Franopolis
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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Subway vs Taco Johns

    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.

    Subway2026 FDDTaco Johns2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Subway

    $227,000 – $458,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Taco Johns

    $454,175 – $2,034,250

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Subway

    $15,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29

    Taco Johns

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Subway

    8%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

    Taco Johns

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Subway and Taco Johns disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Taco Johns has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Subway

    $227,000 – $458,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Taco Johns

    $454,175 – $2,034,250
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Subway

    $15,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 29

    Taco Johns

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

    Subway

    8%
    Royalty fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

    Taco Johns

    5%
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Subway

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

    Taco Johns

    4.25%
    Traditional advertising/marketing fee max — 4.25%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Subway

    18,773
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 94

    Taco Johns

    340
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 68
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Subway

    −1,360
    Calculated: 20,133 at end of 2023 → 18,773 at end of 2025

    Taco Johns

    −28
    Calculated: 368 at end of 2022 → 340 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Subway

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Taco Johns

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

    Subway

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Taco Johns

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

    Subway

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Taco Johns

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Subway

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Taco Johns
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional freestanding Taco John’s 2025 restaurants, Second Quartile
    62 restaurants
    other Traditional freestanding Second Quartile group size
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 68
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional freestanding Taco John’s 2025 restaurants, Lower Quartile
    $931,297
    other Traditional freestanding Lower Quartile highest performer sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 68
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional freestanding Taco John’s 2025 restaurants, Combined
    $1,176,775
    other Traditional freestanding Combined median performer sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 68
    +12 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.

    Subway vs Taco Johns: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Subway or Taco Johns?
    Subway: $227,000 – $458,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Taco Johns: $454,175 – $2,034,250 (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.
    How do Subway and Taco Johns royalties compare?
    Subway: 8% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36); Taco Johns: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Subway or Taco Johns?
    Subway: 18,773 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 94); Taco Johns: 340 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 68). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Subway and Taco Johns disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Subway makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Taco Johns has reviewed Item 19 figures for 15 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 Subway report

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

    Full Taco Johns report

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

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