Planet Fitness Finds New U.S. Growth Through Fresh Franchisees
After spending more than a decade relying primarily on its established franchise network for U.S. development, Planet Fitness is adding another tool to its growth strategy: bringing new franchise operators into selected domestic markets.
The shift became visible with three new Florida development agreements awarded to Ian McClure of Gulf Coast Hotel Management. McClure is expected to develop more than a dozen Planet Fitness gyms along Florida’s west coast.
For a franchise system with thousands of locations, one new operator may appear relatively small. Strategically, however, the agreement represents something much bigger.
Planet Fitness is once again willing to bring qualified outside operators directly into the U.S. system.
Why Planet Fitness Is Changing Its Development Approach
Planet Fitness has historically had little difficulty generating growth from existing franchisees.
Many established operators control substantial multi-unit portfolios and have repeatedly reinvested in additional clubs. As territories became available, current franchise groups were often natural candidates to develop them.
But the potential U.S. market is continuing to evolve.
Communities are growing, residential development is moving into new areas and population patterns have changed significantly since the period before the pandemic. Locations that previously lacked enough demand for a large fitness club can become viable as housing and retail development follows population growth.
Planet Fitness has therefore been reassessing parts of the country that were not previously major expansion targets.
That process is creating new whitespace—and the company wants additional qualified operators capable of developing it.
Florida Becomes the First Major Test
Ian McClure is not entering franchising without development experience.
As CEO of Gulf Coast Hotel Management, he is developing more than 30 extended-stay hotel properties in Texas, Florida and Colorado. His experience also includes retail and multifamily real estate, while affiliated development activities span multiple states.
That matters because building a Planet Fitness portfolio requires more than operating a gym.
Franchisees need to identify viable real estate, manage construction and development, recruit teams, execute local operations and potentially oversee multiple locations across a territory.
The McClure partnership therefore provides Planet Fitness with an experienced real estate and hospitality operator rather than simply adding another single-unit owner.
Planet Fitness Still Runs on Franchise Capital
The decision to recruit new operators becomes more important when viewed against the structure of the Planet Fitness system.
Approximately 90% of Planet Fitness clubs are independently owned.
As of June 30, 2026, the company had 2,930 clubs and roughly 21.5 million members across markets including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Australia and Spain.
The company added 23 locations during the second quarter alone, and 21 of those were franchisee-owned.
Planet Fitness expects approximately 180 to 190 clubs to open system-wide during 2026, meaning independent operators will continue supplying much of the capital and local execution behind the brand’s physical expansion.
Adding new franchise groups can increase that development capacity.
Real Estate Could Become a Growth Catalyst
The availability of suitable commercial property has been a major consideration for fitness brands.
Planet Fitness clubs typically require large spaces, making retail real estate supply an important part of expansion planning.
For several years, desirable large-format properties were difficult to secure in many markets while rents were also increasing.
That environment has begun changing.
Vacated retail spaces and evolving shopping centers can create opportunities for fitness operators to occupy second-generation properties, potentially giving brands such as Planet Fitness access to locations that were previously unavailable.
At the same time, Planet Fitness has been working on club formats and floor plans designed to improve the member experience while supporting stronger development economics.
Those changes could allow the company to consider a wider range of communities and real estate configurations.
Growth Is Continuing Despite a Mixed 2026
The franchise expansion strategy is unfolding during a year in which Planet Fitness has also faced some operating challenges.
The company reported slower-than-expected net membership growth earlier in 2026 and adjusted portions of its financial outlook.
Still, physical expansion has continued.
Second-quarter revenue increased 7.1% compared with the same period a year earlier, and management maintained its expectation for approximately 180 to 190 new clubs during the full year.
That distinction is important.
Short-term membership trends can fluctuate, but Planet Fitness is continuing to invest in its longer-term footprint.
Opening its franchise pipeline to new operators can support that objective.
New Franchisees Could Accelerate Untapped Market Development
Existing Planet Fitness franchisees are unlikely to disappear from the expansion equation. They remain one of the brand’s biggest development strengths and continue opening the majority of new locations.
The opportunity is additive.
When additional territories become viable, Planet Fitness can now consider experienced outside operators rather than depending entirely on current franchise groups to absorb every new development opportunity.
That creates greater flexibility.
It can also introduce new capital, new real estate relationships and operators with experience running other multi-unit businesses.
A New Chapter for Planet Fitness Franchising
Planet Fitness closed 2025 with 2,896 clubs after opening 181 locations during the year. Of those openings, 158 were franchisee-owned.
Those numbers demonstrate how effectively the company has already scaled using franchise development.
The next challenge is finding where the remaining U.S. opportunities exist and determining who is best positioned to build them.
For the first time in more than a decade, the answer may increasingly include franchisees who have never operated a Planet Fitness before.
The three Florida agreements may therefore represent more than regional expansion. They could be the beginning of a broader change in how Planet Fitness builds its next generation of U.S. clubs.
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