2026 has just started and Ace Hardware is already getting some hardware. This time it’s not the products in their stores, it’s awards for excellence in various operational metrics.

Entrepreneur has ranked Ace as number 4 on their Franchise 500. It’s based on a scoring system with 150 data points across five pillars: costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

We’re proud to be recognized once again among the top franchises in the country and honored to move up to No. 4 on this year’s Franchise 500 list. This recognition is a testament to the strength of our cooperative model and the dedication of our local owners and associates, who deliver helpful, reliable service in their communities every day. Continued growth across our store network reflects the enduring appeal of local ownership backed by a trusted national brand.

Andy Enright, SVP of Retail Strategy and Operations at Ace Hardware

With 947 store openings over the past five years, it certainly supports the ranking that Ace Hardware has a popular franchise model. They’ve also seen large independent chains switch to Ace and significant consolidation.

The Entrepreneur website doesn’t easily give information behind the rankings. It makes you request info where you have to put in your phone number and agree they can call you, which is sketchy. I’ll save you the spam calls though and report back with any useful information they may or may not provide on the Ace franchise model and their rankings.

Ace Hardware also was named the 36th best company for customer service by Forbes. In total, Forbes evaluated 3,500 companies for the list. They partnered with customer-insights company HundredX to run a comprehensive survey with 158,000 people.

To be recognized by Forbes and, more importantly, by customers themselves, is a powerful validation of what makes Ace different. Being helpful isn’t just a promise; it’s our standard. Our red-vested heroes are trusted neighbors in the communities they serve, and this recognition reflects the pride they take in that role.

Kim Lefko, Chief Marketing Officer at Ace Hardware

The Ace Hardware franchise model is built on local stores that promote customer service as a differentiator. Their high ranking indicates that their investment in customer service is being recognized by consumers. In the grill category, they’ve focused their stores on displaying key grill brands and accessories and strive to be the local grill store of choice for communities.