Is Flame Broiler or Sub Station II cheaper to open?

Flame Broiler costs $464,706–$776,334 and Sub Station II costs $318,000–$926,000 to open (FDD Item 7). Sub Station II has the lower entry cost.

Which is safer, Flame Broiler or Sub Station II?

SBA 7(a) charge-off rate is 4.5% for Flame Broiler and 30.0% for Sub Station II. Lower is safer, so Flame Broiler has the stronger loan-repayment record.

Which is the better franchise, Flame Broiler or Sub Station II?

FranchiseVerdict grades Flame Broiler B and Sub Station II C, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Flame Broiler vs Sub Station II

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Flame Broiler and Sub Station II are quick-service restaurants franchises. Flame Broiler requires an investment of $465K – $776K while Sub Station II requires $318K – $926K. Sub Station II discloses average revenue of $600K; Flame Broiler does not report Item 19 data. On SBA loan performance, Flame Broiler has a lower charge-off rate (4.5%) compared to Sub Station II (30.0%). FranchiseVerdict rates Flame Broiler B (Above average) and Sub Station II C (Average).

Metric	Flame Broiler	Sub Station II
Verdict Grade	BAbove averageAbove average	CAverageAverage
Investment Range	$465K – $776K	$318K – $926K
Franchise Fee	$35K	$20K
Royalty Rate	5.0%	5.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/A	$600K
SBA Charge-Off Rate	4.5% (27 loans)	30.0% (13 loans)
Total Units	125	35
Unit Growth (YoY)	N/A	N/A
Year Began Franchising	1999	1976
FDD Year	2025	2026