Jimmy John’s

The current estimated initial investment is $366,200–$728,200, including the $35,000 franchise fee. The actual investment depends on factors such as location, rent, construction, equipment and the amount of working capital required.

Jimmy John’s also offers different restaurant formats. Its newer small-format drive-thru concept is approximately 906 square feet and is designed to allow franchisees to access smaller sites and potentially reduce construction costs.

Prospective franchisees need at least $200,000 in liquid assets and $1 million in net worth. The liquid-asset requirement must be verifiable, and these figures represent qualification requirements rather than the total amount needed to open a restaurant.

Candidates should therefore have additional resources available for the actual restaurant investment and for operating expenses during the opening period. Jimmy John’s also evaluates the candidate’s ability to follow its operating system and meet its standards for customer service and restaurant operations.

The standard royalty is 6% of gross sales, while the Advertising & Development Fund contribution is 4.5% of gross sales. Together, these represent 10.5% of gross sales before other restaurant expenses.

Jimmy John’s has also offered development incentives that can temporarily reduce royalty and advertising contributions for qualifying new restaurants. These incentives depend on the specific development agreement and should not be confused with the standard franchise terms.

The latest available Item 19 data provides a useful benchmark. For 2025, the average annual unit volume was $1,007,437, with a median of $955,639, based on 2,581 franchised restaurants that operated for the full year.

These are gross sales figures, not profit figures. The FDD does not provide a guarantee of future performance, and expenses such as food, labor, rent, royalties, advertising, insurance and debt service must be deducted before determining a franchisee’s actual profitability.

5. Is Jimmy John’s suitable for a first-time franchisee?

Jimmy John’s can be accessible to entrepreneurs without previous ownership of a Jimmy John’s restaurant, but the company expects franchisees to have strong business skills, sufficient financial resources and the ability to operate according to its established system. Its franchise materials emphasize customer service, operational discipline and commitment to the brand.

The opportunity may be particularly attractive to multi-unit operators, as Jimmy John’s supports traditional, small-format, drive-thru, non-traditional and multi-brand formats. The brand is part of Inspire Brands, giving franchisees access to shared infrastructure and experience across a large restaurant portfolio.