Lists

Each list ranks the brands on the site by one number from their own filings. Nothing is weighted or blended; the figure and its page cite are on every row.

Lowest cost to open

1. Domino's$231,450
2. Subway$263,000
3. Papa John's$281,485
4. Jimmy John's$366,200
5. Firehouse Subs$405,350
6. Jersey Mike's$436,176
7. Potbelly$628,938
8. Blaze Pizza$757,000
9. Five Guys$927,850
10. McDonald's$1,472,000

All 13

Lowest royalty plus ad fund

1. Sonic5.0%
2. Papa John's5.0%
3. Potbelly6.0%
4. Jersey Mike's6.5%
5. Culver's6.5%
6. McDonald's9.0%
7. Burger King9.0%
8. Blaze Pizza9.0%
9. Domino's9.5%
10. Wendy's10.0%

All 14

Fastest growing systems

1. Jersey Mike's35.2%
2. Freddy's27.2%
3. Culver's16.7%
4. Potbelly9.6%
5. Firehouse Subs8.8%
6. Five Guys7.2%
7. Domino's7.2%
8. Jimmy John's5.3%
9. McDonald's1.9%
10. Wendy's-0.4%

All 15

Highest closure rate

1. MOD Pizza25.0%
2. Blaze Pizza14.9%
3. Subway6.3%
4. Freddy's3.7%
5. Firehouse Subs2.5%
6. Potbelly2.0%
7. Wendy's1.9%
8. Sonic1.8%
9. Burger King1.6%
10. Five Guys1.3%

All 14

Brands that disclose unit revenue

1. Blaze Pizzayes
2. Burger Kingyes
3. Culver'syes
4. Domino'syes
5. Firehouse Subsyes
6. Freddy'syes
7. Jersey Mike'syes
8. Jimmy John'syes
9. McDonald'syes
10. Papa John'syes

All 13

How the scorecard works

Each brand page carries a scorecard: its rank on each of these lists, among the brands on the site that report the figure. A rank of 3 of 11 means third on that list's own direction. There is no overall grade. A single number that blends cost, growth and litigation would be an opinion; a rank per factor is a fact you can check on the page cited.