Jimmy John's vs Potbelly Sandwich Shop
Compare published costs, candidate requirements and operating commitments.
All amounts are USD. Read the restaurant format, sales basis and exclusions beside each figure. Missing information means the reviewed sources did not establish a comparable amount.
Availability and operating model
Jimmy John's
The brand offers multiple restaurant formats. Site, format and market availability require confirmation during the application process.
United States; confirm the format and territory with the franchisor
- Jimmy John's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.
Operating commitment
The published process includes application, discussion with the franchise team, FDD review and an interview before signing.
United States; confirm the format and territory with the franchisor
- Jimmy John's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.
Potbelly Sandwich Shop
Current US franchise availability has not been verified.
United States
Operating commitment
Operating and qualification requirements have not been verified.
United States
Published financial requirements
These figures describe different transactions and obligations. Initial fees, separate development fees and liquid-capital requirements are distinct; they are not added together here as a total project budget.
| Requirement | Jimmy John's | Potbelly Sandwich Shop |
|---|---|---|
| Initial investment / development estimate | $366,200–$733,500 US web-summary investment range; confirm the applicable restaurant format
| Not yet verified United States A primary-source financial review has not yet been completed for this brand. |
| Initial franchise fee | $35,000 US initial franchise fee as listed in the web summary
| Not yet verified United States A primary-source financial review has not yet been completed for this brand. |
| Separate development fee | $10,000 US; per restaurant Listed separately from the initial franchise fee; confirm timing and any credits in the FDD.
| Not yet verified United States A primary-source financial review has not yet been completed for this brand. |
| Liquid capital / personal funds | $200,000 US candidate liquid-assets requirement
| Not yet verified United States A primary-source financial review has not yet been completed for this brand. |
| Net worth | $1,000,000 US candidate net-worth requirement
| Not yet verified United States A primary-source financial review has not yet been completed for this brand. |
| Royalty / service fee | 6% Percentage of gross sales
| Not yet verified United States A primary-source financial review has not yet been completed for this brand. |
| Advertising / marketing contribution | 4.5% Percentage of gross sales Advertising and development fund.
| Not yet verified United States A primary-source financial review has not yet been completed for this brand. |
Sources and review limits
The check date records when a source was reviewed. It is not the source publication date or the issue date of an FDD. Official web summaries that refer to an FDD are identified as summaries.
Jimmy John's
- Jimmy John's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.
Potbelly Sandwich Shop
Primary-source review is pending for this brand.
Build a scenario from your own assumptions
These requirements do not establish restaurant sales or owner earnings. Use a budget for the actual format and transaction, and enter your own operating assumptions in the calculator.
Open the franchise scenario calculatorFollow QSR news and operator insights
QSR Intelligence Briefing
Weekly insights on the QSR industry. No spam, just intelligence.