Wayyyy back in the '80's a friend of mine tried to buy a McDonalds franchise because he had a perfect piece of property for one on I-44 by the Chrysler Plant....
To get one you had to give them $5000 along with an application....if you passed a credit check they put you on a list...if you didn't qualify, your out 5 grand...
If your name was up, when a franchise became available they contacted you and offered it to you, problem was it could have been in any state or town in your region!
If your name came up 3 times and you refused all 3, you forfeited your $5000 and had to re-apply....sounds like a bad deal but it isn't sooooo bad...
Top Golf facilities are also "Franchises", it costs anywhere from $15 to $50 million to build one, and if you go busted they get the facility.....expansion? Hardly LOL!!!
Incidentally, my friend ended up leasing to White Castle, got a much better deal....unlike McDonalds and Top Golf, if they go broke they just leave and you get the building....
On TG, we went to the new one here and it was fun, a bit expensive but worth it IMO