These twenty-somethings didn't want corporate jobs. They bought restaurant franchises instead.

Bang Cookies co-owner Corey Bonalewicz (left) and Gen Z franchisee Kugan Suppiah (right) pose together at the grand opening of Suppiah's store.

Arrow Marketing

When Kugan Suppiah was 24, he wasn't thinking about climbing the corporate ladder. He was thinking about cookies.The University of Oklahoma graduate spent months persuading his parents to invest with him in a Bang Cookies franchise in Oklahoma City after becoming convinced the gourmet cookie chain could succeed there.Now 25, Suppiah is already scouting locations for a second store, though he doesn't necessarily see baked goods as his end goal."I've always been business-minded, so this was something that I've always wanted to get into," Suppiah said. "I'm definitely interested, down the line, in opening something of my own."For now, he sees franchising as a way to get there.He's part of a growing group of young entrepreneurs turning to restaurant franchising as a middle ground between traditional corporate careers and the risks of launching an independent startup.Franchise brands say they're seeing increased interest from millennials and Gen Z buyers who want the freedom and ownership that come with running a business but value the training, support, and established customer base that the corporate connection provides.