Subway
Key figures
| Initial franchise fee | $15,000 |
| Total investment (Item 7) | $263,000 – $630,000 |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 8% of gross sales |
| Franchised units (Item 20) | 18773 (Item 20, p.94) |
| Brand website | https://www.subway.com/en-US/OwnAFranchise |
About Subway
MONEY FIGURES (Subway FDD 2026, Doctor's Associates LLC, issued April 30, 2026, as amended June 15, 2026): initial franchise fee $15,000 standard (Item 5, PDF p29 line 18); estimated initial investment $263,000-$630,000 for a single restaurant (Item 7, PDF p51 line 46; cover PDF p1 lines 13-15); royalty 8% of total gross sales (Item 6, PDF p36 line 6); 18,773 total outlets at 2025 year-end, all franchised, 0 company-owned (Item 20 Table 1, PDF p94). TERRITORY (Item 12): territory is NOT exclusive - the FDD states you will not receive an exclusive territory.
Territory — what the FDD says (Item 12)
Under this brand's Item 12 rule, you do not receive an exclusive territory. The franchisor may sell additional franchises in the same area. It may also operate company units there. Or it may sell through other channels. No area is reserved for you. No area is closed to you by another franchisee's exclusivity either. Placement is the franchisor's decision.
The FDD's own words (Item 12): “territory is NOT exclusive - the FDD states you will not receive an exclusive territory.”
Where Subway operates today
Per the brand's FDD outlet table (Item 20, Table 3 — franchised outlets by state, latest fiscal year): 18526 franchised units across 52 states.
Projected openings (Item 20, Table 5)
Franchise agreements the FDD projects for the next fiscal year:
Source: Food-Beverage_Subway_2026_WwzFoj6P.pdf, Item 20. Counts are the franchisor's own disclosures.
Why two unit counts? The Key figures above cite 18773 franchised units (Item 20, p.94) — the franchisor's reported franchised-unit total. The map above sums Item 20, Table 3 (franchised outlets by state at fiscal year-end), which totals 18526. The two Item 20 figures are compiled on different bases, so they need not match.
Availability
Because this brand grants no exclusive territory, there are no territory-based exclusions: no area is reserved for an existing franchisee, and no area is reserved for you. Whether a new unit is placed anywhere is the franchisor's decision under Item 12.
Next steps with Subway
Put Subway on a shortlist. Compare it side by side with two other brands. Check it against your budget in the PerfectFit Quiz. Or talk it through with a vetted consultant. That conversation is free to buyers; call (385) 475-5319. Only the franchisor can confirm current terms. Only the franchisor can confirm territory availability.