Planet Fitness, Inc. is a large American fitness franchisor headquartered in Hampton, New Hampshire. With approximately 2,400 clubs in the United States, Canada, Dominican Republic, Panama, Mexico, and Australia, it is one of the biggest fitness club franchises globally based on membership and locations. The company distinguishes itself as a "Judgement Free Zone" catering to beginners and casual gym-goers. This approach has attracted both praise and criticism.
Planet Fitness was founded in 1992 when Michael and Marc Grondahl purchased a struggling Gold's Gym franchise.
Rick Berks opened the first gym under the name "Planet Fitness" in Sunrise, Florida, in 1993. The name was inspired by his daughter's school project.
In 2002, the founders purchased the rights to the Planet Fitness name from Rick Berks, who had been operating a gym under that name since 1993.
Planet Fitness opened its first franchised location in Florida in 2003.
Men's Health magazine named Planet Fitness "the worst gym in America" in 2010, criticizing its policies like the "lunk alarm" and the prohibition of certain weightlifting exercises.
In the fall of 2013, TSG Consumer Partners LLC became an equity partner in Planet Fitness, and Chris Rondeau took over as CEO.
A 2014 episode of Planet Money reported that half of Planet Fitness members don't go to their gyms, highlighting the business model's reliance on infrequent gym usage.
In March 2015, Planet Fitness expanded its "Judgement Free Zone" policy to allow transgender individuals to use the locker room that aligns with their gender identity.
Planet Fitness went public on August 6, 2015.
Planet Fitness faced criticism in 2020 for charging customers March dues despite closing facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While they cited difficulties in halting pre-scheduled payments, they assured members that future dues would be paused, and credits would be offered for the closure period.