Franchise opportunities compared
Jimmy John's vs Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
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 7Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
$316,000 – $2,656,425
2026 FDD · Item 7Initial franchise fee · Item 5
Jimmy John's
Not available
Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
Not available
Royalty · Item 6
Jimmy John's
6%
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 35Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
5%
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- Jimmy John's and Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program disclose 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, Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program: 8). Different groups are not directly comparable.
Financial commitment
Jimmy John's
Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise ProgramJimmy John's
Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
Jimmy John's
Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
Jimmy John's
Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
Jimmy John's
Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
System scale & health
Jimmy John'sSteak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise ProgramJimmy John's
Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
Jimmy John's
Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
Jimmy John's
Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
Jimmy John's
Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
Jimmy John's
Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program
Financial performance (Item 19), by location group
Jimmy John'sSteak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise ProgramItem 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 Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Jimmy John's or Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program?
- Jimmy John's: $206,200 – $686,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program: $316,000 – $2,656,425 (2026 FDD · Item 7). 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 Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program royalties compare?
- Jimmy John's: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 35); Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do Jimmy John's and Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Jimmy John's has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program 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.
Keep researching
Full Jimmy John's report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
Full Steak n Shake Enterprises Traditional Franchise Program report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
