The query was earnest and particular, touchdown within the StartupNation neighborhood discussion board at some point in July 2006:

“I’m curious to know what’s the common revenue a Subway restaurant proprietor would make month-to-month? Or if anybody who owns a Subway, how a lot do they make month-to-month? Or if anybody who owns just a few Subway places, how a lot do they make month-to-month?”

Inside days, members of the StartupNation neighborhood started responding to the Subway questioner. After which, over the following 15+ years, they continued responding, layering questions on high of feedback on high of compliments like, properly, like a large Subway sandwich:

They mentioned and debated every part from Subway franchise price to Subway franchise profitability to Subway guidelines, rules and non-traditional places.

“The Subway Put up”

“The Subway Put up,” because it got here to be recognized at StartupNation, grew into a number of pages over time as scores of neighborhood members—Subway franchise house owners, Subway managers, Subway lovers, Subway haters, you identify it—weighed in on the financials of proudly owning an outlet of the well-known restaurant chain.

Now, as StartupNation prepares emigrate its member discussion board into a brand new StartupNation Neighborhood setting this summer season, we determined to revisit “The Subway Put up” and replace any data we might. We additionally needed to position Subway store possession within the context of franchising general.

However, first, what about that authentic query? How a lot can you make from proudly owning a Subway franchise?

Subway Franchise Profitability

Nicely, formally, Subway Eating places, the franchise enterprise operated by Physician’s Associates, Inc., is cautious to not predict what any single Subway location would possibly earn in gross sales or clear in earnings. In case you’re seeking to purchase an present Subway franchise, chances are you’ll be supplied the precise information of revenue and loss for that particular retailer.

However a brand new location? Future revenue projections? You’ll should do your personal analysis.

In reality, sprinkled all through the paperwork {that a} purchaser should full when securing a franchise are phrases underlining that neither Subway nor its representatives can or ought to make any predictions or ensures about profitability.

Right here is a type of disclaimers, for instance:

“We don’t make any representations a few franchisee’s future monetary efficiency or the previous monetary efficiency of company-owned or franchised retailers. We additionally don’t authorize our workers or representatives to make any such representations both orally or in writing. Nonetheless, if you’re buying an present outlet, we might offer you the precise information of that outlet. In case you obtain some other monetary efficiency data or projections of your future revenue, you need to report it to the franchisor’s administration. …”

Profitability Estimates from Posters

In responses to the unique submit in 2006, folks figuring out themselves as Subway franchisees or Subway workers aware of franchise operations supplied varied revenue estimates.

Some stated franchisees ought to count on to see 20% revenue margins, with tightly managed retailers pushing 25% money movement and ones with weaker everyday operations clearing solely 15% a 12 months.

Which means a location on the excessive finish of the gross sales chart would possibly throw off $150,000 a 12 months or extra, whereas a struggling Subway in a low gross sales location would possibly clear as little as $40,000.

One poster supplied this recommendation:

The final rule of thumb is that in case you actually push it (work within the retailer your self, preserve meals and labor prices as little as potential, and keep on high of loss prevention) you may attain a revenue margin of about 25%.  So, if in case you have a retailer averaging $10,000 every week in gross sales, you`ll make about $10,000 a month revenue.  Be mindful, this isn’t straightforward and most Subway house owners don`t do that properly.

A poster who recognized himself as “Subway Proprietor” was extra bullish on the chance:

I personal three Subway eating places.  I don`t need to make anybody mad, however some issues posted listed here are both flawed or deceptive.  First off, I’ve been concerned with Subway for 17 years, since 1989, and it’s a good firm.
The typical retailer within the US does just a little shy of $8,000/week.  So for simple spherical numbers let’s say the typical retailer does $400k/12 months.  It’s comparatively straightforward to tug 20% revenue in case you keep watch over the enterprise.  I averaged 22.63% for the primary quarter this 12 months and I used to be in my shops a median of 10 hours or much less per week, so 20% will not be that onerous.  However for the next estimate, let’s use 20% common revenue.
When you’ve got a retailer that’s merely common you need to revenue within the ballpark of $80k/yr.
Now let’s say you had been fortunate sufficient to get an incredible location and also you retailer does $15k/week (the world I’m in has a number of shops that do that and far more in gross sales so it is extremely potential), properly, you have to be making in extra of $150k per 12 months.
Now, one or two shops are usually not going to make you a multi-millionaire, however you can also make a cushty residing with out a lot of a time funding.

Different posters pushed again, suggesting that earnings down within the $25,000-$30,000 vary had been frequent and that to make a residing off Subway franchising one needed to personal a number of places. They warned that until you may construct up your personal enterprise of Subway franchises, you would possibly simply be shopping for a job, and in some instances shopping for a low-paying job.

Changing these 2006 {dollars} to 2023 buying energy is fraught given the latest excessive inflation and the specificities of meals prices and the restaurant enterprise. However a straight conversion primarily based on normal inflation would put that vary of earnings at $42,000-$225,000 in at the moment’s {dollars}.

So, How A lot Do Subway Franchise House owners Make?

So, how would possibly we estimate at the moment’s Subway franchise financials by analysis of obtainable documentation? Nicely, let’s begin with discovering what we will about product sales figures:

Whereas Starbucks and McDonald’s battle for the title for the world’s largest restaurant chain primarily based on whole gross sales, Subway is correct there battling for the highest spot by variety of retailers (nearly 37,000 shops worldwide in 100 international locations, with about half of these in the US).

On common, a typical Subway retailer will gross about $420,000 a 12 months, primarily based on Subway’s personal figures and trade estimates. Whereas that will sound like some huge cash, $420,000 is a small per unit income in contrast with different restaurant franchise alternatives. And Subway’s common income per retailer really decreased for a lot of the 2010s, till a turnaround in 2021-22.

So, if our working quantity is $420,000 a 12 months in product sales, the place does that cash go?

(Subway does boast among the many lowest begin up prices for franchised retailers. However we’ll take a look at the preliminary funding, such because the franchise price, later.)

Subway Franchise Value: Royalty Charges

Begin with the Subway franchise royalties. The royalty price is 8% of product sales, whereas the promoting price is 4.5% of product sales, in accordance with Subway’s Franchise Disclosure Doc.

Like different franchise agreements, Subway’s consists of different small, recurring charges as properly, and so they’re listed in that disclosure doc. However the large charges are these two that add as much as 12.5% of product sales, and Subway is obvious in its documentation about amassing these:

“Product sales” consists of all gross sales of each variety constituted of your restaurant. … The royalty is payable to us and is nonrefundable. … The royalty is payable weekly and is due on or earlier than the Friday following the shut of the enterprise week which is often Tuesday. You should submit signed varieties to permit us to deposit drafts towards your checking account for the complete quantity of the weekly accruals of royalties, promoting charges, and different quantities you’ll owe us.

Labor, Meals and Different Prices

Past these royalty charges lurk the opposite, typical prices of operating a meals franchise. You should have lease and utilities, in fact, or different bills similar to property taxes and constructing upkeep in case you’re fortunate sufficient to personal the property. In case your Subway goal retailer is in a non-traditional location, you might need a concession price as properly.

Labor prices will rely on prevailing wages in your neighborhood, together with any state or native minimal wage, in addition to how aggressive the labor market is the place you arrange.

You’ll have to account for what number of hours you because the franchise proprietor can put in, however don’t depend in your sandwich abilities to be the distinction maker. If monetary success requires you to take too many shifts behind the counter, you would possibly need to rethink the plan.

Meals prices are more likely to account for the largest chunk of your bills. Within the Subway franchise system, house owners should purchase from Subway-approved suppliers.

Subway cites high quality management and buying energy because the positives of this association, and a few house owners of Subway franchises contributing to “The Subway Put up” praised the system for serving to them with account well being monitoring and stock monitoring. Others, nonetheless, pleaded for extra flexibility, questioning Subway’s “eat recent” slogan and saying they may supply higher components at a fairer value than these mandated by Subway company.

Put all these prices collectively, together with another miscellaneous bills, and you’ve got a stable image of what would come out of that common gross sales take of $420,000.

Your prices, once more, would rely largely in your location and your administration of the place. Your gross sales will even rely on location and the quantity of competitors, together with from extra places within the Subway household.

Franchisees have complained when Subway grows its retailer depend and recommend that Subway generally pushes for systemwide income progress over the account well being of particular person franchises. As an alternative of contemplating their present Subway franchises, they push new retailers even when an area space is oversaturated.

One Franchisee’s Numbers

A discussion board contributor who stated he owned three Subway franchises broke his P&L financials down this fashion:

• Meals: 33% (lowest retailer 30% and highest retailer 33%)
• Labor: 22% (lowest retailer 19% and highest retailer 22%)
• Lease: 9% (lowest retailer 3% and highest retailer 9%)
• Subway charges: 12.5%
• Utilities/Misc: 8.5%
• Revenue: 15% (lowest retailer 15% and highest retailer 22%)

He additionally gave an insider tip about company-owned gear: “I might additionally recommend financing your gear as a substitute of leasing. The typical Subway lease comes out to +20% curiosity the place as a standard mortgage could be within the 5-8% vary. Hope this helps!”

Guidelines for Subway Franchisee

So far as operating the enterprise, take into account that as a franchisee your freedom to function is constrained by the phrases of the settlement with the guardian firm.

Moreover mandating meals purchases and charging weekly royalty charges, Subway operates like most any restaurant chain with a franchise mannequin. Subway has groups that assist franchises get arrange (a website choice workforce, for instance) and groups that monitor franchise efficiency.

Subway employs what they name a Improvement Agent. A Improvement Agent, in Subway’s description, is “an area, on-site consultant of the Subway idea” who will “present native assist not solely all through the applying course of however continued assist as you use your restaurant.”

Our StartupNation neighborhood posters had combined views on these Subway DAs, as they known as them. One poster gave this recommendation concerning DAs: “In case you are contemplating Subway, speak to present franchisees within the space and ask about their satisfaction with the DA of that space. Improvement Brokers are additionally anticipated to make sure franchisees are working inside firm pointers by having discipline reps that examine shops month-to-month. They do far more than simply open shops.”

Whereas one other poster put it extra succinctly: “There’s large variation amongst areas, with some native growth brokers being useful, and a few are downright horrible.”

Shopping for A Subway Franchise: Preliminary Franchise Payment

So, earlier than you even get to the stage of earning profits from a Subway, you must make in preliminary funding within the firm. Happily, in case you’re decided to pursue a Subway franchise, the corporate operates on a comparatively low funding enterprise mannequin, and new or present franchises are sometimes obtainable.

Subway units desk stakes at a internet value of $150,000 and liquid property, or money readily available, of $100,000 per location. That’s what’s wanted simply to be thought of for a Subway franchise position.

Subway Franchise Whole Funding

Then, your preliminary funding begins with the preliminary franchise price of $15,000. On high of that, you’ll need an estimated $207,000 to $477,000 to spend money on your retailer, in accordance with Subway’s personal estimates. Your determine will rely on such elements as constructing measurement, configuration and placement.

Remember the fact that any reworking or renovation you do to your house should conform with Subway franchise pointers. Some franchise house owners have ready their house forward of time solely to search out out that Subway’s retailer design workforce didn’t think about them configured correctly for franchised retailers.

So, with all that as primary background on the Subway franchise price and on what Subway franchise house owners would possibly make, what’s subsequent?

First, allow us to share just a few ideas from contributors to “The Subway Put up.”

1. It’s one factor to think about proudly owning your personal enterprise, however if in case you have by no means achieved it, you need to suppose laborious about all of the tasks you’re taking over.
2. Operating a meals franchise is a grind. And regardless that Subway gives coaching courses and assist with issues like stock administration duties, the challenges of labor shortages and competitors are actual.
3. The advantage of Subway will not be in proudly owning a Subway franchise a lot as proudly owning a number of Subway franchises. Posters say that multi unit house owners get essentially the most out of the expertise.

On high of that, you need to look laborious at the way forward for Subway Eating places itself.

Based in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1965 by Fred DeLuca and Peter Buck (each now deceased), Subway went by a troublesome decade within the 2010s earlier than turning issues round of late.

In early 2023, Subway confirmed in a information launch it had employed JPMorgan to discover a potential sale of the corporate. Coming off a robust 2022 that noticed its same-store gross sales climb 9.2%, Subway stated its technique was paying off.

It additionally cautioned that its exploration efforts might not finish in a sale in any respect.

“The administration workforce stays dedicated to the longer term and can proceed to execute towards its multi-year transformation journey, which features a deal with menu innovation, modernization of eating places and enhancements to its general visitor expertise,” the corporate stated.

The mixture of fewer shops and better gross sales per retailer stands as a degree in favor of changing into a Subway franchisee.

Listed below are another execs, adopted by some cons:

Professionals of proudly owning a Subway franchise:

1. Subway is a longtime model with a big buyer base, excessive loyalty amongst a few of these prospects and powerful model recognition.
2. Subway gives franchisees with coaching, ongoing assist, and entry to sources similar to advertising supplies and operational manuals.
3. Subway begins you off with comparatively low franchise charges, so the Subway franchise price is cheap compared with different franchise alternatives.
4. Subway permits some flexibility in creating menus to cater to native tastes.
5. Subway has robust relationships with its distributors, which some franchisees tout as useful in shopping for high quality items for cheap costs.

Cons of proudly owning a Subway franchise:

1. As our discussion board contributors talked about incessantly, the Subway franchise royalty price cuts into the revenue margin.
2. Subway franchisees say menu flexibility doesn’t go far sufficient and that the requirements imposed restrict their potential to create distinctive menu choices.
3. Competitors from different quick meals retailers is intense, and even when Subway is not the most important restaurant chain on the planet by variety of retailers, some franchisees say there are nonetheless too many new franchises popping up.
4. The quick meals trade general has excessive worker turnover, and Subway is not any exception.
5. The framework and guidelines that apply to Subway franchise house owners will be limiting.

Rules of Beginning a Franchise

Clearly, whether or not to pursue a Subway franchise is an advanced query filled with the everyday uncertainties that encompass any enterprise enterprise.

The identical will be stated, in fact, for franchising typically.

With that in thoughts, we wish to go away you with one other checklist that may assist anybody contemplating a Subway franchise or some other franchise.

Franchising generally is a nice alternative. However it must be best for you.

Listed below are 9 issues to find out about franchising. We primarily based this checklist on this text about beginning a franchise and this text about how franchising might help management your dangers.

1. Analysis the franchisor: Earlier than investing in a franchise, analysis the franchisor’s historical past, financials, and status. Search for crimson flags similar to lawsuits, chapter, or unfavorable evaluations.
2. Perceive the franchise settlement: The franchise settlement is a authorized contract that outlines the rights and tasks of the franchisor and franchisee. Perceive all phrases and situations.
3. Consider the franchisor’s assist: An excellent franchisor ought to present assist in areas similar to coaching, advertising, and operations.
4. Take into account the franchise’s profitability: Take a look at the franchise’s financials, together with the preliminary funding, ongoing charges, and potential income. Be conservative when making projections.
5. Know the franchise’s goal market: Be certain that the franchise’s goal market aligns with your personal pursuits and strengths.
6. Analysis the competitors: Take a look at the competitors within the franchise’s market and consider how the franchise differentiates itself.
7. Perceive the dangers concerned: Like all enterprise enterprise, there are dangers concerned in beginning a franchise. Ensure you and have a plan to mitigate the dangers.
8. Speak to different franchisees: Get an thought of the experiences and challenges confronted by different franchisees within the system.
9. Get skilled recommendation: Take into account consulting with a lawyer, accountant, or franchise advisor. They will present invaluable insights and enable you to make an knowledgeable resolution.

Conclusion

Since touchdown the StartupNation neighborhood discussion board in 2006, “The Subway Put up” has not solely remained related, but it surely has engaged entrepreneurs and the business-minded again and again. Hundreds of Subway franchises have opened, closed or modified palms in that point, and Subway Eating places has gone by its personal twists and turns.

The unique poster’s query—”What’s the typical revenue of a Subway restaurant proprietor?”—was by no means answered right down to the greenback. However the posters acquired shut, and we hope this text has achieved the identical for a 2023 reader.

We additionally hope we have now supplied a transparent mind-set about Subway franchise possession and a few helpful recommendations on franchising typically.