MassageLuXe has been named a 2026 Newsweek Readers' Choice Award winner for Best Massage Chain, landing at No. 6 on a list of 10 brands selected by Newsweek's panelists and contributors and decided by reader vote. The ranking recognized MassageLuXe for combining massage therapy, facials and hydrotherapy in a spa setting, alongside a membership model designed to make routine self-care more accessible than a one-off luxury purchase.
Kristen Pechacek, President and CEO of MassageLuXe, said being recognized by Newsweek readers is especially meaningful because guests sit at the center of everything the brand does, and that the honor reflects the dedication of MassageLuXe's franchise owners, licensed massage therapists, estheticians and spa teams who deliver that experience every day.
The Newsweek recognition adds to a busy year for the St. Louis-based franchise. In August, MassageLuXe was named to the Inc. 5000 for a second consecutive year and third time overall, a distinction Pechacek has said reflects growth that isn't the result of a single moment. In March, the brand accepted the 2026 Single Market Global Franchise Award for Best Health and Beauty Franchise at the International Franchise Association's Annual Convention, with Pechacek accepting the honor alongside Director of Franchise Operations Amy Hoelscher and Director of Training Katie Ninness.
Pechacek joined MassageLuXe in 2020 as its first-ever Chief Growth Officer, brought on specifically to accelerate franchise sales and grow the brand from roughly 68 units toward a stated goal of 250 within five years. She was later promoted to President and CEO, succeeding Mark Otter, who moved into the role of executive chairman. Under her leadership, the brand has continued expanding its franchise base while leaning on its membership revenue model, which the company has said supports higher guest retention than the industry's more transactional, one-off service model.
Recognition tied to reader votes carries particular weight for a membership-driven business like MassageLuXe, where the real test isn't a single visit but whether guests keep coming back month after month. Gorilla Dash offers a Memberships and Subscriptions feature designed to help franchise brands manage that kind of recurring client relationship, supporting the consistency across locations that a membership model depends on to keep guests engaged long after their first appointment.
