Cookout vs Subway Franchise Cost 2026
Cookout runs $500K–$1.2M. Subway runs $229K–$522K. The gap at midpoint: $474K.
Cookout
$500K–$1.2M
total investment
Investment Difference
$474K
Subway costs less
Subway
$229K–$522K
total investment
Cost Breakdown
| Category | Cookout | Subway | Lower Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Investment | $500K–$1.2M | $229K–$522K | Subway |
| Franchise Fee | $0 | $15,000 | Cookout |
| Royalty Rate | 0.0% | 8.0% | Cookout |
| Ad Fund Fee | 0.0% | 4.5% | Cookout |
| Net Worth Required | $500K | $100K | Subway |
| Liquid Capital | $250K | $100K | Subway |
| Est. Break-Even | 2.8 yr | N/A | — |
Cookout Profile
- Category
- food
- Total Investment
- $500K–$1.2M
- Franchise Fee
- $0
- Royalty
- 0.0%
- Est. Annual Revenue
- $2.5M
Subway Profile
- Category
- food
- Total Investment
- $229K–$522K
- Franchise Fee
- $15,000
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- Est. Annual Revenue
- $430K
Bottom Line
Subway costs $474K less to open at the midpoint. That difference goes toward working capital or a second location. Cookout also wins on royalty rate.