Anytime Fitness, the world’s largest and fastest-growing co-ed fitness club chain, is ranked #1 on Entrepreneur magazine’s annual Franchise 500® list. According to Entrepreneur, the most important factors for inclusion on its “Franchise 500” list are: financial strength and stability, growth rate and size of the system.

“The #1 ranking is largely due to our rapid international expansion,” said Chuck Runyon, CEO and co-founder of Anytime Fitness. “Currently, 80% of our gyms are located in North America. But five years from now, we believe close to 50% of gyms will be located in Europe, Asia, South America and Australia.”

Nearly 2,400 Anytime Fitness clubs are now open in 16 different countries on five continents, serving nearly 2,000,000 members

“In addition to operating convenient and affordable gyms as a mid-priced proposition & high perceived value , our managers and trainers provide our members with personal service that gets real results,” said [Karl Dietrich, Sales and Marketing Director, Anytime Fitness UK & Ireland]. “Additionally, our business model provides our franchisees with the financial freedom and flexibility to enjoy their families while making meaningful contributions to their respective communities.”

“With a fifty-one percent increase over the previous year’s growth, franchises continue to drive the economy forward and remain excellent choices for those looking to exercise their entrepreneurial spirit,” said Amy Cosper, vice president and editor in chief of Entrepreneur. “Unit numbers from the Franchise 500® are up, providing ample opportunity for individuals to explore options with the best franchise opportunities in the world like Anytime Fitness.”

“Considering the reputation of the other franchises ranked in the top 10, the #1 ranking is a tremendous honour for Anytime Fitness,” said Karl.

Anytime Fitness ranked higher than several franchise giants in the 2014 “Franchise 500,” including Subway, Jiffy Lube, Hampton Hotels and McDonald’s. The franchise was founded in 2002, and since its debut on the list in 2006 at #261, has climbed rapidly through the publication’s ranking, reaching #1 in just under 10 years.

“One of the things I love most about being a franchisee, and what separates Anytime Fitness from other franchises, is the healthy lifestyle we promote,” said Andy Tully, the owner of Anytime Fitness in Reading “Many careers and franchise systems make it more difficult to live a healthy lifestyle, surrounded by food or stuck behind a computer. At Anytime Fitness, we are surrounded by people who are here for one reason: to better their own health and the health of others.”

While growth in the fitness industry overall has been slow but consistent over the past several years, Anytime Fitness has opened at least 250 new clubs each of the last six years. Founded in 2002, it took Anytime Fitness only 10 years to reach 2,000 franchises – less than half the time it took Subway (23 years) and McDonald’s (32 years) to reach the same milestone. Only 1% of all franchise systems worldwide have at least 1,000 units.

In addition to the #1 Franchise 500® ranking, Anytime Fitness has also been named one of “10 great franchise bets” by CNN Money and the “#1 Best Franchise Business Model” by FranchiseChatter.com. AND “The Company to Watch in 2014” by Forbes.