Best Sub Franchise: 4 Top Things to Look For

Finding the right franchise in the QSR industry, and specifically the sandwich market category, involves more than just taste-testing the best sub franchises. The right franchise for you will need to have the right ingredients to build the perfect business opportunity — much like building a great sandwich. Many entrepreneurs look for things like longevity, profitability, and brand strength, and choosing the right brand to invest in can be as crucial as the menu items you plan to serve. To help you distinguish the best sandwich franchise opportunities for you, here are three things to look for in your next business:

1. Comprehensive Franchisee Support

Whether you’re opening your first franchise or your 15th, having comprehensive support can be a game-changer. Top franchises typically offer extensive training, marketing assistance, operational support, and ongoing development opportunities. The level of support provided to franchisees may be a telltale sign of your potential for success within a franchise’s system. But how do you know what’s comprehensive and what’s just a baseline?

Franchise Direct offers some ways to evaluate the support a franchisor provides, including some questions you could ask other franchisees during your vetting and research process. Consider asking franchisees questions such as:

• How long does it typically take for issues to be resolved? How many times do you need to contact the franchisor to get a problem addressed?
• How easy or difficult is it to get support or guidance from the franchisor?
• What’s a situation or problem you felt the franchisor helped you handle well?

It’s always important to do your own research for any franchise investment.

2. Quality of Products

One of the cornerstones of a successful food franchise is the quality of its offerings. If the food isn’t great, customers will not return. The best sub franchises prioritize high-quality ingredients, freshness, and innovative recipes that keep customers coming back. Consider whether the sandwich franchise you’re looking into uses:

• Quality USDA steak
• Fresh ingredients
• Cholesterol-free oil

3. Growth Opportunities

One of the ways a franchisee may be able to succeed is by expanding operations and owning multiple units of the franchise. FranNet reports some benefits of multi-unit ownership include more streamlined operations and greater brand recognition within the territory. It’s a good idea to look at the franchise’s growth and development opportunities. It’s also good to determine:

• What territories they’re targeting for development
• What multi-unit possibilities look like (including discounts, incentive programs, and other benefits)
• How the company is projected to grow in the next 5 to 10 years (and what the plans are for this growth)
• What are the white space opportunities that exist for the brand? This essential means how much more room does the brand have to grow and develop in the various markets and trade areas.

4. Return on investment

The financial disclosures contained in Item 19 of the FDD vary greatly by brand.  A prospective franchisee should understand the financial disclosures of each brand they’re considering, how detailed and thorough the disclosures are, and whether the disclosures include all, most, or only a few of the current actual financial data of the brand and their franchisees.  Ultimately, a franchisee is investing to make money, and understanding how the brand and its franchisees perform financially is crucial.

The best sub sandwich franchises have a clear vision for expansion and the flexibility to explore new markets.  

Bonus Tip: Look for Community Involvement and Social Responsibility

Franchises that invest in community involvement and social responsibility initiatives often enjoy a positive brand image and customer loyalty. Giving back can also fulfill a sense of purpose and build a strong connection with your community.

Explore Franchising with Penn Station

When you’re ready to decide on your list of the best sandwich franchise opportunities to find the perfect business for you, consider Penn Station East Coast Subs. Since 1985, we’ve been serving hot-grilled subs, fresh-cut fries, hand-squeezed lemonade, and fresh-baked chocolate chunk cookies. We use quality ingredients to create an irresistible menu for our customers, and we put just as much work into making our franchise opportunity stand out. We offer our franchisees:

• Multi-unit franchising opportunities
• A proven business model replicated across multiple markets and more than 320 locations
• Comprehensive training
• A host of ongoing support services (including marketing, financial reporting, IT, additional training, and more)

If you’re done taste-testing other franchises and are ready to take a bite out of the opportunity at Penn Station East Coast Subs, request information today.