Rocky road ice cream sandwiches, street-style tacos and falafel all have one thing in common: They are served by a group of restaurants Technomic says are franchisees to watch to 2016.

This year, franchising has drawn considerable attention as giants like McDonald's and Wendy's double down on refranchising their restaurants. Broadly, the business model enables companies to generate more consistent revenue streams and expand at a rapid clip without raising as much money.

Meanwhile, franchisees get to tap in to already-built brand equity and resources.

"For those with experience or lack of it in foodservice, getting on board with a franchise allows you to have a system in place to market and operate a business, because most people don't have a clue," Technomic President Darren Tristano said in a phone interview.

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Technomic's list includes several regional chains that are in the early stage of development — many of which cater to a niche food category.

"Overall, they tend to be newer, more contemporary restaurants," Tristano said. "I think better is the singular theme. These restaurants are striving to a do a better job — with food, service and the experience."

So which restaurants made the cut?