Scroll to the very bottom of the business's website and look for one line: "Each franchise is independently owned and operated." That sentence is standard boilerplate on franchise sites, and it means the business is part of a national brand. A locally owned business almost never writes it, because there's nothing to explain.
That one check catches most franchises. Here are the others we run before a small business goes on Locals Like It.
1. Read the footer and the About page
Besides the "independently owned and operated" line, look for a franchising company in the copyright notice, or a link that says "Own a franchise" or "Franchise opportunities." A locally owned business's About page usually names the owner and says when they started. A franchise About page tells the brand's story and counts its locations nationwide.
2. Check the website address
Franchise locations usually live on a page of the brand's site, like brandname.com/apex-nc or apex.brandname.com. A locally owned business almost always has its own domain.
3. Call and listen to the greeting
A franchise or national chain often answers through a central call center or a scheduling line that covers several states. Ask where they're located. A locally owned shop answers with the business name, and at an owner-operated business it's often the owner who picks up.
4. Count the locations
Search the business name on Google Maps. Twenty identical names across the Southeast is a chain. Two or three locations around the Triangle can still be a local family business - we list those.
5. Look it up with the NC Secretary of State
Every business entity registered in North Carolina is searchable on the NC Secretary of State website. The record shows the registered agent and the principal office address. A principal office in Apex, Cary or Holly Springs is a good sign. An office in another state usually means a franchise system or a corporate chain.
Why the difference is worth a minute
A franchise can be a fine place to spend money, and many are owned by people who live here. But part of every dollar goes to the brand as royalties and marketing fees, and pricing and policy often come from headquarters. When you hire a locally owned small business, the person who makes the decisions is usually the one you can call.
Every business on Locals Like It passed these checks. If you spot a franchise that slipped through, tell us and we'll take it down.
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Every business on Locals Like It is locally owned in Apex, Cary or Holly Springs, ranked by how many locals like them.