Firehouse Subs vs Potbelly Sandwich Shop Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Firehouse Subs vs Potbelly Sandwich Shop including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Firehouse Subs Franchise
Potbelly Sandwich Shop Franchise
Investment $57,502 - $868,696$534,950 - $874,000
Franchise Fee $20,000$40,000
Royalty Fee 6%6%
Advertising Fee 3-5%Up to 4%
Year Founded 19941977
Year Franchised 19952009
Term Of Agreement --
Term Of Agreement --
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Firehouse Subs Franchise
Potbelly Sandwich Shop Franchise
Experience 1. Minimum of $80k to invest 2. Credit score of 650+ 3. Strong inner drive for excellence 4. Devotion to your Firehouse Subs business 5. Motivated and community-minded 6. Must love subs!Potbelly is looking for "Potbelly People" to become franchisees. That means people that love working with a team, have solid business experience (not necessarily in restaurants), the financial qualifications, possess personal motivation and have been successful. Our franchise owner/operator model is a two person team. Whether a family partnership or a business partnership we are looking for an operating team that wants to be owners of the neighborhood sandwich shop within their community.

Financing Options
 
Firehouse Subs Franchise
Potbelly Sandwich Shop Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/Yes-/Yes
Start-up Costs No/No-/Yes
Equipment No/Yes-/Yes
Inventory No/Yes-/Yes
Receivables No/No-/Yes
Payroll No/No-/Yes

Training & Support
 
Firehouse Subs Franchise
Potbelly Sandwich Shop Franchise
Training -

All new franchisees participate in a 10-12 week training program. This consists of real life experience in one of our company-owned training shops. In addition, we will train your key holding employees for 6 weeks at one of our company-owned training shops. Once completed, franchisees receive regular updates to their training along with our company-owned stores, including regular on site reviews. On-The-Job Training: 355 hours Classroom Training: 80 hours

Support -Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing -Ad Templates Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
Operations --

Expansion Plans
 
Firehouse Subs Franchise
Potbelly Sandwich Shop Franchise
US Expansion YesYes
Canada Expansion Yes-
International Expansion YesYes

Company Overviews

About Firehouse Subs

Our extraordinary steaming procedure stirs our exceptional meats and cheeses. At the point when our sub sandwiches are served in eateries highlighting genuine firefighting stylistic layout, this is a blend people return for over and over.
Spreading Like Wildfire
Surpassing 1,000 establishment areas, our Firehouse Subs development is deliberately figured to improve potential, gain, speculation, and obviously, our franchisees' prosperity.
Operational Excellence

With an always developing history of inventive items, an emphasis on uncommon client benefit, and a stand-out brand character, Firehouse Subs is focused on building benefit for franchisees.

Enjoy More Subs Save More Lives

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a single Firehouse Subs Restaurant ranges from $57,502 to $862,591 for Traditional restaurants; $355,118 to $644,047 for End-Cap Strip Mall Restaurants w/ Drive Thru; and $868,696 for Free-Standing Restaurants w/ Drive Thru. These totals include the following amounts that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliates: an initial franchise fee of $20,000; the fee for a mural ranges from $3,000 to $4,600; and the MIS System Fee ranges from $0 to $1,200.
If you sign an Area Development Agreement, you will also pay a Development Fee equal to $10,000 times the number of Restaurants to be developed. The portion of the Development Fee allocable to each Restaurant (which is $10,000 for each Restaurant) will be credited against the initial franchise fee for that Restaurant. The total investment necessary to develop from 2 to 5 Restaurants is $89,502 to 930,591 for Traditional Restaurants; $387,118 to $712,047 for End-Cap Strip Mall Restaurants / Drive Thru; $900,696 to $936,690 for Free-Standing Restaurants w/ Drive Thru.

Veteran Incentives  $2,000 off first-store franchise fee
"Entrepreneur
#59 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#78 in Franchise 500 for 2021.






About Potbelly Sandwich Shop

From its humble beginnings as a small antique store on Chicago's North Side, Potbelly has grown from one to more than 200 shops serving neighborhoods in 12 states. Potbelly's unique experience is defined by its combination of toasty warm sandwiches, hand-dipped shakes, tasty made-to-order salads, live local music, as well as friendly and lively people. Potbelly has built a passionate, loyal following of fans that spread the word about the fun, energetic atmosphere and great food.

#131 in Franchise 500 for 2020.