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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Blimpie Franchise

Blimpie is a submarine sandwich franchise built around fresh-sliced deli meats and cheeses cut to order while customers watch and customise their subs, salads and wraps. Founded in 1964 in Hoboken, New Jersey, the brand helped pioneer the made-to-order sub concept now common across the quick-service sandwich category, and it has franchised since its earliest years.

Blimpie is part of Kahala Brands, the Scottsdale, Arizona franchising group owned by MTY Food Group, which operates a large portfolio of quick-service restaurant brands. The network spans traditional storefronts alongside smaller Blimpie Express units suited to non-traditional sites such as convenience stores, travel centres and other high-traffic locations.

The model is a counter-service sandwich operation serving mostly local, repeat lunch and casual-dining customers. Its long operating history and recognisable name give franchisees an established concept and refined systems rather than an untested one, while the multiple store formats let owners match a location to the size and traffic of a given market.

Latest Resales

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Why buy a Blimpie Franchise?

Buying a Blimpie franchise offers entry into one of the longest-running names in the US sub sandwich category, a recognisable brand with more than 60 years of consumer familiarity behind it. That history can be a genuine asset at unit level: customers already know the name, and the made-to-order, fresh-sliced positioning sets it apart within a crowded quick-service field.

Backing from Kahala Brands and MTY Food Group connects franchisees to a large multi-brand franchisor with established supplier relationships, purchasing scale and refined operating systems. The range of formats, from full traditional restaurants to streamlined Blimpie Express units, gives owners flexibility on footprint and overhead, and the category itself has proved resilient through varied economic conditions.

Blimpie Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1964

    • Franchising Since

      1964

    • New Startup Cost

      $254,070 – $588,750

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $18,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $5,000

    • Royalty Fee

      6%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      4%

      of Gross Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      101

    • New Units Opened *

      1

    • Units Transferred *

      5

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      Not Disclosed

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

Blimpie – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Blimpie trains incoming franchisees at its Scottsdale, Arizona headquarters, combining classroom instruction with on-the-job training in a working location, and the franchise fee covers two people so an owner can bring a key staff member along. Training covers day-to-day operations and the point-of-sale system, and ongoing support includes a detailed operations manual, regular contact with a franchise consultant, marketing guidance and a research-and-development team that refreshes the menu. Resale buyers should confirm with Blimpie what transfer training and POS access are provided when ownership of an existing unit changes.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Blimpie suits a hands-on, operations-led owner comfortable running a counter-service restaurant day to day: managing and scheduling hourly staff, maintaining food-safety and quality standards, and delivering consistent service through busy lunch periods. Prior restaurant or food-service experience is useful but not essential, as the franchisor's training is built for newcomers. Owners who engage with local marketing and build repeat custom in their community tend to fit best, whether running a full traditional restaurant or a smaller Blimpie Express unit.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Blimpie's recognition rests largely on its longevity and brand familiarity: more than 60 years of operation since 1964 have made it one of the better-known names in the US sub sandwich category. It is backed by Kahala Brands, an international multi-brand franchisor owned by MTY Food Group with system-wide sales across its portfolio approaching $750 million annually, which lends parent-company credibility and scale. For resale buyers, brand-level recognition should be weighed alongside the specific territory's reputation, including local reviews, repeat customers and community visibility.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US sandwich and sub restaurant market is large and steady, generating an estimated $46 billion in annual revenue (IBISWorld, 2025). Demand is supported by consumers' preference for quick, customisable and relatively fresh meals, and quick-service restaurants have kept gaining share against full-service dining, including through past downturns. Sub shops benefit from broad daypart appeal and lower-cost menu options. For resale buyers, a unit's performance still depends heavily on its specific location, local competition and lunchtime foot traffic within this established category.

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