How Franchisees Use Zero-Based Budgeting to Boost Profit

Franchise Conversations with Fexingo: Buying, Running, and Scaling Franchise Businesses · Jun 28, 2026 · 7m · transcript

In this episode of Franchise Conversations, Lucas and Luna explore how multi-unit franchisees are adopting zero-based budgeting (ZBB) to cut waste and improve margins. Instead of rolling over last year's budget, ZBB forces operators to justify every expense from scratch each period. They break down a real-world example from a franchisee operating 15 quick-service restaurants who used ZBB to identify $47,000 in annual savings on supplies alone—just by questioning long-standing vendor contracts and par levels. The hosts discuss practical implementation steps, common pitfalls, and why ZBB…