Is Flame Broiler or Penn Station East Coast Subs cheaper to open?

Flame Broiler costs $464,706–$776,334 and Penn Station East Coast Subs costs $473,793–$764,940 to open (FDD Item 7). Flame Broiler has the lower entry cost.

Which is safer, Flame Broiler or Penn Station East Coast Subs?

SBA 7(a) charge-off rate is 4.5% for Flame Broiler and 0.0% for Penn Station East Coast Subs. Lower is safer, so Penn Station East Coast Subs has the stronger loan-repayment record.

Which is the better franchise, Flame Broiler or Penn Station East Coast Subs?

FranchiseVerdict grades Flame Broiler B and Penn Station East Coast Subs A, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Flame Broiler vs Penn Station East Coast Subs

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Flame Broiler and Penn Station East Coast Subs are quick-service restaurants franchises. Flame Broiler requires an investment of $465K – $776K while Penn Station East Coast Subs requires $474K – $765K. Penn Station East Coast Subs discloses average revenue of $815K; Flame Broiler makes no financial performance representation in its Item 19, which is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule. Note: Reported as net sales, not gross sales. On SBA loan performance, Penn Station East Coast Subs has a lower charge-off rate (0.0%) compared to Flame Broiler (4.5%). FranchiseVerdict rates Flame Broiler B (Above average) and Penn Station East Coast Subs A (Strongest tier).

Metric	Flame Broiler	Penn Station East Coast Subs
Verdict Grade	BAbove average	AStrongest tier
Investment Range	$465K – $776K	$474K – $765K
Franchise Fee	$35K	$25K
Royalty Rate	5.0%	2.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/ANo Item 19 representation	$815K
SBA Charge-Off Rate	4.5% (27 loans)	0.0% (14 loans)
Total Units	125	322
Unit Growth (YoY)	-9 units	-1 units
Year Began Franchising	1999	1987
FDD Year	2025	2025