Subway vs Quiznos franchise USA 2026: which one wins on real numbers?
Quiznos is the lighter bet on entry — $214K vs $227K (about $13K less). Subway runs the bigger network at 18773 vs 278 outlets. Quiznos takes less off the top (5% royalty vs 8%).
01 What actually matters
Numbers that separate them on a 5-year horizon — not the franchise-development pitch.
Subway has 67.5× more outlets than Quiznos (18773 vs 278) — more brand recognition and supplier scale, but also denser intra-brand competition in saturated markets.
One-time franchise fees are worth noting (FDD Item 5): Subway charges $15K upfront on top of the setup capex. This is a non-refundable sunk cost before revenue begins — bake it into your at-risk capital calculation.
02 The numbers, visualised
Primary format per brand, from FDD Item 7. A brand's smaller express or non-traditional formats can cost materially less.
Initial investment (FDD Item 7)
Total initial investment, low end of each brand's FDD Item 7 range for its primary format. Several US brands also run smaller express, non-traditional or conversion formats at materially lower investment — check the brand page for the full Item 7 table.
Network scale — total outlets
Total US outlets from FDD Item 20. Bigger networks mean more brand recognition and supplier scale; smaller ones mean less intra-brand competition in your trade area.
Customer ratings
Which brand's outlets are rated higher by customers, aggregated across locations. Exact star rating and review volume are in Brand Health.
Direction only — the underlying rating & review count are Pro data.
03 Side-by-side
Straight from each brand’s FDD. Green badge marks the more favourable value for a typical first-time operator.
| Metric | Subway | Quiznos |
|---|---|---|
| Initial investment (Item 7) | $227K | $214K ↓ Lower |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 8% | 5% ↓ Lower |
| Gross margin | — | — |
| Min space (sq ft) | — | 1200 |
| Total US outlets (Item 20) | 18773 ↑ Bigger | 278 |
| Franchise fee (Item 5) | $15K | $10K ↓ Lower |
| Additional funds | — | — |
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04 Explore these brands in depth
Same data plus the full FDD breakdown, fee load, contract fairness and SBA lending picture — free on every brand page.
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05 Frequently asked
Wrapped in FAQPage JSON-LD for SERP rich-result eligibility.
How many Sandwiches / QSR franchise brands are available in the US?
FRANticc's database lists 2 brands matching this comparison with verified investment data, store counts, and format details. Several more are covered across our full directory. Every figure is traced to the brand's Franchise Disclosure Document.
What is the best Sandwiches / QSR franchise in the US in 2026?
Among the 2 brands FRANticc compares, the top options by network size are Subway, Quiznos (Subway: 18773 stores, Quiznos: 278 stores). The lowest investment entry is Quiznos from $214K. "Best" depends on your capital, your market and how hands-on you plan to be — this page gives you the data for all three dimensions.
What are the hidden costs in Sandwiches / QSR franchises?
FDD Item 7 is the honest list, and it runs well past the headline number: initial franchise fee (Item 5), leasehold improvements and build-out, equipment and signage, opening inventory, insurance, training travel, grand-opening advertising, and three months of additional funds. On top of that sit the recurring Item 6 fees — royalty, national ad fund, technology, and often a local-marketing minimum. FRANticc separates the one-time spend from the recurring load on every brand page so you see the real exposure.
Which Sandwiches / QSR brand has the largest network in the US?
Subway operates the largest network among these — 18773 outlets. Large networks offer more brand recognition and supplier scale, but also mean denser intra-brand competition in already-saturated markets.