Franopolis
    vs

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Potbelly Sandwich Works vs Wingstop

    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 FDDWingstop2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    $628,938 – $999,371

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27

    Wingstop

    $310,400 – $1,048,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    Not available

    Wingstop

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13

    Royalty · Item 6

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    $50

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Wingstop

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    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, Wingstop: 5). 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

    Wingstop

    $310,400 – $1,048,500
    Total initial investment, excluding real estate
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Wingstop

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13
    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

    Wingstop

    6%
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14
    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

    Wingstop

    $5,000
    Transfer marketing expenditure
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

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

    Wingstop

    2,586
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 67
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    +45
    Calculated: 425 at end of 2023 → 470 at end of 2025

    Wingstop

    +660
    Calculated: 1,926 at end of 2023 → 2,586 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Wingstop

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

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    2009
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Wingstop

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

    Potbelly Sandwich Works

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Wingstop

    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
    Wingstop
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All Wingstop Restaurants in the U.S. open entire 2025 Measured Period, franchis…
    55 restaurants
    other Systemwide WRI-owned count
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — WRI-owned Wingstop Restaurants open entire 2025 Measured Period
    $4,038,428
    other WRI-owned highest annual net sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Wingstop Restaurants open entire 2025 Measured Period
    $1,890,866
    other Franchised median annual net sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65
    +2 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 Wingstop: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Potbelly Sandwich Works or Wingstop?
    Potbelly Sandwich Works: $628,938 – $999,371 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 27); Wingstop: $310,400 – $1,048,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Wingstop. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Potbelly Sandwich Works and Wingstop royalties compare?
    Potbelly Sandwich Works: $50 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17); Wingstop: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Potbelly Sandwich Works or Wingstop?
    Potbelly Sandwich Works: 470 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 75); Wingstop: 2,586 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 67). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Potbelly Sandwich Works and Wingstop disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Potbelly Sandwich Works has reviewed Item 19 figures for 55 location groups; Wingstop has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 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 Potbelly Sandwich Works report

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

    Full Wingstop report

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

    Compare Potbelly Sandwich Works with

    Compare Wingstop with

    Add a third brand

    Compare up to four side by side

    Explore by brand

    Filter every published report

    FDD glossary

    Plain-language meaning of each Item