Jersey Mike's^®

Food & Beverage • Year: 2024

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What Is Jersey Mike's?

Jersey Mike's is a franchise of restaurants offering a wide assortment of made-to-order submarine-type sandwiches, other sandwiches, and related food products and beverages. Franchised restaurants provide products for both on-premises and off-premises consumption. Franchisees are granted rights to use the Jersey Mike's marks and operate under a proprietary system that prescribes restaurant design, recipes, procedures, and operational controls.

Jersey Mike's Franchise: Pros and Cons

The franchisor’s training is a standout strength — a 100 support score and 436 initial training hours — which cuts the opening learning curve, but startup costs are high, with Item 7 showing maximum assets of $438,217 and training fees that can reach $68,000.

Pros

Training & support score of 100 (top quarter) with 436 initial training hours (top 5%) — the franchisor appears to invest heavily in preparing new operators, which reduces the day-to-day learning curve when you open.

Initial franchise fees are refundable (uncommon — only about 14% of Food & Beverage franchisors offer this) and the franchisor does not treat initial fees as non‑refundable on failure — this gives you an unusual layer of financial protection during early setup.

No franchisee‑initiated judgments or settlements, zero outlet terminations, and zero reacquired outlets (all well below typical) — the system shows little visible legal conflict or forced exits, which is a positive sign for system stability.

Cons

Item 7 maximum assets of $438,217 (top 10%) — this indicates potentially high equipment and infrastructure costs that materially raise upfront capital needs and may affect financing terms.

28 company‑owned locations (top 10%) — a comparatively high level of corporate ownership warrants further questioning about the franchisor’s growth strategy and long‑term commitment to franchising the brand.

Maximum training cost of $68,000 (top 10%) — while training is extensive, the high possible training fee increases your initial cash required to get started.

Lawsuits & Legal Risk

NORMAL

The Facts: Washington sued Jersey Mike’s and local franchisees over legacy “no‑poach” clauses; JMFS removed and amended agreements and paid $150,000 in an Assurance of Discontinuance without admitting liability. The Advice: Review current franchise agreement hiring and post‑termination provisions, check relevant FDD items for workforce restrictions, and confirm written no‑enforcement assurances.

Territory Protection

48/100

NORMAL

Grants a protected operating area where franchisor will not place other physical units; franchisor retains the right to develop additional units in the surrounding market, acquire and convert locations, use alternate trademarks and venues, and sell via alternative channels; protection is contingent on meeting performance quotas and allows site-specific relocation.

Training & Support

100

Excellent

The brand provides a comprehensive 436-hour training curriculum designed to prepare three managerial staff members for launch. The program includes on-site launch assistance for operational readiness, with travel and lodging expenses borne by the franchisee and certain on-site support services subject to additional fees.; "training_and_support_score": 100.0, "total_training_hours": 436, "is_on_site_training_provided": true, "on_site_days_pre_launch": "[Data not found for on_site_days_pre_launch]", "on_site_days_post_launch": "[Data not found for on_site_days_post_launch]", "are_living_expenses_covered_by_franchisor": false, "num_people_included_in_initial_fee": 3, "on_site_support_has_additional_cost": true, "canonical_name": "Jersey Mike's", "year": 2024

How Much Does It Cost to Open a Jersey Mike's Franchise?

Opening a Jersey Mike's franchise requires a total initial investment of $203,583 to $1,317,005, according to the 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document. This range covers the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and initial working capital needed to launch and operate through the early months.

Minimum Investment

$203,583

Franchise Fee

Real Estate

Equipment & Assets

Reserves

Training

Other

Maximum Investment

$1,317,005

Minimum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$20,500

Real Estate$108,325

Equipment & Assets$42,898

Reserves$15,000

Training$1,000

Other$15,860

Maximum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$22,500

Real Estate$674,411

Equipment & Assets$438,217

Reserves$15,000

Training$68,000

Other$98,877

Investment Analysis

This investment analysis is coming soon. Have ideas for other analyses you'd like us to add? Get in touch.

The initial investment amounts shown are estimates only. Actual costs may vary based on location size, business model, and multi-unit ownership arrangements. We recommend reviewing the full Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.

How Much Do Jersey Mike's Franchise Owners Make?

Jersey Mike's franchise locations reported average gross sales of $1,302,781 and median gross sales of $1,272,804 in 2024, based on financial performance data disclosed in Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Average Gross Sales:

$1,302,781

Median Gross Sales:

$1,272,804

High Gross Sales:

$3,793,060

Low Gross Sales:

$492,695

Sample Size:

2138

Percent Attaining Average:

46.0%

Franchise vs Corporate Performance: Franchised Traditional locations (2023) show an average unit volume of 1,302,781 compared with company-owned average unit volume of 1,503,688, indicating company-owned sites on average reported higher gross sales in 2023.

Performance Variability Analysis: There is substantial variability among franchised Traditional locations in 2023, with a range from 492,695 to 3,793,060 and only 46% of franchisees meeting or exceeding the reported average, suggesting wide dispersion of outcomes across units.

Data Scope and Limitations: The representation covers only outlets open more than ~360 days and excludes many Non-Traditional locations; no expense or net income breakdowns are provided, limiting profitability analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to open a Jersey Mike's franchise?

The total initial investment for a Jersey Mike's franchise ranges from $203,583 to $1,317,005, according to the 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and working capital.

What is the Jersey Mike's initial franchise fee?

The initial franchise fee for Jersey Mike's is $18,500, as stated in the 2024 FDD. This fee is paid upon signing the Franchise Agreement.

How much do Jersey Mike's franchise owners make?

Jersey Mike's franchise locations reported average gross sales of $1,302,781 and median gross sales of $1,272,804 in 2024, based on Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document. Actual earnings vary by location, market, and operator experience.

Does Jersey Mike's have any franchise lawsuits or legal issues?

Jersey Mike's received a legal risk score of 96 out of 100 in the 2024 FDD analysis. The Facts: Washington sued Jersey Mike’s and local franchisees over legacy “no‑poach” clauses; JMFS removed and amended agreements and paid $150,000 in an Assurance of Discontinuance without admitting liability.

Does Jersey Mike's offer exclusive franchise territories?

Jersey Mike's received a territory protection score of 48 out of 100. Grants a protected operating area where franchisor will not place other physical units; franchisor retains the right to develop additional units in the surrounding market, acquire and convert locations, use alternate trademarks and venues, and sell via alternative channels; protection is contingent on meeting performance quotas and allows site-specific relocation.

What training does Jersey Mike's provide to new franchisees?

Jersey Mike's received a training and support score of 100 out of 100. The brand provides a comprehensive 436-hour training curriculum designed to prepare three managerial staff members for launch.

How many Jersey Mike's franchise locations are there?

Jersey Mike's had 2675 total locations as of the 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document.

What type of business is Jersey Mike's?

Jersey Mike's is a franchise of restaurants offering a wide assortment of made-to-order submarine-type sandwiches, other sandwiches, and related food products and beverages.

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