Franchise opportunities compared
Schlotzsky’s vs Shahs Halal
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.
Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- Schlotzsky’s and Shahs Halal 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 (Schlotzsky’s: 2, Shahs Halal: 4). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  Schlotzsky’s |  Shahs Halal |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $668,775 – $2,261,500 2026 FDD · Item 7 | $192,000 – $450,000 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | Not available No single standard fee identified | Not available No single standard fee identified |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 6% Royalty rate 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 30 | 5% Royalty rate 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | $25,000 First restaurant in market advertising minimum 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 29 | 1% Proprietary marketing fund — 1% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 294 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 89 | Not available No reviewed outlet counts |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | −23 Calculated: 317 at end of 2023 → 294 at end of 2025 | Not available Only one year reported |
| Outlet exits (Item 20) | Not available No complete exit records for a year | Not available No complete exit records for a year |
| Franchising since (Item 1) | 1971 From a verified franchisor listing | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Franchisor founded (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Performance (Item 19) | ||
| Financial performance (Item 19), by location group | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchise restaurants with a drive-thru that reported sales all 52… $1,739,247 other Table 1 drive-thru · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 87 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchise restaurants without a drive-thru that reported sales all… $33 other Table 2 no drive-thru · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 87 | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 73 Shah’s Halal-branded U.S. restaurants, not owned in whole or in part or mana… $942,333 other Table 1 franchised U.S. restaurants not owned or managed · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 55 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Bottom 10 Shah’s Halal-branded restaurants operating in 2025 $440,120 other Table 3 bottom 10 restaurants average gross sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 55 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 15 Shah’s Halal-branded U.S. restaurants owned in whole or part or managed by S… 33.33 percent other Table 4 owned/managed restaurants · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 55 +1 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.
Schlotzsky’s vs Shahs Halal: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Schlotzsky’s or Shahs Halal?
- Schlotzsky’s: $668,775 – $2,261,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Shahs Halal: $192,000 – $450,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Shahs Halal. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Schlotzsky’s and Shahs Halal royalties compare?
- Schlotzsky’s: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 30); Shahs Halal: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do Schlotzsky’s and Shahs Halal disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Schlotzsky’s has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups; Shahs Halal has reviewed Item 19 figures for 4 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.