Firehouse Subs^®

Food & Beverage • Year: 2025

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What Is Firehouse Subs?

Firehouse Subs is a sandwich restaurant franchise specializing in large-portion hot submarine-style sandwiches served in a firefighting-themed atmosphere. Primary service channels include on-site consumption (dine-in), carry-out, delivery, and catering. Catering is identified as a notable revenue stream.

Firehouse Subs Franchise: Pros and Cons

The franchisor offers unusually thorough onboarding, with a perfect 100 training-and-support score and 368 initial training hours, but it faces elevated legal and reputational risk from four fraud allegations and seven disclosed lawsuits, a higher-than-typical level investors should investigate before committing capital.

Pros

A 100 training-and-support score combined with 368 initial training hours is well above typical for food & beverage (top quarter / top 10%), indicating unusually thorough onboarding and preparation for new operators.

With 1,248 total outlets and 1,206 franchised units, the system is much larger than a typical food & beverage brand (top 5%), giving you broader brand recognition and more mature corporate resources and field support.

Zero franchisor-initiated enforcement actions and no government penalties or regulatory orders are unusually low compared with peers (bottom 5%), suggesting the franchisor rarely resorts to formal legal enforcement and is in solid regulatory standing.

Cons

Four cases alleging fraud and seven disclosed lawsuits are above typical for this sector (top 5–10%), signaling heightened reputational and legal issues you'll want to investigate further.

Fourteen reacquired outlets and nine non-renewals are well above typical for food & beverage (top 5%), indicating past operators have exited the system more frequently than is common.

Requiring managers to hold a 10% equity stake (a rule only about 11% of peers impose) is uncommon and ties up operator capital, which can complicate hiring and personal liquidity for on-site managers.

Lawsuits & Legal Risk

82/100

NORMAL

Facts: Recent matters include a FIREHOUSE SUBS trademark cancellation and TTAB opposition, a Quebec promotional-email class action, a shareholder fiduciary suit relating to CRG, and a no-solicit antitrust case; one international franchise termination dispute was resolved via settlement. Advice: Review IP licenses, Item 12 territorial protections, post-termination/no-solicit clauses, promotional compliance, and parent indemnities.

Territory Protection

45/100

NORMAL

Grants a protected operating area where the franchisor will not place other physical units. The franchisor retains rights to sell via e-commerce and alternative channels, operate under different marks and venues (including retail), acquire/convert units, and develop additional units in the surrounding market; protection is contingent on meeting performance quotas.

Training & Support

100

Excellent

The brand provides a comprehensive 368-hour training curriculum designed to prepare three managerial staff members for launch. The program includes on-site launch assistance to support operational readiness, with travel and lodging expenses covered by the franchisee and further on-site support available for a fee.

Unit Growth Analysis

This franchise shows steady, low-single-digit expansion from 1,152 units in 2021 to 1,248 in 2025 (a cumulative +96 units, +8.3%), with YoY changes of +1.0% (2022), +2.0% (2023), +1.9% (2024) and a notable uptick to +3.2% in 2025—an overall modest acceleration. For investors this indicates generally healthy, conservative growth and improving unit development activity recently, but expansion remains modest (≈2.0% average annual growth), suggesting steady returns rather than rapid scale-up.

How Much Does It Cost to Open a Firehouse Subs Franchise?

Opening a Firehouse Subs franchise requires a total initial investment of $378,650 to $1,037,100, according to the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. This range covers the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and initial working capital needed to launch and operate through the early months.

Minimum Investment

$378,650

Franchise Fee

Real Estate

Equipment & Assets

Reserves

Training

Other

Maximum Investment

$1,037,100

Minimum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$20,000

Real Estate$200,000

Equipment & Assets$130,200

Reserves$10,000

Training$6,000

Other$12,450

Maximum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$20,000

Real Estate$455,000

Equipment & Assets$204,500

Reserves$45,000

Training$25,000

Other$287,600

Investment Analysis

This investment analysis is coming soon. Have ideas for other analyses you'd like us to add? Get in touch.

The initial investment amounts shown are estimates only. Actual costs may vary based on location size, business model, and multi-unit ownership arrangements. We recommend reviewing the full Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.

How Much Do Firehouse Subs Franchise Owners Make?

Firehouse Subs franchise locations reported average gross sales of $964,457 and median gross sales of $926,456 in 2025, based on financial performance data disclosed in Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Average Gross Sales:

$964,457

Median Gross Sales:

$926,456

High Gross Sales:

$3,469,050

Low Gross Sales:

$170,513

Sample Size:

1022

Percent Attaining Average:

44.0%

Franchise vs Corporate Performance: Franchised Traditional Development restaurants show an average annual sales volume of 964,457 in 2024 with restaurant-level EBITDA averaging 90,821 for the P&L sample, indicating franchised outlets generate meaningful operating profit before non-cash and above-restaurant costs.

Performance Variability Analysis: There is substantial variability across franchised Traditional Development units (low of 170,513 to a high of 3,469,050), and only 44% of the 1,022-sample met or exceeded the average, signaling wide dispersion in outcomes driven by location and operator factors.

Data Scope and Limitations: The sales figures are for fiscal 2024 and based on franchised reporting; expense/P&L detail is from a smaller subset (665 restaurants) and EBITDA is reported instead of consolidated net income, so individual results may differ.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to open a Firehouse Subs franchise?

The total initial investment for a Firehouse Subs franchise ranges from $378,650 to $1,037,100, according to the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and working capital.

What is the Firehouse Subs initial franchise fee?

The initial franchise fee for Firehouse Subs is $20,000, as stated in the 2025 FDD. This fee is paid upon signing the Franchise Agreement.

How much do Firehouse Subs franchise owners make?

Firehouse Subs franchise locations reported average gross sales of $964,457 and median gross sales of $926,456 in 2025, based on Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document. Actual earnings vary by location, market, and operator experience.

Does Firehouse Subs have any franchise lawsuits or legal issues?

Firehouse Subs received a legal risk score of 82 out of 100 in the 2025 FDD analysis. Facts: Recent matters include a FIREHOUSE SUBS trademark cancellation and TTAB opposition, a Quebec promotional-email class action, a shareholder fiduciary suit relating to CRG, and a no-solicit antitrust case; one international franchise termination dispute was resolved via settlement.

Does Firehouse Subs offer exclusive franchise territories?

Firehouse Subs received a territory protection score of 45 out of 100. Grants a protected operating area where the franchisor will not place other physical units.

What training does Firehouse Subs provide to new franchisees?

Firehouse Subs received a training and support score of 100 out of 100. The brand provides a comprehensive 368-hour training curriculum designed to prepare three managerial staff members for launch.

How many Firehouse Subs franchise locations are there?

Firehouse Subs had 1248 total locations as of the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document.

What type of business is Firehouse Subs?

Firehouse Subs is a sandwich restaurant franchise specializing in large-portion hot submarine-style sandwiches served in a firefighting-themed atmosphere.

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