service | $401,005 | $1,069,376 | +167% | 46 / 25 | 2.2% |
| 14 | Budget Blinds | $177,207 | $466,792 | +163% | 106 / 193 | 6.6% |
| 15 | Uptown Cheapskate | $223,500 | $543,432 | +143% | 26 / 74 | 11.5% |
| 16 | Plato's Closet | $222,080 | $537,534 | +142% | 80 / 44 | 1.2% |
| 17 | Pizza Ranch | $505,331 | $1,215,204 | +140% | 36 / 24 | 2.8% |
| 18 | Restoration 1 | $119,453 | $282,164 | +136% | 32 / 61 | 3.1% |
| 19 | Cold Stone Creamery | $171,088 | $400,124 | +134% | 102 / 183 | 2.0% |
| 20 | Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory | $189,805 | $441,075 | +132% | 23 / 12 | 13.0% |
| 21 | The Little Gym | $172,969 | $398,680 | +130% | 26 / 109 | 7.7% |
| 22 | Sport Clips | $226,275 | $519,442 | +130% | 489 / 85 | 5.9% |
| 23 | Mountain Mike's Pizza | $299,144 | $678,074 | +127% | 32 / 62 | 3.1% |
| 24 | PrimoHoagies | $156,152 | $351,634 | +125% | 21 / 35 | 19.0% |
| 25 | Round Table Pizza | $374,326 | $822,373 | +120% | 27 / 26 | 3.7% |
Source: U.S. SBA 7(a) FOIA loan data. Loans approved FY2010–FY2019, statuses as of June 30, 2026. Download this table (CSV).
Which 25 franchises saw the biggest decrease in average SBA loan size?
A falling average loan is often consistent with smaller formats, more working-capital loans to existing owners, or lenders financing a smaller share of each deal.
| Rank | Brand | Avg loan, 2010s | Avg loan since 2020 | Change | Loans 2010s / since 2020 | Default rate, 2010s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mellow Mushroom | $1,154,957 | $886,250 | -23% | 79 / 10 | 15.2% |
| 2 | Menchie's | $292,940 | $238,561 | -19% | 187 / 41 | 17.6% |
| 3 | Primrose Schools | $2,535,949 | $2,089,298 | -18% | 190 / 171 | 0.5% |
| 4 | Wendy's | $1,320,065 | $1,094,639 | -17% | 26 / 18 | 0.0% |
| 5 | Rainbow Restoration | $307,751 | $258,668 | -16% | 53 / 81 | 28.3% |
| 6 | Burger King | $1,120,365 | $961,332 | -14% | 63 / 41 | 4.8% |
| 7 | Row House | $345,896 | $342,924 | -1% | 23 / 17 | 13.0% |
| 8 | Kids R Kids | $2,354,346 | $2,397,820 | +2% | 61 / 20 | 0.0% |
| 9 | Window Genie | $155,240 | $159,794 | +3% | 50 / 52 | 58.0% |
| 10 | Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids | $147,387 | $153,280 | +4% | 37 / 10 | 10.8% |
| 11 | Ramada | $2,533,359 | $2,696,350 | +6% | 63 / 42 | 1.6% |
| 12 | Baymont Inn & Suites | $2,314,165 | $2,491,711 | +8% | 95 / 122 | 4.2% |
| 13 | Nekter Juice Bar | $296,823 | $322,648 | +9% | 26 / 40 | 11.5% |
| 14 | Patrice & Associates | $126,218 | $137,558 | +9% | 33 / 52 | 36.4% |
| 15 | The Grounds Guys | $162,696 | $178,222 | +10% | 55 / 162 | 36.4% |
| 16 | MaidPro | $178,285 | $196,521 | +10% | 20 / 19 | 15.0% |
| 17 | Candlewood Suites | $3,808,504 | $4,218,975 | +11% | 22 / 20 | 0.0% |
| 18 | Amazing Lash Studio | $394,727 | $437,826 | +11% | 116 / 42 | 13.8% |
| 19 | Deka Lash | $225,036 | $252,072 | +12% | 28 / 40 | 14.3% |
| 20 | CycleBar | $442,856 | $497,070 | +12% | 72 / 40 | 9.7% |
| 21 | Tutor Doctor | $103,234 | $115,917 | +12% | 58 / 12 | 36.2% |
| 22 | The Goddard School | $1,673,072 | $1,887,164 | +13% | 194 / 264 | 3.1% |
| 23 | Kiddie Academy | $1,385,868 | $1,588,742 | +15% | 160 / 169 | 4.4% |
| 24 | Which Wich | $311,941 | $360,700 | +16% | 144 / 10 | 22.2% |
| 25 | Bee Hive Homes | $1,900,009 | $2,202,968 | +16% | 43 / 28 | 2.3% |
Source: U.S. SBA 7(a) FOIA loan data. Loans approved FY2010–FY2019, statuses as of June 30, 2026. Download this table (CSV).
How to read this
- Minimum loans. A rate on a handful of loans is noise: at 20 loans one default moves the rate by 5 percentage points. Ranked tables therefore require 50 resolved loans and distribution statistics require 20.
- SBA-borrower skew. SBA 7(a) borrowers are typically less capitalized than all-cash buyers, so these rates can overstate risk for well-funded operators and understate nothing.
- Not unit closures. A charge-off is a lending outcome recorded by a federal agency, not a count of closed stores. Some failed units never had SBA loans; some charged-off borrowers kept operating.
- Cohort seasoning. Every rate uses loans approved FY2010–FY2019 that have since been paid in full or charged off. Loans approved since 2020 are shown as counts only, because most are still outstanding and a rate on them would be a floor.
- Not inflation-adjusted. Both averages are nominal dollars; a modest rise is consistent with prices alone.
Full definitions, benchmarks, name normalization, and limitations: methodology. Rate = loans charged off ÷ SBA 7(a) loans approved FY2010–FY2019 and since resolved (paid in full or charged off).
Source
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, 7(a) loan program charge-off data, FY2010–FY2019. Franchise data is matched on the SBA's franchise code / brand name. "Failure rate" here means the share of approved loans (resolved: paid in full or charged off) that were charged off; it is not a measure of unit closures. Last updated September 30, 2026.
Cite this page
Franchise Failure Rates (2026). Franchise SBA 7(a) average loan size, FY2010–FY2019 versus FY2020 onward: 213 brands. Derived from U.S. SBA FOIA data, loan statuses as of June 30, 2026.
https://franchisefailurerates.com/reports/biggest-loan-size-shift/ · Data & methodology · Download this table (CSV) · Full dataset (CSV)
Frequently asked
Which franchise's average SBA loan grew the most?
TeamLogic IT: from $99,390 in the 2010s to $472,614 since 2020, a change of +376% across 21 and 35 loans respectively.
Which franchise's average SBA loan shrank the most?
Mellow Mushroom: from $1,154,957 to $886,250, -23%.
What does a change in average loan size indicate?
It is often consistent with a change in what is being financed — unit size, real estate, multi-unit deals, or working capital — rather than a change in risk. Read it with the brand's Item 7 investment range.
How did the typical brand's average loan change?
The median brand's average SBA 7(a) loan changed by +54% between the 2010s cohort and loans approved since 2020, before any adjustment for inflation.
How this site is funded. Franchise Failure Rates takes no money from franchisors, franchise brokers, or franchise consultants. We do not sell leads, claimed listings, or franchisor reports. Revenue comes from reports and data sold to prospective franchisees, their attorneys, and lenders.