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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches vs Sonic Drive-In

    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.

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches2026 FDDSDSonic Drive-In2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

    Not available

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

    $35,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 32

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 35

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches: 12, Sonic Drive-In: 8). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

    Not available
    No reviewed Item 7 total

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200
    TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT (excluding free- standing real estate costs) (15) — 1485200
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

    $35,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 32

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

    6%
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 35

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%
    lows: Duration of Effective Royalty Fee Effective Royalty Fee Opening through Year 1 — 1%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

    4.5% of traditional, current rate
    Advertising and Development Fund
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 35

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

    2,777
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 91

    Sonic Drive-In

    3,412
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

    +133
    Calculated: 2,644 at end of 2023 → 2,777 at end of 2025

    Sonic Drive-In

    −109
    Calculated: 3,521 at end of 2023 → 3,412 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

    1993
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2025 Franchised Restaurants, 1st Quartile
    $1,411,318
    other 1st Quartile median AUV
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 89
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2025 Franchised Restaurants, 2nd Quartile
    $1,076,504
    other Q2 median AUV
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 89
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2025 Franchised Restaurants, 3rd Quartile
    $850,650
    other Q3 average AUV
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 89
    +9 more groups in the full report
    SDSonic Drive-In
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2nd Quartile
    47 percent
    other 2nd Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All Restaurants
    1,338 restaurants
    other All Restaurants
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 1st Quartile
    294 restaurants
    other 1st Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    +5 more groups in the full report

    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.

    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches vs Sonic Drive-In: common questions

    How do Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches and Sonic Drive-In royalties compare?
    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 35); Sonic Drive-In: 1% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches or Sonic Drive-In?
    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches: 2,777 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 91); Sonic Drive-In: 3,412 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches and Sonic Drive-In disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches has reviewed Item 19 figures for 12 location groups; Sonic Drive-In has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups. 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 Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches report

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

    SD

    Full Sonic Drive-In report

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

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