How much does a Potbelly Sandwich franchise cost?
Opening a Potbelly Sandwich franchise takes a total initial investment of $628,938 to $999,371, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. The FDD's Item 19 reports median unit volume of $1,195,243 across 97 outlets.
Potbelly franchises Potbelly Shops. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Potbelly Sandwich franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $628,938 to $999,371. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Leasehold Improvements ($329,727 to $435,090), Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment ($197,507 to $268,315), and Additional Funds (3 months) ($100 to $50,000). Together they make up about 75% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $20,000 to $40,000, about 3.2% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 | $20,000 | $40,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 |
| Lease and Utility Security Deposits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 | $4,500 | $9,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 |
| Architectural Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 | $14,815 | $22,137 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 |
| Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 | $329,727 | $435,090 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 |
| Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 | $8,318 | $26,144 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 |
| Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 | $197,507 | $268,315 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 |
| Smallwares2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 | $11,000 | $45,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 |
| Technology2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 | $20,564 | $37,488 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 |
| Training Expenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 | $500 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18 |
| Insurance (12 months)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $4,000 | $9,240 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Professional Fees2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $2,378 | $3,250 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Business Licenses & Permits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $831 | $3,707 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Office Equipment & Supplies2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $1,000 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Market Introduction Program2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $10,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Opening Inventory2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $3,698 | $20,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Additional Funds (3 months)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 | $100 | $50,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 19 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18-19 | $628,938 | $999,371 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18-19 |
Source Potbelly Sandwich, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 18-19, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What Potbelly Sandwich franchisees actually report earning
Median Unit Volume
$1,195,243
Potbelly Sandwich's 2026 FDD, Item 19, for the 2025, beginning with fiscal Period 1 in 2025 through fiscal Period 12 in 2025. Basis: Franchise Potbelly Shops.
Sample size: 97 outlets. The FDD also reports average unit volume of $1,344,085. We lead with the median because an average is pulled upward by the strongest outlets; the median is the middle outlet.
What the franchisor excluded from this figure
- This financial performance representation excludes the results of 24 franchised Potbelly Shops that were not open for the entire 12-period timeframe in 2025, of which 22 opened during the fiscal year and 2 closed during the fiscal year.
- Financial information from 7 franchised Potbelly Shops operated at Non-Traditional Venues during the entire 12-period timeframe in 2025 is shown separately under the headings University, Airport, and Kitchen.
- The remaining financial information appearing in this financial performance representation is based on actual affiliate-owned Potbelly Shop unit volume information and excludes any affiliate-owned Potbelly Shop that did not operate for the entire 12-period timeframe in 2025.
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new Potbelly Sandwich outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source Potbelly Sandwich, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 61-66, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many Potbelly Sandwich outlets there are, and how many closed
Potbelly Sandwich ended 2025 with 122 franchised outlets and 348 company-owned outlets. In that year 22 franchised outlets opened and 2 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Potbelly Sandwich opened 85 franchised outlets and 8 outlets left the system. That is a net gain of 77, from 45 to 122 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 8 were terminated.
On average, about 3.5% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 28.
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 | 102 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 122 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 71 |
| 2024 | 80 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 71 |
| 2023 | 45 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 71 |
Source Potbelly Sandwich, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 67-73, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How Potbelly Sandwich 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 Potbelly Sandwich's estimated range is $814,155. It costs more to open than 65% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 3.5% for Potbelly Sandwich. That is lower than 65% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. Potbelly Sandwich's franchised system grew 171%. The typical Food & Beverage franchise here grew 4.4%.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Potbelly Sandwich 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 Potbelly Sandwich files a new FDD
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