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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Firehouse Subs Franchise

Firehouse Subs is a fast-casual sub sandwich chain founded in 1994 in Jacksonville, Florida by former-firefighter brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen. The brand built its identity around a firehouse theme, hearty hot and cold subs, and menu names drawn from firefighting culture such as the Hook & Ladder and Firehouse Hero.

The chain operates in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) space, with more than 1,300 restaurants across North America, including the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Most units are owner-operated traditional in-line or drive-thru restaurants run under a territory-based franchise model. Firehouse Subs is part of Restaurant Brands International (RBI), the group behind Burger King, Popeyes, and Tim Hortons, which gives it large-scale supply chain, marketing, and operational backing.

A defining feature is the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, which since 2005 has funded life-saving equipment and training for first responders. Community involvement and public-safety philanthropy run through the brand at restaurant level, setting it apart from other sandwich competitors.

Latest Resales

Why buy a Firehouse Subs Franchise?

Firehouse Subs is one of the larger and better-known names in the QSR sub-sandwich category, with national recognition, a differentiated firehouse theme, and the backing of Restaurant Brands International. That scale brings established supply chains, a well-rated loyalty app, and marketing systems an independent sandwich shop could not replicate.

The brand’s purpose-driven positioning is a genuine differentiator: its Public Safety Foundation and first-responder mission give franchisees a community story that supports local goodwill in a category where many rivals compete largely on price. Multiple dayparts, catering, and digital ordering add ways to grow a single unit.

Firehouse Subs Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1994

    • Franchising Since

      1995

    • New Startup Cost

      $405,350 – $1,577,750

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $26,200

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      50%

      of Initial Franchise Fee; $1,500 if among owners

    • Royalty Fee

      6%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      5%

      of Gross Revenue

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      1249

    • New Units Opened *

      73

    • Units Transferred *

      88

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $1,035,521

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

Firehouse Subs – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Incoming owners complete a structured program of over 270 hours of on-the-job and classroom modules, starting with five weeks shoulder-to-shoulder at a high-performing restaurant and rounded out by virtual sessions from the Jacksonville headquarters, with initial training running six to seven weeks. Courses span operations, administration, management, leadership, and community and social-media marketing, and franchisees keep ongoing education plus access to a North America-wide owner network. Buyers of a Firehouse Subs resale should confirm what transfer training the franchisor offers incoming owners and which systems carry over.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Firehouse Subs suits hands-on, community-minded operators who enjoy leading a restaurant team and staying visible locally. Prior restaurant experience helps but is not required given the training; what matters more is willingness to follow proven systems, manage hourly staff, deliver consistent service, and engage with the brand's first-responder mission. The model is operations-led and people-focused, rewarding owners comfortable running daily shifts, controlling food and labour costs, and building catering and community relationships. Veterans and first responders are actively courted through development incentives.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Firehouse Subs is consistently recognised in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, ranked #74 in 2026 and #31 on its 2026 Fastest-Growing Franchises list, with recent placements among Entrepreneur's Top Food Franchises (#39, 2025) and Top Franchises for Veterans (#66, 2025). A 2025 Technomic survey ranked it #1 for food taste and flavour and #1 for community support among US sub chains with 200-plus units. Its Public Safety Foundation has awarded over $102 million in the US to first responders since 2005. For resale buyers, brand recognition should be weighed alongside a unit's local reviews and reputation.

  4. Industry / Market

    Firehouse Subs competes in the US quick-service and fast-casual restaurant sector, a market generating well over $300 billion in annual sales and growing steadily as diners favour convenient, good-value meals and off-premise options. The sandwich and sub segment is among the most established in American foodservice, supported by all-day dayparts, catering demand, and rapid adoption of mobile ordering and loyalty apps. The category has proved resilient across economic cycles. For resale buyers, local trade-area population, daytime traffic, and competition density most shape a single restaurant's sales.

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