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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Qdoba 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.

    Qdoba2025 FDDSubway2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Qdoba

    Not available

    Subway

    $227,000 – $458,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Qdoba

    Not available

    Subway

    $15,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29

    Royalty · Item 6

    Qdoba

    5%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Subway

    8%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

    Before you compare

    • Qdoba figures come from its 2025 FDD and Subway figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Subway discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Qdoba has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Qdoba

    Not available
    No reviewed Item 7 total

    Subway

    $227,000 – $458,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Qdoba

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Subway

    $15,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Qdoba

    5%
    Royalty rate
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Subway

    8%
    Royalty fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Qdoba

    6%
    Marketing fee maximum — 6%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Subway

    4.5%
    Advertising fee — 4.5%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Qdoba

    Not available
    No reviewed outlet counts

    Subway

    18,773
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 94
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Qdoba

    Not available
    Only one year reported

    Subway

    −1,360
    Calculated: 20,133 at end of 2023 → 18,773 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Qdoba

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Subway

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

    Qdoba

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Subway

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

    Qdoba

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Subway

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Qdoba
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Qdoba restaurants open and franchisee-operated for all three fiscal…
    $422,629
    other 2025
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 59
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Qdoba restaurants open and franchisee-operated for all three fiscal…
    5.6 percent
    other 2023
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 59
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Qdoba restaurants open and franchisee-operated for all three fiscal…
    390 units
    other 2023
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 59
    +4 more groups in the full report
    Subway

    Not 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.

    Qdoba vs Subway: common questions

    How do Qdoba and Subway royalties compare?
    Qdoba: 5% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17); Subway: 8% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Do Qdoba and Subway disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Qdoba has reviewed Item 19 figures for 7 location groups; 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.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Qdoba 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

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    FDD glossary

    Plain-language meaning of each Item