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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Potbelly Sandwich Works 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.

    Potbelly Sandwich Works2026 FDDSonic Drive-In2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    $628,938 – $999,371

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    Not available

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    $50

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    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 (Potbelly Sandwich Works: 55, Sonic Drive-In: 8). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    $628,938 – $999,371
    Potbelly shop — Total initial investment: $628,938 $999,371
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27

    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)

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    $50
    000, (2) temporarily reduce the Royalty percentage payable for that Potbelly Shop by — 50%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    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)

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    3%
    ype of fee 1 Column 2 Amount Column 3 Due Date Column 4 Remarks Brand Fund Currently — 3% — 3%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    470
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 75

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    +45
    Calculated: 425 at end of 2023 → 470 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)

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    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)

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    2009
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Potbelly Sandwich Works
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Systemwide franchised+affiliate — Suburban
    270 shops
    other Systemwide franchised+affiliate 2025 Suburban
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 73
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Systemwide franchised+affiliate — Urban
    54 shops
    other Systemwide franchised+affiliate 2025 Urban
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 73
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Systemwide franchised+affiliate — All Shops
    415 shops
    other Systemwide franchised+affiliate 2024 All Shops
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 73
    +52 more groups in the full report
    Sonic 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.

    Potbelly Sandwich Works vs Sonic Drive-In: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Potbelly Sandwich Works or Sonic Drive-In?
    Potbelly Sandwich Works: $628,938 – $999,371 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27); Sonic Drive-In: $1,485,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Potbelly Sandwich Works. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Potbelly Sandwich Works and Sonic Drive-In royalties compare?
    Potbelly Sandwich Works: $50 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17); 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, Potbelly Sandwich Works or Sonic Drive-In?
    Potbelly Sandwich Works: 470 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 75); 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 Potbelly Sandwich Works and Sonic Drive-In disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Potbelly Sandwich Works has reviewed Item 19 figures for 55 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

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    Full Potbelly Sandwich Works report

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

    Full Sonic Drive-In report

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

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