Head-to-Head Franchise Intelligence
Subway vs Jimmy John's
Commercial comparison of unit economics, FTC Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) Item 19 average unit volume (AUV), startup capital requirements, and store tech stacks.
Contender 1Rank #10
Subway
Sandwiches & Salads
Eat Fresh
Parent Holding:Roark Capital Group (Private Equity)
Contender 2Rank #35
Jimmy John's
Gourmet Subs & Delivery
Freaky Fast, Freaky Fresh
Parent Holding:Inspire Brands (Roark Capital)
Unit Economics & Financial Benchmarks
Verified against FTC FDD Item 19 and SEC Form 10-K regulatory disclosures.
| Metric | Subway | Jimmy John's | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median AUV (Annual Sales) | $490k | $4.80M | Jimmy John's (+879%) |
| Active Store Locations | 18,773 | 2,777 | Subway (Larger Fleet) |
| Initial Investment Range | $220k – $520k | $2.20M – $4.80M | Varies by site format |
| Min Liquid Capital Required | $150k | $750k | FDD Item 7 Requirement |
| Royalty Fee % | 8.0% | 4.5% | Jimmy John's (Lower Fee) |
| National Ad Fund % | 4.5% | 3.0% | Marketing Contribution |
| Annual Systemwide Sales | $9.80B | $13.30B | System Scale |
In-Store Tech Stack
Point-of-Sale Hardware/Software
Subway:SubwayPOS / Toast
Jimmy John's:Toast Restaurant POS
Kitchen Display System (KDS)
Subway:Subway KDS
Jimmy John's:Toast Kitchen Display
Delivery Multi-Homing
DoorDash Marketplace Penetration
Subway:95% (17007 stores)
Jimmy John's:0% (0 stores)
Uber Eats Marketplace Penetration
Subway:53% (9528 stores)
Jimmy John's:0% (0 stores)
Need deeper store-level datasets?
Explore individual geocoded address lists, multi-unit franchisee portfolios, and full FDD Item 19 exhibits.