Step one: Talk to a lawyer to understand what the implications of exiting the franchise are.
Some will have some strict language built into your franchise agreement about the amount you have to pay JUST TO CLOSE A FAILING BUSINESS. Usually, it comes down to paying a % of projected royalties as a lump sum. Sounds crazy but paying 50k to avoid losing 500k running a failing business is a good decision.
Good luck.
I’ve determined that unless you’re buying a true brand name, and have at minimum $1MM to invest, they are either boom or bust. You might as well go to a casino and put 500K down on black.