There may be no more successful franchise opportunity in the world than a Subway franchise. Starting from humble beginnings in one of the smallest states in the country – Connecticut – Subway has grown into an international brand, one that appeals to customers across pretty much every demographic there is.
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Its high profile is one of the reasons that many aspiring franchisees look into owning their own Subway franchises. But, what does that look like? That’s what we’re going to be exploring below.
The Subway Concept
Unless you’ve been living underneath a rock for the past several decades, you know what a Subway restaurant is all about. Subway bills itself as a healthy alternative to the numerous fast-food franchises that are out there. While whether or not Subway is actually healthier or not is open to debate, no one can deny the success of its marketing campaigns along these lines. Just consult any of the numerous Subway advertisements that you’ll see on television, which feature well-known sports figures.
How Does Subway Look to the Aspiring Franchisee?
Subway’s success—which you’ve probably heard plenty about—is backed up by great numbers. Currently, there are Subway franchises in nearly 100 countries around the world, and Subway is poised to expand that even further.
Within the United States itself, there are currently just shy of 27,000 Subway franchises alone, from stand-alone locations to those located in malls, train stations and airports.
While the number of locations in the United States has grown by approximately 2,000 in the past five years, internationally the growth is even more staggering. Just over 4,000 more locations have opened outside of the U.S. within the past five years.
In order to open your own Subway franchise, you’ll have to be prepared to make a significant investment, and Subway demands that its franchisees have a net worth of $80,000 at a minimum. How large the upfront investment is will depend upon the location that you select, with stand-alone locations requiring more capital. At a minimum, approximate $116,000 will be required to open a location, with a $15,000 franchise fee in addition.
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One thing that’s worth noting is that Subway offers incentives for franchisees that will be opening locations at government and military sites. In this case, Subway will completely waive the franchise fee for the franchisee. If the franchisee receives government funding to open his or her location, but it is not located on a government or military site, there is a 50 percent discount on the franchise fee available, as well.
Is It Time to Become a Sandwich Artist?
As you can see, there are many reasons that you may want to consider becoming a Subway franchisee. With Subway attempting to expand aggressively, especially in government, military and international markets, there’s plenty of opportunity to be had! Of course, Subway isn’t the only game in town when it comes to healthy alternatives to fast food. So, as you research Subway, be sure to keep other franchise opportunities in mind, like those afforded by Panera Bread, and others, for example.
For more information about owning a franchise, visit the Subway website.
