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Founded in 1994 and franchising since 1995, Firehouse Subs has grown to 1,221 locations across the country. With the brand’s famous mission to donate a portion of each sale to the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, the Firehouse Subs franchise has donated over $71 million to local firehouses for equipment and training support. 

The sandwich franchise offers hot specialty subs, salads, sides, sweets, and a kids’ menu. Customers also have the option of building their own sub. Firehouse Subs franchises also have catering – serving platters of their subs and salads.

Founded in 1976 and franchising since 1991, Capriotti’s franchise is the oldest of the franchises on our list. With 97 locations across the country, Capriotti’s is similar in size to PrimoHoagies. Capriotti’s offers a full menu of sandwiches, salads, and sides, as well as a kids’ menu. With lunch boxes and party trays, Capriotti’s also offers catering, much like other sandwich franchises.

The Capriotti’s franchise cost ranges between $105,000 and $653,000, making the brand a bit more affordable than Firehouse Subs. The investment range includes their $30,000 to $40,000 franchise fee. Franchise candidates should have a net worth scaling between $300,000 to $1 million, with at least $150,000 to $300,000 in liquid cash. Similar to Firehouse Subs, franchisees can expect to pay 6% to 7% in royalty fees and a 2% advertising fee. 

The last of our franchises, but certainly not least, is PrimoHoagies. Founded in 1992 in South Philly, PrimoHoagies has been franchising since 2002 and now has 91 locations across the country. Our brand is continuously expanding as franchises open and our internal team grows. And while we are the smallest brand on the list, keep in mind that bigger isn’t always better. With smaller franchise systems, the staff at headquarters can provide more hands-on support than a system of over 1,000 locations. You’ll have a bigger voice and quicker access to leadership that’s just one call away. Plus, PrimoHoagies offers consistent promotions and sponsorships on top of quality marketing efforts to boost franchisee sales. Growth is the only way up with PrimoHoagies, whether our franchisees are surpassing sales goals or owning multiple franchises.

PrimoHoagies offers the widest variety of sandwiches, with 10 sub-menus of hoagie types from Meatless to Meatballs. We use only Thumann’s gourmet meats and cheeses in our hoagies – providing a high-quality product customers love. We take pride in making sure our customers are satisfied, whether that’s in our restaurant at lunch or while they enjoy our catering services at any event big or small. 

The startup costs to own a PrimoHoagies location are on the lower end of the spectrum compared to Firehouse Subs and Capriotti’s – making them an affordable franchise option. The initial investment costs to open a PrimoHoagies location range between $246,350 to $612,663, including a franchisee fee scaling between $15,000 and $40,000. Franchise candidates should have a net worth of $425,000 and $125,000 in liquid capital. Like the other sandwich franchises, PrimoHoagies franchisees can expect to pay a royalty fee of 6% and an ad royalty fee of 2.5%.