Firehouse Subs Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $405K – $876K
- Disclosed sales
- $974K
- gross sales, not profit
- SBA charge-off
- 11.1%
- on 638 loans
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Firehouse Subs franchise requires a total initial investment of $405K – $876K, including a $20K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2026 FDD, average unit revenue was $974K[2]. SBA 7(a) loans show a 11.1% charge-off rate across 638 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: low - issued within the last 12 months
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✓ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored8 of 8 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $405K – $876K
- 19th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- $974K
- Outlet subset4th pct Service Resta…
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 25th pct Service Resta…
- Units
- 1,291
- 37th pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- 11.1%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Full-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Full-Service Restaurants median · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $405K – $876K including a $20K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSAverage unit revenue of $974K/year (median $939K) (reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system).
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 84/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 11.1% across 638 loans (above the 16% franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- GROWTHPositive: net +43 franchised outlets in the latest year (73 opened, 30 closed) (Item 20).
- LEGAL13 litigation matters disclosed in Item 3, higher than typical. Of these, 2 name the franchisor itself, 11 its parent, affiliates or predecessor. Pending claims are allegations, not findings.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Firehouse of America, LLC
- Parent company
- FRG, LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 9 of the 2026 FDD
- Ultimate parent
- Restaurant Brands International Inc. (RBI)
- FDD Item 1, page 9 of the 2026 FDD
- Predecessor
- FRG, LLC (formerly Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc.)
- Prior franchisor entity
- Incorporated in
- Florida
- HQ
- 4600 Touchton Road, Suite 300 and Suite 400, Jacksonville, Florida 32246
- Auditor
- KPMG LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $9.4B
- vs $8.4B prior year
Same owner · FDD Item 1, page 9
3 other brands on this site name Restaurant Brands International Inc. (RBI) as parent or ultimate parent in their own FDD.
Grouped by the owner's name as each filing prints it (this page: the 2026 FDD). Spelling variants of the same group may be listed apart; a brand is never grouped with an owner its filing does not name.
Overview
About
Fast-casual submarine sandwich restaurant chain founded in 1994, owned by Firehouse of America, LLC (subsidiary of Restaurant Brands International)
- Headquarters
- Florida
- Founded
- 1994
- FDD year
- 2026
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost is about typical for a full-service restaurants franchise (near the category median).
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2026 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $20K | $20K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $10K | $45K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $375K | $811K |
| Total initial investment | $405K | $876K |
Source: Firehouse Subs 2026 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $405K – $876K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $10K – $45K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $20K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 5.0%
- typical 3–5%
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 5.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $1K |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $10K |
| Inventory (initial) | $12K – $25K |
What do units actually make?
Average unit sales run 39% below the full-service restaurants norm.
Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 19
Single-unit · not modelled
Returns at a glance
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit, and the operating costs that turn one into the other are in no filing. We publish no modelled return for Firehouse Subs until someone supplies them — yours, in the models below.
—
Not modelled yet
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
Total invested capital · disclosed
$668K
Item 7 initial investment plus working capital, as filed — the one figure here that needs no assumption.
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
What one unit earns on your invested capital
Model A · Single-Unit Return
Computes unlevered return on invested capital (ROIC) for a single franchise unit, read against the 30–60% reference band · Yale SOM, Post-MBA Path Exhibit 2 (2023). Below that band a passive index fund likely outperforms; above it the franchisor has pricing power you're subsidizing.
Note: Item 19 revenue is what the franchisor discloses, and it is the top line only — gross sales are not profit. No FDD discloses the operating costs that turn one into the other, so those fields start empty and nothing is modelled until you supply them from your own lease quote, labor market and build-out budget.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Firehouse Subs unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
What 25 units return when you use SBA financing
Model B · Return on Equity: Debt-Financed Acquisition
Models a 25-unit portfolio acquisition financed with an SBA 7(a) loan. Shows equity IRR (your return on cash invested), DSCR (how safely the cash flow covers debt service), and the capital stack (SBA + seller + equity breakdown).
This is the “search fund” or “entrepreneurship through acquisition” scenario: you buy an existing multi-unit operator, use leverage to amplify returns, and either operate or hire management. The 25-unit size is the typical minimum for an SBA-backed franchise portfolio acquisition to pencil as a full-time income.
What “return on equity” means here: if you put in $500K of your own cash and the business generates enough EBITDA to pay down debt and grow, your equity IRR is the annual return on that $500K, including the value created when you eventually sell. Target IRR for a search fund is typically 25–35%.
Not modelled yet
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
A 25-unit return is built on a per-unit EBITDA. Fill in the operating costs in Model A above and this model runs on that figure, or take the whole scenario to the full ROI workbench, where the portfolio and LBO models accept your own per-unit economics directly.
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2026 FDD
Financial Performance
Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system
- Avg gross sales
- $974K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $939K
Gross sales are revenue before expenses — not profit. Actual owner earnings depend on rent, labor, royalties, marketing fees, and debt service.
- Item 19 type
- historical
- Sample size
- 1,033 outlets
- vs category median 18 · large
- Range (low → high)
- $154K→$3.5MCited, not corroborated — printed on page 74 of the 2026 FDD. Nothing else in our record independently restates or re-derives it.
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Quartile band
- $645K→$1.4M
- Bottom 25% → top 25%
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2026
- Disclosed in the 2026 filing, covering 2025
Compared against 801 Full-Service Restaurants brands
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Unit economics
Average unit generates $974K/year in gross sales. Revenue-to-investment ratio: 1.5x. Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system.
Fee burden
6.0% royalty + 5.0% ad fund — higher than the category average of 5.0%.
Operator retention
System expanding at 8.7% CAGR over 3 years across 1,291 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Full-Service Restaurants medians
How Firehouse Subs Compares
Category median of published Full-Service Restaurants brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 1,291
- Opened
- 73
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 30
- Terminated
- 6
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 15
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 2.3%
- Company-owned
- 42
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 97%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +8.7%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +8.7%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 6
- Not renewed
- 15
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 638
- Loan volume
- $194.4M
- Median loan
- $271K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 11.1%
- on 638 loans · rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 88.9%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 6.5%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 171
- Defaults
- 51
- Typical loan rate
- 6.5%
- avg rate to borrowers
- vs industry
- N/A
- NAICS 7225
- Jobs supported
- 13,923
- 7.2 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 7%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 52% went to startups / new businesses, 48% to established operators
Vintage analysis
Firehouse Subs charge-off rate by loan vintage
Shaded area: recent vintages with few resolved loans; rates may change as loans mature.
Top lenders financing Firehouse Subs franchisees
Showing 3 of 171 lenders. The full breakdown — every lender, state distribution, interest rates & risk ratings — is in the SBA Lending Report below.
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Lender network · 7(a) + 504
SBA Lending Report
Full lending analysis for Firehouse Subs from SBA 7(a) FOIA data.
- Principal loss rate
- 4.7%
- Avg SBA guarantee
- 74%
- Avg interest rate
- 6.50%
- Avg chargeoff amount
- $179K
- Lender concentration
- 7.0%
- Job velocity
- 7.2 per $100K
- Startup risk premium
- +14.2pp
- Jobs supported
- 13,923
Top SBA lendersTop lender holds 7% of loans
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Default % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45 | N/A | N/A | |
| 2 | 26 | N/A | N/A | |
| 3 | 26 | N/A | N/A | |
| 4 | 25 | N/A | N/A | |
| 5 | 19 | N/A | N/A |
Geographic failure vector
| State | Loans | Defaults | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| FLFlorida | 92 | 12 | 16.2% |
| TXTexas | 65 | 4 | 9.3% |
| GAGeorgia | 49 | 1 | 2.6% |
| CACalifornia | 34 | 5 | 26.3% |
| VAVirginia | 28 | 1 | 5.6% |
| MIMichigan | 25 | 2 | 12.5% |
| NCNorth Carolina | 25 | 1 | 4.8% |
| OHOhio | 23 | 3 | 15.0% |
| AZArizona | 19 | 0 | 0.0% |
| COColorado | 18 | 2 | 16.7% |
SBA 7(a) lending trend
Borrower profile
Source: SBA 7(a) + 504 FOIA loan-level data, matched by FranchiseVerdict
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 11.1% — 30% below the 16.0% national norm, i.e. lower lender-observed risk.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · KPMG LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Litigation case detail13 matters · Item 3
Litigation cases
The franchisor
Pending (2)
Steve Hugi v. Firehouse of America, LLC
pendingThird-party plaintiff · filed 2026-01-02 · U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida · 1:25-cv-26046-DPG
“Steve Hugi v. Firehouse of America, LLC, (Case No. 1:25-cv-26046-DPG) U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, filed on January 2, 2026. On January 2, 2026, RBI and Restaurant Brands International US Services, LLC (RBI Services) was served with a putative class action complaint.”Page 19 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
William H. Rogers, Jr. v. Firehouse of America, LLC
pendingThird-party plaintiff · filed 2023-11-17 · US District Court Middle District of Florida Division of Jacksonville · 3:23-cv-01360-TJC-JBT
“William H. Rogers, Jr. v. Firehouse of America, LLC, (File No. 3:23-cv-01360-TJC-JBT), US District Court Middle District of Florida Division of Jacksonville filed on November 17, 2023. On November 17, 2023, Plaintiff refiled a complaint with the Middle District of Florida. against Firehouse of America, LLC, Don M. Fox, Sorensen Brothers, Inc, Robin O. Sorensen and Chris R.”Page 18 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Parent, affiliates and predecessor
Pending (10)
ADP Direct Poultry Ltd. v. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., Restaurant Brands International, Inc, Restaurant Services Canada, Inc. (RSCI), Amjad Farooq Inc., et. al.
pendingThird-party plaintiff · Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., Restaurant Brands International, Inc., Restaurant Services Canada, Inc. · filed 2025 · Ontario Superior Court of Justice · CV-25-00741914- 0000
“ADP Direct Poultry Ltd. v. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., Restaurant Brands International, Inc, Restaurant Services Canada, Inc. (RSCI), Amjad Farooq Inc., et. al., Court File No. CV-25-00741914- 0000, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, filed May 29, 2025, amended June 23, 2025.”Page 21 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Daniel Pemberton v. Restaurant Brands International, Inc. & Restaurant Brands International US Services LLC
pendingThird-party plaintiff · Restaurant Brands International, Inc. and Restaurant Brands International US Services LLC · filed 2025-05-02 · U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California · 4:25-cv-03647-JCS
“Daniel Pemberton v. Restaurant Brands International, Inc. & Restaurant Brands International US Services LLC, (No. 4:25-cv-03647-JCS), U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, filed on May 2, 2025. On May 2, 2025, a class-action claim was served on RBI and Restaurant Brands International US Services LLC.”Page 20 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Payal Keswani and Kendra Sivertson v. PH Canada Company, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., Restaurant Brands International, Inc., et al
pendingThird-party plaintiff · PH Canada Company, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., Restaurant Brands International, Inc. · filed 2025-06-18 · Supreme Court of British Columbia · VLC-S-S-254553
“Payal Keswani and Kendra Sivertson v. PH Canada Company, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., Restaurant Brands International, Inc., et al, (Case No. VLC-S-S-254553), Supreme Court of British Columbia, filed on June 18, 2025. On June 18, 2025, a proposed class action was filed in the Supreme Court of British Columbia against PLK, RBI, and 10 other fast-food companies and their affiliates.”Page 21 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
William H. Rogers v. FRG LLC, (Opposition to Application No: 97519835)
pendingThird-party plaintiff · FRG, LLC · filed 2025-06-18 · U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board · Opposition to Application No. 97519835
“William H. Rogers v. FRG LLC, (Opposition to Application No: 97519835). U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) filed on June 18, 2025. Plaintiff filed an opposition with TTAB on or about June 18, 2025, opposing FRG LLC’s application for “FIREHOUSE SUBS” in Class 30. It does not cover restaurant services.”Page 18 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
William H. Rogers v. FRG, LLC, (Opposition to Application No.: 97341962)
pendingThird-party plaintiff · FRG, LLC · filed 2025-02-21 · U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board · Opposition to Application No. 97341962
“William H. Rogers v. FRG, LLC, (Opposition to Application No.: 97341962) U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) filed on February 21, 2025. Plaintiff filed an opposition with TTAB on or about February 21, 2025, opposing FRG’s application for “FIREHOUSE SUBS” in classes 9, 35, and 41. It does not cover restaurant services.”Page 18 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Jonathan Deschatelets v. Restaurant Brands International Inc., Restaurant Brands International Limited Partnership and The TDL Group Corp.
pendingThird-party plaintiff · Restaurant Brands International Inc., Restaurant Brands International Limited Partnership and The TDL Group Corp. · filed 2024-04-19 · Superior Court of Quebec · 500-06-001306-246
“Jonathan Deschatelets v. Restaurant Brands International Inc., Restaurant Brands International Limited Partnership and The TDL Group Corp., (File No. 500-06-001306-246), Superior Court of Quebec, filed on April 19, 2024. On April 19, 2024, Jonathan Deschatelets filed a class action law suit against Defendants before the Superior Court of Quebec.”Page 19 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Liel Ohayon v. Starbucks Coffee Canada, Inc., Starbucks Corporation, Foodtastic Inc., (a.d.b.a. Second Cup), The TDL Group Corp., Restaurant Brands International Inc., and Restaurant Brands International Limited Partnership
pendingThird-party plaintiff · The TDL Group Corp., Restaurant Brands International Inc., Restaurant Brands International Limited Partnership · filed 2024-12-30 · Superior Court of Quebec · 500-06-001351-242
“Liel Ohayon v. Starbucks Coffee Canada, Inc., Starbucks Corporation, Foodtastic Inc., (a.d.b.a. Second Cup), The TDL Group Corp., Restaurant Brands International Inc., and Restaurant Brands International Limited Partnership, (Case No. 500-06-001351-242) Superior Court of Quebec, filed on December 30, 2024.”Page 20 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Plymouth County Retirement Association, Scott Hamparian, Emad Tadros and Zeiad Tadros v. Restaurant Brands International Inc., Matthew Perelman and Alexander Sloane
pendingThird-party plaintiff · Restaurant Brands International Inc. (and directors Matthew Perelman and Alexander Sloane) · filed 2024-10-07 · Court of Chancery of State of Delaware · C.A. No 2024 – 1030
“Plymouth County Retirement Association, Scott Hamparian, Emad Tadros and Zeiad Tadros v. Restaurant Brands International Inc., Matthew Perelman and Alexander Sloane, (C.A. No 2024 – 1030), Court of Chancery of State of Delaware, filed on October 7, 2024. Purported former shareholders of Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc.”Page 20 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Olympia Tile International Inc. v. Restaurant Brands International Inc., The TDL Group Corp., Ricky Leem and Gesco Limited Partnership
pendingThird-party plaintiff · Restaurant Brands International Inc. and The TDL Group Corp. · filed 2020-09-25 · Ontario Court of Justice (Ontario Superior Court of Justice) · CV-20-00648343-0000
“Olympia Tile International Inc. v. Restaurant Brands International Inc., The TDL Group Corp., Ricky Leem and Gesco Limited Partnership, (File No. CV-20-00648343-0000), Ontario Court of Justice filed on September 25, 2020. On September 25, 2020, Olympia Tile International Inc.”Page 19 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Arrington v. Burger King Worldwide, Inc. (four consolidated class actions: Arrington, Michel, Blanchard and Miller, Munster)
pendingThird-party plaintiff · Burger King Worldwide, Inc. and Burger King Corporation (and BKC affiliates) · filed 2019 · United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida · 18-24128-CV-MARTINEZ/AOR
“Arrington v. Burger King Worldwide, Inc., (Case No. 18-24128-CV-MARTINEZ/AOR), United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida filed on March 15, 2019. In October 2018 and November 2018, four separate class action complaints; Jarvis Arrington v. Burger King Worldwide and Burger King Corporation, (Case No. 1:18-cv-24128-JEM), Monique Michel v.”Page 21 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Concluded (1)
PLK APAC PTE. Ltd. (“PLKA”) and Restaurant Brands International, Inc. v. Popeyes Shanghai Restaurant Management Co. Ltd.; TFI TAB Gida Yatirimlari A.Ş.; and TFI Asia Holdings B.V.
settledBrought against a franchisee · PLK APAC PTE. Ltd. and Restaurant Brands International, Inc. · filed 2021-03-12 · International Chamber of Commerce, International Court of Arbitration · ICC CASE NO. 26121/HTG
“PLK APAC PTE. Ltd. (“PLKA”) and Restaurant Brands International, Inc. v. Popeyes Shanghai Restaurant Management Co. Ltd.; TFI TAB Gida Yatirimlari A.Ş.; and TFI Asia Holdings B.V., (International Chamber of Commerce, International Court of Arbitration, ICC CASE NO. 26121/HTG) filed on March 12, 2021.”Page 22 of the 2026 FDD, Item 3
Outcome:“The parties reached a confidential settlement which was acknowledged by the ICC pursuant to an Award by Consent dated June 20, 2022.”
Item 3 lists the litigation the franchisor must disclose; a matter against a parent, an affiliate or a named officer is not a matter against the franchisor, and pending claims are allegations, not findings.
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 11.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Protected territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory radius | 1 mi |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Florida |
| Litigation count | 13 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 32 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 240 hrs
- Training location
- Certified training Firehouse Subs restaurant (5 weeks) plus virtual classroom sessions/workshops (final week), or in-person at Jacksonville, FL office or select cities
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Firehouse Subs franchise?
The total investment to open a Firehouse Subs franchise ranges from $405K – $876K, with an initial franchise fee of $20K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Firehouse Subs franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Firehouse Subs FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $974K. The median is $939K. Important context: Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
Who owns Firehouse Subs?
Firehouse Subs is franchised by Firehouse of America, LLC. Its parent company is FRG, LLC. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is Restaurant Brands International Inc. (RBI). Source: FDD Item 1, 2026 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Firehouse Subs FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Firehouse Subs FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Firehouse Subs's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Firehouse Subs has a charge-off rate of 11.1% across 638 loans, meaning 11.1% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many Firehouse Subs franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Firehouse Subs has 1,291 total units in the United States, including 1,249 franchised units and 42 company-owned units. 73 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Firehouse Subs a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Firehouse Subs as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 84 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.