RANKED · 355 BRANDS QUALIFY · SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT

Which franchises are SBA lenders backing away from?

Ranked by the steepest drop in the number of distinct SBA lenders willing to finance the brand — comparing 2021-and-later approvals with 2016–2020. When the banks that know a brand best stop writing new loans, that is revealed preference, often years ahead of the disclosures.

BASELINE ACROSS ALL RATED BRANDS: 14.8% OF RESOLVED SBA LOANS CHARGED OFF

Top 50Distinct lenders FY21+ vs FY16–20

#	Brand	Distinct lenders FY21+ vs FY16–20	Record	SBA loans
1	18/8 Fine Men'S Salons	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 8 FY16–20 · 15.0% lifetime default	46
2	Allstate Insurance	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 23 FY16–20 · 3.5% lifetime default	282
3	Ampm Mini Market- Arco	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 16 FY16–20 · 0.0% lifetime default	88
4	Baja Fresh Mexican Grill	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 10 FY16–20 · 20.4% lifetime default	64
5	Best Western Inn	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 40 FY16–20 · 11.8% lifetime default	887
6	Bright Star Healthcare/Brightstar	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 22 FY16–20 · 6.7% lifetime default	64
7	Burgerim	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 51 FY16–20 · 38.2% lifetime default	125
8	Chevron (Gas Station)	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 25 FY16–20 · 6.6% lifetime default	540
9	Complete Nutrition	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 13 FY16–20 · 26.2% lifetime default	67
10	Conoco Service Station	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 8 FY16–20 · 13.8% lifetime default	138
11	Country Inns & Suites	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 24 FY16–20 · 12.1% lifetime default	179
12	Days Inn	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 56 FY16–20 · 15.2% lifetime default	1,344
13	Doctors Express	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 12 FY16–20 · 7.7% lifetime default	46
14	Elements Therapeutic Massage	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 15 FY16–20 · 2.9% lifetime default	75
15	EmbroidMe	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 11 FY16–20 · 48.4% lifetime default	37
16	Erbert & Gerbert'S Subs & Clubs	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 9 FY16–20 · 16.7% lifetime default	52
17	Fedex Ground	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 40 FY16–20 · 7.7% lifetime default	257
18	General Nutrition Center	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 10 FY16–20 · 12.4% lifetime default	248
19	Little Caesar Pizza	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 43 FY16–20 · 7.5% lifetime default	228
20	Mathnasium Learning Center	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 11 FY16–20 · 0.0% lifetime default	50
21	Microtel	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 16 FY16–20 · 20.4% lifetime default	367
22	Mobil Oil (Stations)	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 10 FY16–20 · 7.8% lifetime default	267
23	Napa Auto Parts	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 10 FY16–20 · 7.4% lifetime default	261
24	Papa Murphy'S	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 28 FY16–20 · 6.7% lifetime default	559
25	Philly Soft Pretzel Factory	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 8 FY16–20 · 28.4% lifetime default	83
26	Ramada Inn	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 20 FY16–20 · 18.1% lifetime default	547
27	Shell Service Station	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 33 FY16–20 · 6.9% lifetime default	438
28	The Joint...the chiropractic place	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 8 FY16–20 · 0.0% lifetime default	52
29	The Woodhouse Day Spa	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 11 FY16–20 · 0.0% lifetime default	32
30	Togo'S Eatery	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 8 FY16–20 · 16.3% lifetime default	154
31	True Value Hardware	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 16 FY16–20 · 14.7% lifetime default	318
32	WE ROCK THE SPECTRUM KID'S GYM FOR ALL KIDS	−100%	0 lenders FY21+ vs 11 FY16–20 · 25.0% lifetime default	22
33	Freshii	−96%	1 lenders FY21+ vs 24 FY16–20 · 32.4% lifetime default	43
34	I LOVE KICKBOXING	−95%	2 lenders FY21+ vs 42 FY16–20 · 27.8% lifetime default	181
35	SERVICEMASTER CLEAN	−95%	1 lenders FY21+ vs 20 FY16–20 · 0.0% lifetime default	84
36	Planet Fitness	−95%	1 lenders FY21+ vs 19 FY16–20 · 0.0% lifetime default	173
37	State Farm Insurance	−94%	1 lenders FY21+ vs 16 FY16–20 · 2.5% lifetime default	133
38	Bishops	−93%	1 lenders FY21+ vs 14 FY16–20 · 14.3% lifetime default	40
39	Which Wich	−93%	3 lenders FY21+ vs 40 FY16–20 · 21.0% lifetime default	204
40	Experimac	−90%	1 lenders FY21+ vs 10 FY16–20 · 68.1% lifetime default	82
41	Valvoline Instant Oil Change	−89%	1 lenders FY21+ vs 9 FY16–20 · 5.3% lifetime default	96
42	Pinot's Palette	−87%	2 lenders FY21+ vs 15 FY16–20 · 21.2% lifetime default	49
43	Zoup	−85%	2 lenders FY21+ vs 13 FY16–20 · 19.7% lifetime default	96
44	Honest-1	−84%	3 lenders FY21+ vs 19 FY16–20 · 14.3% lifetime default	85
45	Orange Leaf	−84%	3 lenders FY21+ vs 19 FY16–20 · 33.0% lifetime default	106
46	Tutor Doctor	−80%	2 lenders FY21+ vs 10 FY16–20 · 34.8% lifetime default	84
47	PITA PIT	−79%	4 lenders FY21+ vs 19 FY16–20 · 30.6% lifetime default	161
48	Knights Inn	−76%	8 lenders FY21+ vs 34 FY16–20 · 16.8% lifetime default	203
49	Painting With a Twist	−76%	5 lenders FY21+ vs 21 FY16–20 · 11.1% lifetime default	68
50	Buffalo Wings & Rings	−75%	2 lenders FY21+ vs 8 FY16–20 · 38.0% lifetime default	73

Methodology & sourcing

For each brand we count distinct lending banks in two windows — fiscal 2016–2020 and fiscal 2021-present — from the SBA 7(a) FOIA files, and rank by the largest proportional decline. Brands need at least 8 distinct lenders in the earlier window to qualify, so the base is meaningful. Lender flight has benign look-alikes (a brand whose franchisees graduate to conventional financing sheds SBA lenders too), so lifetime charge-off rate is shown alongside for context.

Universe: every franchise brand matched in the U.S. Small Business Administration's 7(a) and 504 loan FOIA files, fiscal 1991 to present (data.sba.gov). This is federal public-record data about loans to franchisees — independent of anything the franchisor discloses. Brand links lead to the full sourced profile where one exists. See the site methodology for name-matching and cohort rules.

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