The franchise model is a very positive one. It makes for more local ownership and allows folks who wouldn’t, other than for having the money to invest, be equipped to own their own business on such a level.
A classic case of unintended consequences if liberals were to be successful in diminishing their prevalence.
Forcing all employees under one corporate umbrella makes them much easier to unionize. All that is needed is some pressure from their friends in Washington. I suspect this process is already well underway at Walmart.