Howard Johnson and the Rise of Franchised Lodging

The road trip boom of the 1950s fueled more than just car sales.

It also created a hunger for predictable places to sleep and eat.

Enter Howard Johnson’s.

Originally an ice cream and soda fountain in Massachusetts, Howard Johnson expanded into restaurants and motels, offering a consistent, family-friendly experience across the growing American highway system.

By the 1960s, “HoJo’s” was the largest restaurant chain in the U.S., with hundreds of franchised locations. It offered a clean room, a known menu, and the bright orange roof travelers could spot from the road.

More than a brand, Howard Johnson’s was a trusted promise to families: wherever you are, you’re home here.

It paved the way for other hotel franchises like Holiday Inn, Best Western, and eventually Marriott—franchises that transformed lodging from local guesswork to global consistency.

The lesson? Familiarity builds trust. And trust builds repeat customers.

The Process of Working With a Franchise Broker

I often to speak with aspiring entrepreneurs who, on their own, have spent months, sometimes years, researching dozens or hundreds of franchises without ever opening a business.

When you work with a franchise brokerage like Quantum Franchise Group you enjoy several advantages that help you open a business sooner, and more safely, than those who go it alone.

Here’s what our process looks like.

Introduction Call: We'll begin our work together with a brief introduction call. We'll get to know one another, discuss your goals and financial position, and begin the process. You can book an introduction call here.

Entrepreneurial Assessment: As we begin research to identify the best franchise options for you, we'll ask you to complete our 15-minute entrepreneurial assessment. A powerful tool to help us find the best fit! You can take the free assessment here.

Brand Presentation Meeting: After a few days of research, we'll meet for about an hour via Zoom for a high-level overview of 8 to 10 specific franchises. If we do our job well, you'll see 1 to 3 brands you'd like to explore further.

That's when we'll position you as a high-priority candidate and begin our due diligence together.

Due Diligence Coaching: The process of evaluating a franchise usually takes 8 to 12 weeks with several steps, calls, meetings, and documents to review.

We'll have a weekly strategy call to debrief each step that's happened, address concerns, and prepare you for the next step.

Through this process we are your coach and advocate to help you make the best decision.

Funding and Legal Support: At the appropriate stage of the process we'll introduce you to our funding experts who will help you evaluate options such as SBA loans, 401K rollovers, and other ways to fund your new business.

We'll also introduce you to our franchise attorney for a one-hour free consultation. For a fee he will also conduct a comprehensive review of the franchise agreement to make sure you are protected as the owner.

Confirmation and Award Day: As you reach the finish line with your favorite franchise, we'll make sure you're fully prepared to attend the confirmation and award day meeting, which may happen in person at their headquarters, or virtually.

After you've been awarded your franchise, and open for business, we'll support you with a press release published to over 200 media outlets to assist with lead generation and website SEO optimization.