is a subway franchise a good investment

Are Subway Franchises a Wise Investment?

Full Answer

How do I become a Subway franchisee?

Like any business, you should start by doing thorough research on Subway, the profitability of franchises in your area, and available areas where you can set up your franchise. If you’re feeling a little lost, consult with a franchise consultant or contact Subway’s franchising team to ask for more information.

Is subway a good franchise to buy?

In terms of fast food restaurant franchises, Subway had always seemed to be the franchise of choice. In fact, Subway’s profitable franchise model is what got many potential franchise owners to invest, leading to Subway’s boom in the United States and the rest of the world.

Why are Subway franchisees losing money?

These numbers have to do with the fact that more Subways are opening but are not earning as much thanks to the increased competition. While Subway is much more accessible to franchise than other fast food restaurants, it eats up a much larger portion of their franchisees’ gross sales.

Is it worth it to become a subway owner?

Well, becoming a Subway owner can bring the exact opposite. If you are planning to own a single-unit of a Subway franchise, unless you spend your time running the business, you will make very little money out of it.

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What is the problem with franchising?

Massive market saturation (The problem in franchising is the brands that are most visible get the most people applying for a franchise. But it is that exact visibility that hurts you financially as a franchisee with so many locations vying for business.

Do subway franchises have disclosure documents?

Now as Franchise brokers and consultants we are in a unique position in that we have access to every Franchise Disclosure Document out there. We also speak regularly with existing Subway franchise owners selling their locations and we hear the reasons why they want to sell. One of our partners here at franchise.city was also a multi units Subway owner for a number of years before selling his stores.

How much did the subway franchise make in 2012?

In 2012, prior to Subway’s decline, the average Subway franchise generated $482,000 in revenue. By 2016, that had dropped to $422,500. These numbers have to do with the fact that more Subways are opening but are not earning as much thanks to the increased competition.

How much does it cost to license a subway franchise?

In comparison, Subway franchises are much more affordable to the average small business owners in the United States. Their licensing fee is at $15,000, much cheaper than other popular food brands like McDonald’s.

How much does subway royalty cost?

Subway’s royalty fees are at 8%, which is twice of what McDonald’s charges its franchisees at 4%. It’s a small number, but for small business owners it can mean significant thousands of dollars that could be the difference between profitability and loss.

How many subways are there in 2020?

As of 2020, there are over 41,500 Subways worldwide, all of them independently owned.

Why is the subway so fast growing?

Arguably, the reason for Subway’s fast growth and appeal to potential franchise owners is its low-cost high-return model.

How much does it cost to open a subway?

The total cost of opening a Subway is estimated at $150,000 to $300,000. In terms of franchising, that’s the cost of a less popular restaurant franchise. Yet, Subway’s popularity rivals the big names of the fast-food industry yet keeps its franchising costs low.

What is the subway's open kitchen?

Unlike other fast food restaurants like McDonald’s, you can see the fresh ingredients put into your sandwich and see to it that the Subway staff are making it according to your directions . This has allowed Subway to gain the “healthy” fast food advantage in an industry where health is a hard-to-reach advantage.

Why is subway franchise bad?

They didn’t have territory protection. So that’s why you see sometimes where you have one franchisee or one Subway franchise, located on one corner and then down the block, you have another Subway franchise. This is a big issue for franchisees because this leads to sales cannibalization. Where one store negatively impacts the sales of another store. And this decreases the sales for both stores.

What is the difficulty of a subway operator?

Another difficulty in the Subway operator or Subway franchisee is there’s high employee turnover. Like many food services, and businesses, there’s a lot of employee turnover. They work for a short amount of time and then they leave. And so as an owner or an operator, you need to keep finding people, constantly finding people, and train them.

Is subway a bad investment?

Our opinion is quite definitively that it is a bad investment decision, a bad franchise to invest in the U.S. at this time. And there’s a number of reasons for this. A brief summary is that Subway was founded in 1965 in Bridgeport, Connecticut by Fred DeLuca and Peter Buck. Since then, Subway has become one of the largest franchises in the world, in terms of the number of units with over 44,000 units worldwide.

Can foreigners own subways?

And one of the biggest issues for someone looking to do a Subway franchise investment is if you’re a foreign national looking and doing E-2, L-1, or EB-5 investor visa. Subway does not allow foreign nationals as franchisees in the U.S. The person needs to be a green card holder or be an American citizen. Which means it’s not even an option for someone looking to do an investor visa like the E-2,L-1, or EB-5. I hope you found this insightful. Again my name is Jack Findaro. I’m the finance director at Visa franchise. And if you’d like to learn more, please visit our website www.visafranchise.com. Thank you.

How much does it cost to franchise a subway?

Subway is one of the cheapest restaurant franchises to enter. Total initial investment can run between $150,000 and $328,000 for a traditional location (and $89,550 to $209,400 for a non-traditional location), assuming you lease your equipment from Subway, according to the Franchise Disclosure Document. As a comparison, McDonald's charges a franchise fee of $45,000 and startup expenses can cost up to $2.2 million, according to the McDonald’s Franchise Disclosure Document. A Subway restaurant, on average, generates $422,000 in sales annually, compared to $2.6 million in average annual revenue for McDonald's restaurants, according to QSR magazine.

How much do subway franchises have to contribute to the total sales of the franchise?

Subway franchisees are required to contribute 12.5% in gross total sales each week to cover the costs of royalties (8.5%) and advertising (4.5%).

How Do You Become a Subway Franchisee?

There are no company-owned Subway franchises. Like the original owners, you don’t have to be a sandwich artist or have owned a restaurant to become a Subway franchisee. There are financial requirements, which include having liquid assets between $30,000 to $90,000 and a net worth between $80,000-$310,000. You must, however, participate in a two-week long training course that teaches business concepts, methods of operation, and basic management skills. The training time is spent in a classroom and on-site at a local Subway franchise for a "hands-on" experience. At the end of the two weeks, each potential franchisee must pass an exam to become a Subway franchisee.

What Are Some Other Sandwich Franchise Alternatives?

If you are interested in owning a quick service franchise, but don’t believe that a Subway franchise is right for you, fortunately there are many other options available. The quick service food franchises listed below are all award-winning brands that have been rated highly in FBR franchisee satisfaction surveys.

What do you need to sell on a subway?

As a Subway franchisee, you are required to sell six-inch and foot-long specialty sandwiches, salads, wraps and other food items. You must also offer a breakfast menu that offers egg sandwiches, bacon, sausage, muffins, coffee and juice if you operate your franchise in the United States, according to Subway’s Franchise Disclosure Document.

How much is subway worth?

It’s brand value is in the millions worldwide: $18,766 according to Statista.

Why did Fred DeLuca start Subway?

Peter Buck gave college freshman Fred DeLuca, the founder of Subway, the idea to open a submarine sandwich shop as a way to help pay tuition. DeLuca’s first two attempts did not immediately spell success, according to a New York Times article. Originally named Pete’s Submarines (after his friend Dr. Peter Buck), the name had to change because it did not translate well over radio advertising. However, Buck’s initial investment of $1,000 did pay off. By 1974, the two men owned and operated 16 sandwich shops in its birthplace of Connecticut under Doctor’s Associates, Inc. The name derived from the idea that DeLuca hoped to earn enough money in the sandwich business to eventually become a doctor.

Why are subway franchisees unhappy?

Unhappy franchisees: Just google it and you will find a lot of information about franchisees who are struggling and extremely unhappy with their Subway franchise! The reasons are very diverse, from the low margins mentioned before in this article, to the aggressive expansion of the system (creating competition among franchisees), questionable marketing tactics that squeeze owner profits, and so on.

Why do people want to become a subway owner?

Undesirable Lifestyle: many of the people we talk to want to become a business owner in order to achieve a better lifestyle, have more personal time, and ability to dedicate more to their families. Well, becoming a Subway owner can bring the exact opposite. If you are planning to own a single-unit of a Subway franchise, unless you spend your time running the business, you will make very little money out of it. So you will need to be involved, and that means actively managing a business operation that is open 7 days a week, for long hours…not very appealing…

What is the highest royalties in the food industry?

One of the highest royalties charged in the food industry: Subway charges 8% royalty fees of their franchisees!! That’s one of the highest royalties charged in the food franchise industry! McDonald’s for example, charges 4%, and most other food franchises will range between 4 and 6%. When you take into account that 8% is being charged out ...

How much is subway marketing fee?

Super high marketing fee: Subway charges, in addition to 8% royalty fee, a 4.5% marketing fee. That again is charged on top of your gross revenue. So you are leaving 12.5% to Subway off the bat, and that’s not yet even discounting all the other costs you will incur (cost of goods, rent costs, employees, licenses, taxes, and more).

How much is the average gross revenue per store in 2016?

The system is showing signs of decline – per unit sales are declining: In 2016, the average gross revenue per store was U$422.5K. As compared to 4 years before, average sales per unit were U$482,000. That’s a decline of U$60,000 per store. It has been reported, in 2017, that location traffic has fallen over 25% during the past 5 years. For an inexperienced business investor, looking at the gross revenues number, it may still sound appealing, but first, you don’t want to invest in a system with declining revenues (as this is a bad sign), but also, when you consider all your costs (super high fees, rent, employment costs, cost of goods, taxes, etc), and on top of that the fact the product cost is super cheap, with very low gross margins, how much really is left for the owner…hum…no wonder why so many stores have been closing, huh!?

How many subways are there in the US?

Subway was founded in 1965 by Fred de Luca and the concept was franchised in 1974. Currently they have 25,835 locations in the US, plus 18,317 locations in 98 countries! Yes, this has been a very successful business for Fred de Luca, even though as you will see in this article, the system is showing very concerning signs of an incoming crash (for example, over the past 2 years, hundreds of stores closed each year). Even though the corporation has been successful, that doesn’t mean that for you, the aspiring franchisee, this would be a great business as well.

Is subway keeping up with new demands?

Consumer habits are changing, and Subway is not keeping up to new demands: this applies to all the mature fast-food concepts out there. The new generation of consumers are much more informed on the true nutritional value of products, and are coming with many new food habits and demands. More and more you see people looking for healthier food choices, with fresh and organic ingredients, and demands such as Vegan menu, gluten free, lactose free, etc. All restaurants with a healthy appeal, or farm-to-table concepts, tend to be always packed and very successful. Keep in mind that when you sign up for a franchise, you sign an agreement of 5 or 10 years term, and you should think about what should happen to consumer habits and market trends over this time frame and how this could impact your business. When it comes to businesses such as Subway, McDonald’s or Pizza Hut, this is an area of concern!

How much does it cost to open a subway?

Your total investment to open a new Subway franchise will range between $150,000 to $328,700. Be prepared for a $200,000 plus investment on average. Your payments to Subway will include 8% of your total gross sales as well as 4.5% of your gross sales that will be allocated to advertising. There are other fees including your local rent/license fee, equipment leases, software maintenance call us for specific details.

What does it mean when a subway has thousands of locations?

It means they have thousands of locations -and that means that you will very likely have a competing Subway store very close to your own. Then I ask if they have previous food service experience. Most don't.

What is franchise city?

Franchise city helps aspiring investors find profitable franchises. We'll tell you the good and the bad and work with you to identify and research option best suited to your operational preferences, business goals, market demand, exit strategy and other criteria. We work with several food franchises that can compare against Subway. There is no charge for our service, just like your real estate agent, and your franchise will never cost you more by using a broker. Learn more by clicking the link above.

How many subway stores were closed in 2016?

2. Store Closures and Corporate Decline. Subway had about 357 store closures in 2016, the first time ever. 864 stores closed in 2017. For the past 6 years we have been cautioning Subway investors on what appeared to be a potentially over saturated and overheated market. Despite all the red flags people are still lining up to buy this big name. It is an interesting phenomenon

Is there a massive influx of investors who throw money at a supposedly "incredible opportunity"?

and you see this type of behavior in real estate speculation, cryptocurrency, as well as in stock market investing. Right before the decline, at the height of public popularity, there is a massive influx of investors who throw money at a supposedly "incredible opportunity". But the opportunity only looks incredible because everyone else is doing it. And you can't blame investors as they see franchises everywhere and assume that equates to success - when all it really means is intense competition.

Is subway legal?

Needless to say Subway has a very active legal department. Of course there are Subway franchise owners who are successful. Most of those are pioneers who invested long ago. Often those who choose to join early with emerging brands will have the most success.

Which is better, subway or quiznos?

Subway is definitely a better option than Quiznos. But maybe you should take another look into Real Estate, it's by far the better long-term investment. The way I understand it is if I bought a house for like $100k I'd profit anywhere between $200-$500 per month on rent in my area depending on how good the deal is.

What is value investing?

Value investing, at its core, is essentially buying great businesses at prices lower than their intrinsic value. Combine good analysis of intangibles, and you can find some really good plays. I feel, however, people have chosen to ignore the potential of lower priced, lesser known companies for companies trading well over their intrinsic values. Apple was trading at around 100$ in the early 2000’s, and the fundamentals made sense for a buy back then, but people didn’t buy it until it became mainstream. There are still many companies TILL THIS DAY that have amazing fundamentals, are in up and coming industries, and also have competitors doing decently well. If you can find these companies and hold on to them, then how is value investing dead? Is it easy to find the next Microsoft or Johnson and Johnson? No. It wasn’t easy in 1995, it wasn’t easy in 1965, and it’s not gonna be easy in 2021. But the notion that value investing is some how less effective would mean that fundamentals don’t matter long term. I think that’s a very dangerous narrative to push. If you’re not betting on a companies fundamentals for the long term, then what are you betting on exactly? Somebody to come along pay more for the stock you just bought?