Franchise opportunities compared
Long John Silver's 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.
Initial investment · Item 7
Long John Silver's
$665,500
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25Subway
$227,000 – $458,000
2026 FDD · Item 7Initial franchise fee · Item 5
Long John Silver's
Not available
Subway
$15,000
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29Royalty · Item 6
Long John Silver's
Not available
Subway
8%
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36Before 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 neither brand has reviewed Item 19 figures here.
Financial commitment
Long John Silver's
SubwayLong John Silver's
Subway
Long John Silver's
Subway
Long John Silver's
Subway
Long John Silver's
Subway
System scale & health
Long John Silver'sSubwayLong John Silver's
Subway
Long John Silver's
Subway
Long John Silver's
Subway
Long John Silver's
Subway
Long John Silver's
Subway
Financial performance (Item 19), by location group
Long John Silver'sNot disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation
SubwayNot 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.
Long John Silver's vs Subway: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Long John Silver's or Subway?
- Long John Silver's: $665,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25); 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, Long John Silver's or Subway?
- Long John Silver's: 479 (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 Long John Silver's and Subway disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Long John Silver's 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.
Keep researching
Full Long John Silver's 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
