{"id":51563,"date":"2026-04-07T13:44:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T17:44:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/?p=51563"},"modified":"2026-04-07T13:44:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T17:44:32","slug":"trump-like-franchisor-behavior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/trump-like-franchisor-behavior","title":{"rendered":"If a Franchise System Was Run Like Trump Runs America, Franchisees Would Get Crushed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"620\" height=\"338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-trump-like-franchisor-620x338.jpg\" alt=\"franchisor ceo with Trump like behavior\" class=\"wp-image-51715\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-trump-like-franchisor-620x338.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-trump-like-franchisor-320x175.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-trump-like-franchisor-768x419.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-trump-like-franchisor-370x202.jpg 370w, https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-trump-like-franchisor-270x147.jpg 270w, https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-trump-like-franchisor-570x311.jpg 570w, https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-trump-like-franchisor-740x404.jpg 740w, https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-trump-like-franchisor.jpg 1408w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;ve spent 25+ years in the franchise industry. I&#8217;ve seen good franchisors. I&#8217;ve seen bad ones. I&#8217;ve seen systems that looked great in the brochure and turned into nightmares the moment you signed on the dotted line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I&#8217;ve never seen anything quite like what&#8217;s happening in Washington right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/opinion\/columnist\/2026\/04\/05\/trump-iran-hegseth-economy-gas-rogan\/89435287007\/?tbref=hp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">you can remain in denial<\/a>. It&#8217;s your choice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But our country is in deep trouble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>As of This Writing, the United States is in Trouble<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There&#8217;s only one reason we&#8217;re in trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s because we elected Trump to be President. The result?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/tariffs-hurt-franchisees\">Trump&#8217;s tariffs<\/a> are costing small businesses and consumers a ton of money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Likewise, inflation still isn&#8217;t improving. And interest rates are high. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So much for &#8220;<em>lowering costs on day one<\/em>.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oh&#8230;and Trump stupidly started a war with a nation that has lots of powerful weapons and 90 million people who take serious pride in their country and culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, Trump campaigned on withdrawing from &#8220;<em>forever conflicts<\/em>&#8221; and stopping the US from being the &#8220;<em>policeman of the world<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And it got me thinking; what would actually happen to a franchise brand \u2014 and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/franchisee-failures-reduce-them\">franchisees who invested their life savings into it<\/a>, if the business was run the same way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let me show you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2>What Would Trump-Like Franchisor Behavior Look Like? 6 Horrible Examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. The FDD Would Change Every Week<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You sign a franchise <a href=\"https:\/\/franchiseelawyer.com\/blog\/what-are-the-differences-between-the-fdd-and-the-franchise-agreement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">agreement<\/a>. You borrow $300,000. You hire a team of employees. You advertise. You open your doors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then Monday morning hits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All of a sudden, headquarters dictates new operational <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/buying-franchise-disclosure-documents\">requirements<\/a>. Reversed policies. Core brand standards&#8230;gone. Not because the franchisee advisory council voted on it. Not because the data supported it. Because the person at the top decided it. By memo. Overnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s exactly what&#8217;s happening with tariff policy right now. Businesses across America are trying to plan, budget, and survive while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2025\/05\/28\/trump-wall-street-acronym-tariffs-00372814\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the rules keep shifting on a weekly basis<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Franchise<\/strong> <strong>Fact<\/strong>: Uncertainty kills franchise growth. Franchisees borrow real money to open real businesses. Lenders need stability. If the franchisor&#8217;s policies shift based on mood or ego, the SBA probably won&#8217;t touch it. And smart investors will walk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wait. Don&#8217;t get me started on all the things <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/tariff-damage-to-franchises-small-businesses\">the SBA Administrator<\/a> has been doing to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/trump-administration-drastic-sba-cuts\">gut the SBA<\/a>.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2>A Loyalty-First Franchise System Would Suck<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Loyalists Get Rewarded. Performers Get Watched.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a healthy franchise system, the best operators get recognized. They get support. They get held up as models for the rest of the system to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But in a loyalty-first system?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The franchisee who publicly praises the CEO and the other executives at every convention gets the prime territory. The one who raises a legitimate concern at a franchisee summit \u2014 about food costs, about marketing fund spending, about an internet marketing program that doesn&#8217;t work in their market? A question about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/franchise-royalties\">perceived high royalties<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Suddenly their renewal is &#8220;<em>under review<\/em>.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s not a franchise system. That&#8217;s a protection racket with a logo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Vendors and Suppliers Get Weaponized<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every franchise system has an approved vendor list. That list is supposed to serve franchisees. Lower costs through volume purchases. Consistent quality across locations. Protection for the brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now imagine that list changing based on who the franchisor is feuding with that week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your approved food supplier? Gone. New one costs 30% more. Your marketing fund? Redirected to promote the franchisor&#8217;s personal brand. Your local co-op advertising dollars? Who knows where those went. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maybe the CEO and her family pockets that money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Franchisees eat the losses. The franchisor collects royalties either way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sound familiar? It should. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because it&#8217;s Trump-like behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2>So Much for Franchisee Advisory Councils<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. The Franchisee Advisory Council Becomes Theater<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot of franchise brands have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.restaurantbusinessonline.com\/financing\/mcdonalds-goes-battle-over-joint-employer-rules-its-franchisees\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a Franchisee Advisory Council<\/a>. An FAC gives operators a real voice. Legitimate concerns get raised. Real issues get addressed. It&#8217;s one of the signs of a healthy system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this scenario? The FAC gets gutted&#8230;shut down. Or it stays alive as a prop. Hand-picked members. Scripted meetings. Zero real pushback allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Labor costs killing your location? Good luck. Royalty structure eating your margins? Noted. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/understanding-franchise-marketing-fees\">Marketing fund being mismanaged<\/a>? Someone will look into it. Eventually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nobody looks into it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Speak Up and Get Punished<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where it gets really ugly. And super-Trump-like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Any franchisee who talks to the press, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/ftc-franchise-guidance\">files a complaint with the FTC<\/a>, or starts organizing with other owners to push back on the franchisor?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They get audited. Their transfer request gets denied. Their renewal gets slow-walked until they give up or go away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s the thing. I&#8217;ve seen versions of this in real franchise systems. Bad franchisors have been doing this for years. The current political playbook didn&#8217;t invent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/investigates\/special-report\/usa-trump-retribution-tracker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">retribution<\/a>. It just made it normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s dangerous. In Washington <strong>and<\/strong> in franchising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2>A Dying Trump-Like Franchise Brand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. The Brand Itself Starts Dying<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consumer trust in a franchise brand is everything. Walk into any location and you expect the same experience. That consistency is the whole point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if the franchisor is constantly in the news for erratic decisions, public feuds, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jdsupra.com\/legalnews\/the-ftc-initiates-rare-enforcement-8547054\">potential grifting like Burgerim<\/a> and policy reversals, customers notice. They get uncomfortable. Foot traffic drops. Sales slide. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/franchise-opportunity-for-veterans\">Franchisees suffer<\/a>. The brand can suffer a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the franchisor? They keep collecting royalties on the way down. Then they blame the franchisees for underperforming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Classic bad franchisor move \u2014 and a perfect example of Trump-like behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2>The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The franchise model only works when there is a clear, stable, enforceable agreement and both sides honor it. Period. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What I just described is a system where one side rewrites the rules whenever it&#8217;s convenient. Where loyalty beats performance. Where dissent gets punished. Where the people at the top protect themselves while the people doing the actual work absorb the damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s not franchising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s a system designed to extract wealth from people who trusted the brand \u2014 and leave them holding the bag when it falls apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/franchise-business-brokers\">I&#8217;ve been warning franchise buyers<\/a> about systems like this for 25 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I just never thought I&#8217;d have to use the freaking White House as an example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&rsquo;ve spent 25+ years in the franchise industry. I&rsquo;ve seen good franchisors. I&rsquo;ve seen bad ones. I&rsquo;ve seen systems that looked great in the brochure and turned into nightmares the moment you signed on the dotted line. But I&rsquo;ve never seen anything quite like what&rsquo;s happening in Washington right now. Now, you can remain in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":51715,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[2454,1768],"class_list":["post-51563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-op-ed","tag-bad-franchisors","tag-trump"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Examples of Trump-Like Franchisor Behavior &#8212; The Franchise King\u00ae<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What would Trump-like behavior from a franchisor look like? How bad would it be for franchisees and the industry as a whole?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thefranchiseking.com\/trump-like-franchisor-behavior\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"If a Franchise System Was Run Like Trump Runs America, Franchisees Would Get Crushed\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What would Trump-like behavior from a franchisor look like? 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