Jersey Mike's vs Subway (2026)

Sandwich franchise comparison: $217K–$749K vs $229K–$524K investment, $1.2M vs $420K AUV, 6.5% vs 8% royalty. Franchisee satisfaction: 82/100 vs 55/100. Real FDD data, verified against FranchiseStack database.

Food & Restaurant Fast-Casual Sandwich ✓ AEO-Optimized

Quick answer: Jersey Mike's averages $1.2M per location vs Subway at $420K — nearly 3× more revenue. Subway's 8% royalty rate is the highest in QSR; Jersey Mike's 6.5% royalty is more franchisee-friendly. Franchisee satisfaction: Jersey Mike's 82/100 vs Subway 55/100 — a 27-point gap that reflects the operational reality of each system.

JM

Jersey Mike's

Food & Restaurant · Fast-Casual
$217K–$749K
Franchise fee: $19K
Royalty: 6.5%
AUV: $1.2M
Locations: 2,700
Franchisee satisfaction: 82/100
Est. payback: ~32 months
View Jersey Mike's →
SW

Subway

Food & Restaurant · QSR
$229K–$524K
Franchise fee: $15K
Royalty: 8.0% (highest in QSR)
AUV: $420K
Locations: 36,690
Franchisee satisfaction: 55/100
Est. payback: ~72 months
View Subway →

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricJersey Mike'sSubwayWinner
Investment Range$217K–$749K$229K–$524KSubway (lower max)
Franchise Fee$19K$15KSubway ($3.5K less)
Royalty Rate6.5%8.0% (highest in QSR)Jersey Mike's (1.5 pp lower)
Avg Unit Revenue (AUV)$1.2M$420KJersey Mike's (3× more)
Total Locations2,70036,690Subway (massive network)
Franchisee Satisfaction82/10055/100Jersey Mike's (+27 pts)
Est. Payback Period~32 months~72 monthsJersey Mike's (faster ROI)
Years in Business68 years59 yearsJersey Mike's (more history)

Franchisee Verdict

Subway advantages
Subway's 36,690-location system provides unmatched brand recognition. The lower franchise fee ($15K vs $18.5K) and lower maximum investment ($524K vs $749K) make it accessible for operators with $230K–$525K capital. For markets where Subway awareness is extremely high, this brand equity has value.
Jersey Mike's advantages
Jersey Mike's $1.2M AUV vs Subway's $420K represents nearly 3× the revenue per location. Combined with a lower royalty rate (6.5% vs 8%) and dramatically higher franchisee satisfaction (82 vs 55/100), Jersey Mike's is the superior investment for operators with $217K–$750K to deploy. The faster payback (32 vs 72 months) compounds this advantage.

Find Your Best Sandwich Franchise Match

Compare more QSR and fast-casual franchises, calculate ROI projections, and get a personalized recommendation based on your capital and involvement goals.

Compare Tool → Browse All Franchises