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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Arby’s vs Subway

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Arby’s2025 FDDSubway2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Arby’s

    $12,000 – $1,374,000

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Subway

    $227,000 – $458,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Arby’s

    —

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 32

    Subway

    $15,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29

    Royalty · Item 6

    Arby’s

    4%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Subway

    8%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

    Before you compare

    • Arby’s figures come from its 2025 FDD and Subway figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Arby’s and Subway disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Arby’s has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Arby’s

    $12,000 – $1,374,000
    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Subway

    $227,000 – $458,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Arby’s

    —
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 32

    Subway

    $15,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Arby’s

    4%
    Royalty fee, Traditional Restaurants: 4% of Gross Sales
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Subway

    8%
    Royalty fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Arby’s

    4.2%
    Traditional Restaurant minimum aggregate advertising expenditure: 4.2% of Gross Sales — 4.2%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Subway

    4.5%
    Advertising fee — 4.5%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Arby’s

    3,365
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74

    Subway

    18,773
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 94
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Arby’s

    −50
    Calculated: 3,415 at end of 2022 → 3,365 at end of 2024

    Subway

    −1,360
    Calculated: 20,133 at end of 2023 → 18,773 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Arby’s

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Subway

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Arby’s

    1965
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Subway

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Arby’s

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Subway

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Arby’s
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2024 Franchised Traditional Restaurants, 1st quartile
    $1,754,983
    other 1st quartile median AUV: $1,754,983
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2024 Franchised Traditional Restaurants, 4th quartile
    $794,630
    other AUV
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2024 Franchised Traditional Restaurants, All Restaurants
    $1,269,097
    other AUV
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    +7 more groups in the full report
    Subway

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Arby’s vs Subway: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Arby’s or Subway?
    Arby’s: $12,000 – $1,374,000 (2025 FDD · Item 7); Subway: $227,000 – $458,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Arby’s. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Arby’s and Subway royalties compare?
    Arby’s: 4% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31); Subway: 8% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Arby’s or Subway?
    Arby’s: 3,365 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74); Subway: 18,773 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 94). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Arby’s and Subway disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Arby’s has reviewed Item 19 figures for 10 location groups; Subway makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Arby’s report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Subway report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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    Plain-language meaning of each Item