The perks and benefits of having served in the United States military service run far beyond having someone come up to you in a restaurant and pay for your dinner. Military veterans receive a lifetime of life and health insurance benefits for their families and also qualify for affordable financing for a home or to start a small business. The Small Business Administration estimates that around 10 million military veterans apply for small business financing every year. The Veterans Franchise Transition Initiative (VetFran) was founded in the 1990’s to serve as a go-between matching veterans seeking business financing with franchisors that offered special incentives to ex-military personnel. The ability to follow rules and personal self-discipline are two of the personality traits franchisors look for in a profile of a successful franchise operator. Ex-military personnel not only have experience of successfully managing a small groups of people, but are also disciplined in following orders, i.e. franchise rules, required of the franchise model. Successful franchisees are usually expected to delegate without questioning the marketing and advertising aspects of their business to the home office and pay an advertising fee. The franchisee is expected to take part in all company promotions as well as dress their staff in the required uniform. Many more decisions are made for the franchisee in advance, such as the acceptable sources to secure inventory and employee hiring allowances, and training. In addition, most franchisors that offer special military incentives, are ex-military personnel themselves and sympathetic to the post-service needs of servicemen. Once a military person becomes a franchisee, they often favour hiring ex-military people as well.

One of the “perks” or incentives offered to ex-military personnel by franchisor members of VetFran, is inventory credits of $5000 or more. Some military-friendly franchises offer similar credits, some as high as $10000 that can be applied to new store franchise fees and a high percentage (50-75%) of initial fees. Still, other franchisors offer a low rate, easy credit financing to help ex-service personnel get started.

And maybe the greatest perk available to ex-military personnel is that a franchisor will not discriminate against you based on rank. Whether you were a colonel or a private in the armed forces, you will get the same first-class treatment and discounts to compensate you for all the time and sacrifice you have made to the country. Several of the most military veteran-friendly franchisors are Matco Tools, The USPS Store, Sports Clips, Duncan Donuts, Cruise One, Meineke Car Care Centers, and Snap-On Tools.