Sandwich Franchise Costs and Requirements

Review Subway, Jersey Mike’s, Firehouse Subs, Jimmy John’s and Arby’s franchise fees, investment estimates and operating requirements.

How to Read These Requirements

The brand guides below use linked primary sources. Amounts are in US dollars. Each estimate retains its scope, exclusions and source context; historical figures are labeled. Source check dates record review dates, not publication dates.

A single-restaurant franchise fee and an area-development agreement fee have different scopes. Confirm the restaurant count and whether a fee is charged per location.
Inline restaurants and drive-through formats can have different published ranges. Retain the format and source year when preparing a budget.
Compare royalty and advertising obligations using the agreement’s sales definition. A prospectus summary and an FDD web summary are different source documents.

Sandwich Franchise Cost Guides

Subway

Subway is seeking multi-unit applicants and buyers interested in acquiring at least five existing restaurants.

United States; confirm the format and territory with the franchisor

Subway US franchise FAQSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Web page references the FDD without giving its issue year.

Initial investment / development estimate: $199,135–$536,745
US restaurant estimate; building size, configuration and location vary
Subway US franchise FAQSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Web page references the FDD without giving its issue year.
Initial franchise fee: $15,000
US; per restaurant
Subway US franchise FAQSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Web page references the FDD without giving its issue year.
Separate development fee: Not verified in reviewed sources
United States
No applicable amount verified in the linked sources. Request the current disclosure for this format and territory.
Subway US franchise FAQSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Web page references the FDD without giving its issue year.

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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 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.

Initial investment / development estimate: $366,200–$733,500
US web-summary investment range; confirm the applicable restaurant format
Jimmy John's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.
Initial franchise fee: $35,000
US initial franchise fee as listed in the web summary
Jimmy John's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.
Separate development fee: $10,000
US; per restaurant
Listed separately from the initial franchise fee; confirm timing and any credits in the FDD.
Jimmy John's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.

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Jersey Mike's

The prospectus describes area-development agreements and a separate franchise agreement for each restaurant; terms may vary.

United States; confirm the format and territory with the franchisor

Jersey Mike's July 31, 2026 prospectusSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Source publication date: 2026-07-31.Document basis: Public-company prospectus describing latest standard agreements; not an FDD.

Initial investment / development estimate: Not verified in reviewed sources
United States
No applicable amount verified in the linked sources. Request the current disclosure for this format and territory.
Jersey Mike's July 31, 2026 prospectusSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Source publication date: 2026-07-31.Document basis: Public-company prospectus describing latest standard agreements; not an FDD.
Initial franchise fee: $20,000
Latest standard agreements described in July 2026 prospectus; per store opened under an area-development agreement
Jersey Mike's July 31, 2026 prospectusSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Source publication date: 2026-07-31.Document basis: Public-company prospectus describing latest standard agreements; not an FDD.
Separate development fee: $10,000
Per restaurant to be developed under an area-development agreement; July 2026 prospectus
Separate from the initial franchise fee. The prospectus describes the latest standard agreements at that date; confirm current terms.
Jersey Mike's July 31, 2026 prospectusSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Source publication date: 2026-07-31.Document basis: Public-company prospectus describing latest standard agreements; not an FDD.

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Arby'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

Arby's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.

Initial investment / development estimate: $651,550–$2,456,600
US web-summary investment range; confirm the applicable restaurant format
Arby's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.
Initial franchise fee: $37,500
US initial franchise fee as listed in the web summary
Arby's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.
Separate development fee: $12,500
US; per restaurant
Listed separately from the initial franchise fee; confirm timing and any credits in the FDD.
Arby's — Inspire Brands franchisingSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary referring to the FDD issued March 26, 2026.

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Firehouse Subs

The brand offers inline, endcap drive-through and freestanding drive-through formats with different budgets. The range below covers inline traditional restaurants only.

United States; confirm the format and territory with the franchisor

Firehouse Subs franchise FAQSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary refers to the 2025 US FDD, Items 6 and 7.

Initial investment / development estimate: $379,650–$795,600
US inline traditional restaurant; 2025 FDD web summary
Endcap drive-through and freestanding drive-through estimates are higher; this is not a range covering every format.
Firehouse Subs franchise FAQSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary refers to the 2025 US FDD, Items 6 and 7.
Initial franchise fee: $20,000
US single-unit restaurant; 2025 FDD web summary
Firehouse Subs franchise FAQSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary refers to the 2025 US FDD, Items 6 and 7.
Separate development fee: Not verified in reviewed sources
United States
No applicable amount verified in the linked sources. Request the current disclosure for this format and territory.
Firehouse Subs franchise FAQSource checked 2026-10-01 (America/Los_Angeles).Document basis: Official web summary refers to the 2025 US FDD, Items 6 and 7.

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Compare Franchise Requirements Side by Side

Compare published fees and capital requirements alongside availability, operating commitments and the limitations of each source.

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