Firehouse Subs is a fast food restaurant chain in the United States. The restaurant serves submarine sandwiches and salads. The sandwiches are served with delicious meats and cheeses that are steamed and placed on a toasted sub roll. The submarine sandwiches and the salads are fresh and made to order. The store provides a variety of sub sandwich options. It also provides a wide array of ingredients and toppings, which range from romaine lettuce, to pepperoncini, to Kalamata olives. The chain prides itself in providing the best meats, cheeses, and toppings it can find.

Along with the delicious submarine sandwiches, the establishment also provides great customer service. As stated by the chain itself, “people come back when they’re treated well and fed well.” The restaurants provide a casual, relaxed, family-oriented atmosphere. Stores have a firefighter theme, which include fire equipment placed around the stores. The menu also includes sandwiches with firefighter inspired names. The restaurants showcase pictures on their walls to display the local firefighting history as well as the founders’ history of firefighting service. It is no surprise that this establishment was founded by firemen.

History

Firehouse Subs was established in Jacksonville, Florida by brothers Robin and Chris Sorensen in 1994. Robin and Chris were former firefighters. The brothers grew up in an entrepreneurial family that was also very involved in the fire and police service. The brothers had engaged in other business ventures along the way, such as real estate and Christmas tree farming. However, their paths led them to starting and developing this restaurant. The restaurant chain quickly expanded throughout the United States. In 2006, expansion plans were focused primarily on the Northeast, Central and Southwest regions on the U.S. The establishment’s headquarters are currently located in Jacksonville, Florida.

The store currently has over 900 locations throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. For instance, there are locations in the following states: Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New York, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Iowa.

Firehouse Subs has continued to expand over the years. The first international location was opened in Oshawa, Ontario Canada on October 25, 2015. After implementing the Coca-Cola Freestyle beverage dispenser in all of its stores, the restaurant was said to be the first national franchise chain to use that new technology in all franchises. The establishment has also received a number of awards and acknowledgements. For example, the restaurant is the “National Chain” winner of the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Neighbor Award for community service. In 2006, the establishment was named “Company of the Year” by KPMG. The restaurant is also very involved in the community.

The company created the non-profit organization named Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, Inc. This organization provides funding and support for local firefighters. It was started in 2005, after the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. The co-founders, Chris and Robin Sorenson, travelled to Mississippi to feed survivors and first responders. This experience inspired the brothers to do more to help. As a result, the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation was born. The organization donates millions of dollars to hundreds of public safety organizations. Firehouse Subs is the non-profit organization’s largest corporate donor.

Review

The restaurant provides a wide array of submarine sandwiches. The store also serves various salads. Menu items include Hot Subs, Hot Specialty Subs, Cold Subs, “Under 500” menu, a Kid’s Menu, as well as extras. There is also a selection of hot sauces for customers. The store also offers a catering menu, which consists of the Sub Platter, Deluxe Sub Platter, Salad Platter, Deluxe Salad Platter, Cookie Platter, Brownie Platter, Half-Platter – Sub and Salad, the Half-Platter – Sub and Snack, the Rookie, the Lieutenant, and the Dessert Combo Platter. Items on the catering menu range from $6 to $45, depending on the order.

The Hot Subs are between $6 and $9, depending on the size. This category includes selections such as the Smoked Turkey Breast, Corned Beef Brisket, Premium Roast Beef, Pastrami, Virginia Honey Ham, Veggie, and the Grilled Chicken Breast sub sandwiches. The Hot Specialty Subs are priced between $6 and $10, depending on the size. This category includes selections such as the Hook and Ladder, Firehouse Meatball, Smokehouse Beef and Cheddar Brisket, Club on a Sub, New York Steamer, Italian, Steak and Cheese, Engineer, Firehouse Hero, and the Turkey Bacon Ranch sub sandwiches.

The Cold Subs are between $6 and $9, depending on the size. This category consists of the Tuna Sub and the Momma’s Chicken Salad Sub. The “Under 500” Subs offer healthier options and consist of subs that are under 500 calories. These submarine sandwiches contain the same portion of meat in the medium-sized sandwiches, but include smaller portions of cheese and mayonnaise, and smaller size bread. This category includes the Sriracha Beef, Hook and Ladder Light, Turkey Salsa Verde, Capt. Sorensen’s Datil Pepper Grilled Chicken, Turkey and Cranberry, and Momma’s Homemade Chicken Salad subs. The “Under 500” Subs are priced between $5 and $6.  There are also “Under 500” salads, which are between $5 and $8. These include the Italian with Grilled Chicken salad, the Firehouse Salad, the Hook and Ladder Salad, and the Momma’s Homemade Chicken Salad.

The Kid’s menu consists of the Hot Grilled Cheddar Cheese, Hot Meatball, Hot Turkey and Provolone, and Hot Ham and Provolone submarine sandwiches. Items under the Kid’s menu are between $4 and $5. Extra items are $1 to $4, and include the Firehouse chili, chips, cookies, brownies, and beverages. The standard hours of operation are generally 10:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. each day. Customers may dine-in or take their food to-go. There is no delivery service and reservations are not taken or needed. The restaurants are very clean and the service is quick and outstanding. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The Meatball Sub and the Firehouse Hero Sub are highly recommended. Customers seem to enjoy the food along with the overall dining experience at this restaurant.