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2024 Franchise 500 Rank
#324 Not ranked last year
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Initial investment
$644K - $1.2M
Units as of 2024
429 Decrease 3% over 3 years

Company Overview

About Potbelly Sandwich Works

Industry Food
Related Categories Miscellaneous Sandwiches, Sandwiches, Food: Quick Service
Founded 1977
Leadership Bob Wright, CEO
Corporate Address 111 N. Canal St., #325
Chicago, IL 60606
Social Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram

Business Overview

Franchising Since 2009 (15 years)
# of employees at HQ 146
Where seeking

This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming

# of Units 429 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Potbelly Sandwich Works franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Information Circle
$40,000
Initial Investment Information Circle
$643,500 - $1,159,090
Net Worth Requirement Information Circle
$500,000
Cash Requirement Information Circle
$300,000
Royalty Fee Information Circle
6%
Ad Royalty Fee Information Circle
3%-4%
Term of Agreement Information Circle
10 years
Is franchise term renewable? Yes
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Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing Potbelly Sandwich Works has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training 294 hours
Classroom Training 4 hours
Ongoing Support
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Security & Safety Procedures
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support
Ad Templates
National Media
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Email Marketing
Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed? Yes
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Information Circle
No
Can this franchise be run part time? Information Circle
No
Are exclusive territories available? Information Circle
Yes
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Franchise 500 Ranking History

Compare where Potbelly Sandwich Works landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.

Additional Rankings

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Disclaimer
The information on this page is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any particular franchise or business opportunity by Entrepreneur Media. Our listings and rankings are solely research tools you can use to compare opportunities. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing in a franchise or business opportunity. That should include reviewing the company's legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to former and current franchisees/licensees/dealers.
Updated: December 12th, 2022