Franchise funding by sector
How sub shop economics shape a funding request, and which structure fits each cost line.
✓ Merchant Fund Express starts with a soft credit pull. Terms depend on your business's revenue and history.
Updated October 21, 2026 · Merchant Fund Express
Sandwich franchise financing works best when the request matches the cost line: equipment financing for a slicer or walk-in, a line of credit for catering inventory swings, working capital for payroll or a remodel. Merchant Fund Express reviews operating sub shops on about 3 months of bank statements, reads royalty and ad fund debits as normal obligations, and sizes funding from $25,000 to $5,000,000 from deposits. Buying a first unit needs an operating history first.
A sub shop runs on thin, frequent transactions. Card batches settle daily, food deliveries arrive two or three times a week, and payroll lands every week or every two weeks. The franchisor collects royalty and advertising fund debits on its own schedule, usually as automatic withdrawals that show plainly on the bank statement. Margins depend on labor scheduling and food cost discipline far more than on any single big ticket.
That rhythm creates predictable pressure points. Cold-chain equipment fails without warning, a large catering order requires buying bread, protein and packaging before the customer pays, and a franchisor-scheduled refresh or an owner-chosen remodel needs cash in a lump. Merchant Fund Express looks at those patterns in the deposits, not at a projection, so an operating location with steady card settlements is the strongest starting point.
| Cost line | Timing | What usually funds it |
|---|---|---|
| Crew payroll | Weekly or biweekly, every period | Working capital or a line of credit for timing gaps |
| Walk-in cooler or freezer | Unplanned failure, or planned replacement | Equipment financing with a vendor quote; working capital if the repair is urgent |
| Prep tables and reach-ins | Wear-out over years of daily use | Equipment financing, often bundled with other line items |
| Slicers and ovens | Replacement when service or food safety requires it | Equipment financing sized to the useful life |
| Catering inventory | Peaks around holidays, school and office seasons | Line of credit drawn for the peak and repaid as invoices clear |
| Remodel or refresh | Planned project with a contractor bid | Term loan for Tier 1 files; working capital or revenue-based financing otherwise |
| Royalty and ad fund debits | Recurring, automatic | Not a funding purpose; counted as an obligation before sizing |
We read each franchise entity on its own deposits. If one LLC owns two shops on one account, the account is read as one file; if each shop has its own LLC and account, each is reviewed separately and the stronger unit does not automatically carry the weaker one. Royalty and advertising fund withdrawals are subtracted as recurring obligations, the same way rent and existing advances are, and payment capacity is sized after them.
Existing positions are counted. If a shop already carries an advance, a new structure can lower the daily or weekly payment rather than add a second one on top. A line of credit can sit in second position for a Tier 1 file; a term loan needs first position. Tier 2 revenue-based funding allows up to 2 current advances. The full published thresholds sit on the franchise funding requirements page.
Suppose a hypothetical sub shop deposits $62,000 a month in card and catering receipts. Royalty and ad fund debits, rent and an existing equipment payment together take $14,500 a month. The owner wants $18,000 for a replacement walk-in condenser and $12,000 of catering inventory headroom for the holiday quarter.
Figures in this example are illustrations of the arithmetic, not an offer, quote or approval. Real terms depend on the file and the funder.
Each brand page carries its own fact panel checked against the franchisor's published materials, plus brand-specific problems and a document checklist. This sector page keeps to economics shared across sub concepts.
If you are buying your first sandwich unit rather than running one, Merchant Fund Express needs an operating history first; start with opening a restaurant franchise and the existing vs new owner guide.
Any operating sandwich franchise can apply, listed or not. Merchant Fund Express funds existing owners with business loans, merchant cash advances, revenue-based financing, lines of credit, equipment financing and working capital; see every product for franchise owners.
No tax returns are needed for a typical first review; full financials usually come in only above $250,000. The application takes about 5 minutes and starts with a soft credit pull.
Yes. Merchant Fund Express reviews operating sandwich franchise locations for working capital, lines of credit, term loans, equipment financing and revenue-based financing, sized from $25,000 to $5,000,000 on the shop's deposits.
Yes. Equipment financing is reviewed with a vendor quote and the equipment as the purpose. If the unit has already failed and food is at risk, working capital moves faster.
They are read as normal recurring obligations. Payment capacity for any new funding is sized after they come out, so they do not count against you as unusual activity.
Merchant Fund Express gives a same-day decision on a complete file, and funding often lands the next business day.
Scores from 500 are considered. A FICO of 600 or higher opens better offers, and Tier 1 lines of credit and term loans look for 650 or higher along with 3 or more years in business.
No. This sector page explains shared economics. Each brand page carries its own checked fact panel with sources.
Merchant Fund Express reviews your location's revenue, deposits and existing payments. Same-day decision on a complete file; funding often the next business day. About five minutes to apply.
