A system whereby a franchisor grants to a party (usually referred to as the Master Franchisee) the right to operate franchised businesses and to grant sub-franchises to third parties, within an agreed-upon geographic area. The Master Franchisee serves as if it were the “franchisor” within the sub-franchise territory, providing localized support services within the territory. The Master Franchisee typically retains a portion of the royalty as compensation for its services.