Franchise Facts Report → compare → Jersey Mike's vs Chester's
Jersey Mike's vs Chester's
Two quick-service restaurant franchises, compared on the numbers their own Franchise Disclosure Documents put on record — investment, fees, Item 19 earnings, outlet churn, and litigation. Not marketing copy.
| Jersey Mike's | Chester's | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $436,176 – $1,162,228 | $27,500 – $296,500 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $20,000 | $3,500 |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | 6.5% | — |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | — | — |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 3,201 | 1,002 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | +246 | -79 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | — | 7.4% |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | disclosed | 0 |
| Risk level our read | Medium | Medium |
| FDD year registration | 2026 | 2024 |
Are Jersey Mike's and Chester's the same company?
No — Jersey Mike's and Chester's are franchised by separate companies. Jersey Mike's's franchisor is A Sub Above, LLC; Chester's's is Chester's International, LLC. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
Cost to open
Chester's is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $27,500 – $296,500, against $436,176 – $1,162,228 for Jersey Mike's.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Neither Jersey Mike's nor Chester's makes an Item 19 financial performance representation in its most recent FDD — neither franchisor discloses what units earn. Any earnings claim you hear for either brand is not backed by the disclosure document.
Closures & failure rate
Jersey Mike's reports 3,201 franchised outlets, net change +246 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20). Chester's reports 1,002 franchised outlets, net change -79 in the latest reported year, a 7.4% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate; the full report puts both brands' churn against quick-service restaurant medians.
Litigation
Jersey Mike's discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (case detail in the full report). Chester's discloses no franchisee-initiated proceedings in FDD Item 3.
This page is the headline numbers. The Deep report compares up to three brands on the complete FDD record — every fee line, the actual Item 19 figures and what they represent, each lawsuit, and churn benchmarked against quick-service restaurant peers.
Only looking at one of them?
Jersey Mike's vs Chester's — frequently asked
Are Jersey Mike's and Chester's the same company?
No — Jersey Mike's and Chester's are franchised by separate companies. Jersey Mike's's franchisor is A Sub Above, LLC; Chester's's is Chester's International, LLC. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
What is the difference between Jersey Mike's and Chester's?
Jersey Mike's and Chester's are quick-service restaurant franchises from different franchisors (A Sub Above, LLC and Chester's International, LLC). Chester's is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $27,500 – $296,500, against $436,176 – $1,162,228 for Jersey Mike's. Neither Jersey Mike's nor Chester's makes an Item 19 financial performance representation in its most recent FDD — neither franchisor discloses what units earn. Any earnings claim you hear for either brand is not backed by the disclosure document.
Is Jersey Mike's more profitable than Chester's?
Neither Jersey Mike's nor Chester's makes an Item 19 financial performance representation in its most recent FDD — neither franchisor discloses what units earn. Any earnings claim you hear for either brand is not backed by the disclosure document.
Which is cheaper to open — Jersey Mike's or Chester's?
Chester's is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $27,500 – $296,500, against $436,176 – $1,162,228 for Jersey Mike's.
Is Jersey Mike's or Chester's growing faster?
Jersey Mike's reports 3,201 franchised outlets, net change +246 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20). Chester's reports 1,002 franchised outlets, net change -79 in the latest reported year, a 7.4% closure rate (FDD Item 20).
Go deeper on each brand
Quick-service restaurant rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (Jersey Mike's 2026, Chester's 2024). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.