Tommy's Express Car Wash

Tommy’s Express Car Wash has been selected as a 2026 Industry Icon in Consumer Products by The 2026 List, brought to you by Industry & Influence, recognizing the company’s rapid franchise growth, distinctive operating model, consumer technology, and continued expansion across new U.S. and international markets.

Car washing is one of the most ordinary services a consumer buys.

Tommy’s Express has approached that ordinariness as an opportunity.

The company has built a brand around making the experience faster, more consistent, more recognizable, and easier to repeat.

That means treating the car wash not simply as equipment, but as a complete consumer system.

Turning a Car Wash Into a Brand Experience

Traditional car washes often compete primarily on location and price.

Tommy’s Express has invested heavily in creating visual and operational consistency.

Its large red-and-white buildings, conveyor systems, equipment layouts, app-based memberships, and standardized customer journey are designed to make one location feel connected to the next.

That consistency matters in franchising.

Customers who recognize the building and understand the process are more likely to know what to expect before they arrive.

For franchisees, standardized site design and operating systems can simplify development and execution.

Membership Changes the Economics

One of the biggest changes in the car-wash industry has been the rise of unlimited monthly memberships.

Tommy’s Express has embraced that model through its TommyClub program and mobile app.

Membership shifts the business away from a purely transactional relationship.

Instead of deciding whether to buy a wash each visit, customers subscribe to ongoing access.

That creates convenience for drivers and more predictable recurring revenue for operators.

The app also helps connect payment, account management, vehicle identification, and the customer experience.

Technology becomes most valuable when it removes friction from something people already do.

A Franchise System Built for Expansion

Tommy’s Express has been expanding quickly across the United States.

In 2026, the company continued opening and developing locations across multiple states, including new sites in California, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Texas, and other markets.

The brand also broke ground on its first Puerto Rico location and announced additional international development activity.

By mid-2026, Tommy’s Express said it was entering its 38th U.S. state through a new Oregon development.

That geographic reach reflects a franchise system moving beyond regional concentration.

It also creates an increasingly valuable consumer network.

The more locations the brand operates, the more useful a membership becomes to drivers who move between markets.

International Growth Becomes a New Chapter

In August 2026, Tommy’s Express appointed new international franchise-development leadership as the company prepared for additional growth outside the continental United States.

The company said it expected to have two Canadian locations open by the end of 2026, with additional development planned.

International expansion introduces new complexity.

Real estate, weather, vehicle patterns, water regulations, labor, consumer expectations, and local franchise economics can all vary substantially.

A strong operating system becomes even more important when a brand crosses borders.

Designing the Operation Around Throughput

A car wash is ultimately a throughput business.

Customers want a clean vehicle, but they also value speed and predictability.

Tommy’s Express has designed its facilities, equipment, payment process, and conveyor experience around moving vehicles efficiently.

Operational design becomes part of the consumer product.

When the process is consistent, customers spend less time figuring out what to do.

That creates a service that can become habitual.

The strongest consumer businesses often win not by making a task exciting, but by making it easier.