Start a Jimmy John's Franchise in 2025

2025 Franchise 500 Rank: #61 Ranked #90 last year

Initial investment: $361K - $674K

Units as of 2024: 2,644 3% over 3 years

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches specializes in sandwiches, along with a few other baked goods, It was founded in 1983 and began franchising in 1993. Jimmy John’s has become part of the Inspire Brands chain of restaurants, giving them even more energy. There are now more than 2,700 Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches locations across the country

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches uses natural vegetables and meats to prepare their sandwiches. Their bread is freshly baked and their meat is freshly sliced and cooked. Their goal is to make amazing sandwiches for their loyal customers.

Why You May Want to Open a Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches Franchise

Once you open a Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches franchise, you may enjoy access to support and consultancy in marketing, construction, purchasing, real estate, and any other factors related to running your business.

They generally give you the tools you need to upgrade or relocate your restaurant. If you have to relocate, you might enjoy great real estate services during the process. Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches usually negotiates the best deals for you and helps you in selecting an optimal location.

Franchisees take part in a training exercise that educates them on how to efficiently manage their store. The training ranges from simple things like baking and slicing techniques to more complex things, such as managing finances. This training usually lasts for a few weeks and contains both in-store and classroom training. The marketing team may be there to offer assistance with online advertisements and social media accounts. After opening, franchisees often have in-person support from the Field Sales Force team.

What Might Make Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches a Good Choice?

As you decide if opening a Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches franchise is right for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

You should be prepared for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. Additionally, you will need to have the necessary funds to cover ongoing fees, including royalty fees, advertising fees, and potential renewal fees. It may be a good idea to speak with an attorney or financial advisor to ensure that you have the financial standing necessary to open and operate a Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches franchise.

Be aware that Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches does not typically offer financial assistance directly. However, they have partnered with third-party sources to offer financing for the franchise fee, startup cost, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, and payroll.

How to Open a Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches Franchise

If you meet all the requirements and have a passion for impeccable customer service, then opening a Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches franchise may be in your future. Most interested and qualified franchisees have the chance to chat with a Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches franchise agent who can discuss your options with you. From there, you may be on the road to owning your own Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches franchise.

Company Overview

About Jimmy John's

Industry	Food
Related Categories	Miscellaneous Sandwiches, Sandwiches
Founded	1983
Parent Company	Inspire Brands
Leadership	James North, Brand President
Corporate Address	3 Glenlake Pkwy. N.E. Atlanta, GA 30328
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1993 (32 years)
# of employees at HQ	3,000
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US.
# of Units	2,644 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Jimmy John's 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 Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$35,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$361,200 - $674,200
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$1,000,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$200,000
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	6%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	4.5%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

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	Jimmy John's has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, 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	171 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	20
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes