FIREHOUSE SUBS vs BURGER 21
Compare franchise fees, investment range, royalties, SBA lending performance, unit growth, and Item 19 transparency with a permanent shareable URL.
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FIREHOUSE SUBS
QSR
Investment
$380K to $1.4M
Franchise fee
$20,000
Item 19 status
Cost Data Only
Units
1,170
BURGER 21
QSR
Investment
$413K to $1.1M
Franchise fee
$40,000
Item 19 status
Revenue Only
Units
5
Lower entry cost
Leans left
Based on minimum initial investment.
Better disclosed economics
Even
Uses Item 19 availability and transparency status.
Lower SBA default risk
Leans left
Treat low-loan brands carefully, sample size matters.
| Metric | FIREHOUSE SUBS | BURGER 21 |
|---|---|---|
Franchise Fee | $20,000 | $40,000 |
Min Investment | $380K | $413K |
Max Investment | $1.4M | $1.1M |
Royalty Rate | 6.0% | 5.0% |
Ad Fund Rate | 5.0% | 1.0% |
Total Ongoing Burden Royalty plus ad fund when available. | 11.0% | 6.0% |
Median Revenue (Item 19) | $964K | $1.3M |
Cash-on-Cash Return Estimated when revenue and margin assumptions are available. | 2.2% | 12.6% |
Payback Period | 46.0 yrs | 7.9 yrs |
Revenue per Dollar Invested | 1.09x | 1.80x |
Franchised Units | 1,170 | 5 |
1-Year Net Unit Change | 36 | -13 |
Net Unit Growth Rate | 3.1% | -72.2% |
Net Closure Rate Net closure proxy based on disclosed unit change. | N/A | 72.2% |
SBA Default Rate | 7.5% | 33.3% |
SBA Loan Count Use this to judge whether SBA default data is statistically meaningful. | 605 | 16 |
Average SBA Loan Size | $321K | $587K |
Item 19 Status | Cost Data Only | Revenue Only |
Has Item 19 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Quality Score | 100 | 98 |
What stands out
- • FIREHOUSE SUBS opens at $380K to $1.4M, while BURGER 21 ranges from $413K to $1.1M.
- • FIREHOUSE SUBS shows an Item 19 disclosure; BURGER 21 shows an Item 19 disclosure.
- • FIREHOUSE SUBS has 1,170 franchised units versus 5 for BURGER 21.
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Last updated: April 2026