As America’s 250th birthday approaches, it is fitting that one of our country’s greatest inventions is having a moment. Franchising, with roots in the nation’s founding and Benjamin Franklin’s printing press, is everywhere this summer. Pizza Hut has tapped into the desire for nostalgia with its retro dining rooms, complete with iconic red plastic cups and stained-glass lampshades. After two decades as a corporate-owned business, building on its Sex and the City fame, Magnolia Bakery brought its banana pudding to Salt Lake City via its first-ever franchisee. McDonald’s is bringing back fried apple pies for the first time in decades.

One recent headline declared, “Why The World Needs More Franchises.”