Both the above statements are true.
The key to a franchise is whether it is a GOOD choice - for YOU - in YOUR MARKET.
JUST because it is a franchise - does NOT mean they are a good operator, will give you good support, will help you find the best location, will be a strong advertiser, will get better pricing on
equipment and products (and pass it along to you), etc etc.
But a GOOD franchise will do all of that - and more.
Some franchises are good in SOME markets - but not others. For example - they can have 200 locations, but if you are the only one in YOUR market and nobody has ever heard of the other 199 locations -- you might as well be independent Joe's Tanning Shack.
The article posted by Movieking is great. There are few franchises in tanning today that I would even consider. And of those, I'd only consider them if they were in an area that could really take advantage of the "reputation" the franchise already had established.
Bottom line - do your homework. Before you enter ANY business or industry, franchise or other, tanning or other!