Franopolis
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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Chicken Salad Chick 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.

    CSChicken Salad Chick2026 FDDSubway2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Chicken Salad Chick

    $802,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19

    Subway

    $227,000 – $458,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Chicken Salad Chick

    Not available

    Subway

    $15,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29

    Royalty · Item 6

    Chicken Salad Chick

    Not available

    Subway

    8%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Subway discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Chicken Salad Chick has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Chicken Salad Chick

    $802,000
    - $998,500 Total Estimated Initial Investment ( D rive - T hru locations only): — 802000
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19

    Subway

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

    Chicken Salad Chick

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Subway

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

    Chicken Salad Chick

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record

    Subway

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

    Chicken Salad Chick

    2%
    ss Sales as a Brand Fund contribution; however, we currently require you to pay — 2 — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Subway

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

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Chicken Salad Chick

    326
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59

    Subway

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

    Chicken Salad Chick

    +146
    Calculated: 180 at end of 2023 → 326 at end of 2025

    Subway

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

    Chicken Salad Chick

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Subway

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

    Chicken Salad Chick

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Subway

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

    Chicken Salad Chick

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Subway

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    CSChicken Salad Chick
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All affiliate
    $1,506,433
    other All affiliate Total Gross Sales Average
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 53
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Chart2 affiliate
    44.9 percent
    other Chart2 affiliate exceeding average percent
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 53
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Chart1 franchised
    $1,500,394
    other Chart1 franchised Median Unit Volume
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 53
    +3 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.

    Chicken Salad Chick vs Subway: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Chicken Salad Chick or Subway?
    Chicken Salad Chick: $802,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19); 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.
    Which has more locations, Chicken Salad Chick or Subway?
    Chicken Salad Chick: 326 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59); 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 Chicken Salad Chick and Subway disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Chicken Salad Chick has reviewed Item 19 figures for 6 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

    CS

    Full Chicken Salad Chick 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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