Franchise opportunities compared
Jimmy John's vs Potbelly Sandwich Works
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.
Initial investment · Item 7
Jimmy John's
$206,200 – $686,000
2026 FDD · Item 7Potbelly Sandwich Works
$628,938 – $999,371
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27Initial franchise fee · Item 5
Jimmy John's
Not available
Potbelly Sandwich Works
Not available
Royalty · Item 6
Jimmy John's
6%
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 35Potbelly Sandwich Works
$50
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- Jimmy John's discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Jimmy John's: 8, Potbelly Sandwich Works: 55). Different groups are not directly comparable.
Financial commitment
Jimmy John's
Potbelly Sandwich WorksJimmy John's
Potbelly Sandwich Works
Jimmy John's
Potbelly Sandwich Works
Jimmy John's
Potbelly Sandwich Works
Jimmy John's
Potbelly Sandwich Works
System scale & health
Jimmy John'sPotbelly Sandwich WorksJimmy John's
Potbelly Sandwich Works
Jimmy John's
Potbelly Sandwich Works
Jimmy John's
Potbelly Sandwich Works
Jimmy John's
Potbelly Sandwich Works
Jimmy John's
Potbelly Sandwich Works
Financial performance (Item 19), by location group
Jimmy John'sPotbelly Sandwich WorksItem 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 vs Potbelly Sandwich Works: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Jimmy John's or Potbelly Sandwich Works?
- Jimmy John's: $206,200 – $686,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Potbelly Sandwich Works: $628,938 – $999,371 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Jimmy John's. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Jimmy John's and Potbelly Sandwich Works royalties compare?
- Jimmy John's: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 35); Potbelly Sandwich Works: $50 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, Jimmy John's or Potbelly Sandwich Works?
- Jimmy John's: 2,777 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 81); Potbelly Sandwich Works: 470 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 75). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Jimmy John's and Potbelly Sandwich Works disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Jimmy John's has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; Potbelly Sandwich Works has reviewed Item 19 figures for 55 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.
Keep researching
Full Jimmy John's report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
Full Potbelly Sandwich Works report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
