Which costs less to open, Built Custom Burgers or Subway?

Built Custom Burgers: $409,500 – $1,302,000 (2026 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 Subway. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.

How do Built Custom Burgers and Subway royalties compare?

Built Custom Burgers: 1% · Note 3) Currently, Advertising Fee is — 1% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34); 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, Built Custom Burgers or Subway?

Built Custom Burgers: 2 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 89); 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 Built Custom Burgers and Subway disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

Built Custom Burgers makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Subway makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Franchise opportunities compared

Built Custom Burgers 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.

Built Custom Burgers2026 FDD

Subway2026 FDD

Initial investment · Item 7

Built Custom Burgers

$409,500 – $1,302,000

2026 FDD · Item 7

Subway

$227,000 – $458,000

2026 FDD · Item 7

Initial franchise fee · Item 5

Built Custom Burgers

$30,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 31

Subway

$15,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29

Royalty · Item 6

Built Custom Burgers

1% · Note 3) Currently, Advertising Fee is — 1%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

Subway

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

Before you compare

Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
Built Custom Burgers and Subway disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
Only neither brand has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

Financial commitment

Disclosure

Built Custom Burgers

Subway

Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

Built Custom Burgers

$409,500 – $1,302,000

2026 FDD · Item 7

Subway

$227,000 – $458,000

2026 FDD · Item 7

Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

Built Custom Burgers

$30,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 31

Subway

$15,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29

Royalty (Item 6)

Built Custom Burgers

1% · Note 3) Currently, Advertising Fee is — 1%

Same as Royalty Fee

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

Subway

Royalty fee

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

Built Custom Burgers

$1,250

goes to the Advertising Fund — Note4) Additional Persons Training Fee (Note 1) — $1250

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

Subway

4.5%

Advertising fee — 4.5%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

System scale & health

Disclosure

Built Custom Burgers

Subway

Total outlets (Item 20)

Built Custom Burgers

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 89

Subway

18,773

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 94

Net outlet change (Item 20)

Built Custom Burgers

−1

Calculated: 3 at end of 2023 → 2 at end of 2025

Subway

−1,360

Calculated: 20,133 at end of 2023 → 18,773 at end of 2025

Outlet exits (Item 20)

Built Custom Burgers

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Subway

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Franchising since (Item 1)

Built Custom Burgers

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Subway

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Franchisor founded (Item 1)

Built Custom Burgers

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Subway

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

Built Custom Burgers

Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

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.

Built Custom Burgers vs Subway: common questions

Which costs less to open, Built Custom Burgers or Subway?: Built Custom Burgers: $409,500 – $1,302,000 (2026 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 Subway. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
How do Built Custom Burgers and Subway royalties compare?: Built Custom Burgers: 1% · Note 3) Currently, Advertising Fee is — 1% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34); 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, Built Custom Burgers or Subway?: Built Custom Burgers: 2 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 89); 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 Built Custom Burgers and Subway disclose financial performance (Item 19)?: Built Custom Burgers makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; 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