Is Panera Bread or Bojangles cheaper to open?

Panera Bread costs $1,434,566–$4,651,324 and Bojangles costs $2,600,320–$3,779,700 to open (FDD Item 7). Panera Bread has the lower entry cost.

Which earns more, Panera Bread or Bojangles?

Panera Bread reports $2,595,936 average annual unit revenue vs $2,350,216 for Bojangles (FDD Item 19). Panera Bread is higher. For Panera Bread: Reported as net sales, not gross sales.

Which is the better franchise, Panera Bread or Bojangles?

FranchiseVerdict grades Panera Bread A and Bojangles A, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Panera Bread vs Bojangles

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Panera Bread and Bojangles are quick-service restaurants franchises. Panera Bread requires an investment of $1.4M – $4.7M while Bojangles requires $2.6M – $3.8M. In terms of revenue, Panera Bread reports higher average unit revenue at $2.6M. Note: Reported as net sales, not gross sales. Bojangles has SBA lending data on file with a 8.0% charge-off rate. FranchiseVerdict rates Panera Bread A (Strongest tier) and Bojangles A (Strongest tier).

Metric	Panera Bread	Bojangles
Verdict Grade	AStrongest tier	AStrongest tier
Investment Range	$1.4M – $4.7M	$2.6M – $3.8M
Franchise Fee	$35K	$35K
Royalty Rate	5.0%	4.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	$2.6M	$2.4M
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	8.0% (26 loans)
Total Units	2,206	813
Unit Growth (YoY)	-8 units	+21 units
Year Began Franchising	1993	2020
FDD Year	2025	2024