How much does a Cousins Subs franchise cost?
Opening a Cousins Subs franchise takes a total initial investment of $464,700 to $1,164,500, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. The FDD's Item 19 reports median gross receipts of $1,038,323 across 10 outlets.
Cousins franchises Cousins Subs Shops. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Cousins Subs franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $464,700 to $1,164,500. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Leasehold Improvements ($205,000 to $600,000), Equipment and Small Wares ($135,000 to $190,000), and Seating Package / Millwork ($30,000 to $75,000). Together they make up about 74% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $25,000, about 5.4% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $25,000 | $25,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $205,000 | $600,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Equipment and Small Wares2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $135,000 | $190,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Seating Package / | $30,000 | $75,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Initial Inventory and Supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $6,000 | $18,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Point of Sale System / | $10,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Architectural Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $9,000 | $52,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Rent2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $3,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Lease and Utility Security Deposits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $0 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Insurance2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $700 | $1,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Training2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $2,500 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Store Marketing Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $10,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Lease Addendum Review Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 | $0 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13 |
| Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 | $8,500 | $63,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 |
| Additional Funds – 3 months2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 | $20,000 | $50,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 14 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13-14 | $464,700 | $1,164,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13-14 |
Source Cousins Subs, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 13-14, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What Cousins Subs franchisees actually report earning
Median Gross Receipts
$1,038,323
Cousins Subs' 2026 FDD, Item 19, for the For years 2023 to 2025. Basis: Franchised Shops.
Sample size: 10 outlets. The FDD reports no average alongside this median.
What the franchisor excluded from this figure
- The charts include Shops that were open the entire applicable fiscal year.
- The charts do not include Shops that were opened during the applicable fiscal year or permanently closed during the applicable fiscal year.
- The charts do not include special event locations or food trucks.
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new Cousins Subs outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source Cousins Subs, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 45-52, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many Cousins Subs outlets there are, and how many closed
Cousins Subs ended 2025 with 34 franchised outlets and 58 company-owned outlets. In that year no franchised outlets opened and 2 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Cousins Subs opened 0 franchised outlets and 14 outlets left the system. That is a net loss of 14, from 48 to 34 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 6 were terminated and 8 were bought back by the franchisor.
On average, about 11% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 9.
Our arithmetic from the FDD's Item 20 table below. "Left the system" counts every outlet the franchisor reports as terminated, not renewed, bought back, or closed for other reasons.
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 36 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 54 |
| 2024 | 41 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 54 |
| 2023 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 41 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 54 |
Source Cousins Subs, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 54, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How Cousins Subs compares with other Food & Beverage franchises
Measured against the 256 Food & Beverage franchises on this site, using each brand's own FDD.
- Cost to open. The middle of Cousins Subs' estimated range is $814,600. It costs more to open than 65% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 11% for Cousins Subs. That is higher than 79% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. Cousins Subs' franchised system shrank 29%. The typical Food & Beverage franchise here grew 5.0%.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Cousins Subs is one of them.
Our arithmetic from each brand's Item 7 and Item 20. Growth and departure comparisons leave out brands with fewer than 10 outlets, where one opening or closure distorts the figures. See every Food & Beverage franchise side by side.
Alert me when Cousins Subs files a new FDD
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