FIREHOUSE SUBS SPREADS LIKE WILDFIRE WITH FIRST RESTAURANT IN PALATKA, FLORIDA

FIREHOUSE SUBS SPREADS LIKE WILDFIRE WITH FIRST RESTAURANT IN PALATKA, FLORIDA

Fast-Casual brand continues to look towards the future with

second redesigned restaurant prototype

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – August 31, 2020 – Firehouse Subs announces the grand opening of its first restaurant in Palatka, Florida, located at 506 State Rd. 19 North, just outside the brand’s hometown of Jacksonville. The restaurant will open its doors to the public on August 31, 2020 and is corporate-owned. Firehouse Subs serves premium meats and cheeses steamed and piled high on a toasted sub roll, served “Fully Involved ®” with fresh produce and condiments. In addition to its signature subs, the restaurant offers a variety of catering options from sandwich and dessert platters to salads and snacks to fuel any occasion.

“We are very excited to finally open up our doors to the community after more than five years of searching for the right location to place a Firehouse Subs in Palatka,” said Meg Rose, Vice President of Field Operations at Firehouse Subs. “This restaurant serves as an important milestone for the brand, furthering our mission to serve our guests and communities, while adapting to meet today’s consumer’s needs and staying relevant in an ever-changing world.”

In July 2019, Firehouse Subs opened its first Restaurant of the Future prototype located in Jacksonville. The prototype, which was the brand’s first fundamental redesign in 25 years of business, featured a new back-of-the-house design with a more efficient flow for Firehouse Subs crew members in addition to enhancements made to provide today’s busy guests a better Firehouse Subs experience.

Like the location at Durbin, the Palatka location’s design features improved efficiency for Firehouse Subs guests with a repositioned ordering area and a designated space for Rapid Rescue To Go® orders made online at FirehouseSubs.com or through the Firehouse Subs app, in addition to demonstrating the brand’s commitment to community, first responders, heartfelt service and quality food that satisfies. This location will offer in-house catering services to accommodate occasions of all sizes, from office meetings to family gatherings, and will soon offer third-party delivery through DoorDash.

After extensive research conducted by the Firehouse Subs headquarters team, which included surveying guests on the success of the changes featured in the prototype, the brand decided that its first restaurant in Palatka would serve as a modified version of the Restaurant of the Future. With new additions such as a drive-thru and slightly different layout, the restaurant will include the same elements and finishes in addition to a larger outdoor seating space.

The Palatka Firehouse Subs restaurant will be open Sunday through Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Additionally, the restaurant will continue giving back to military, first responders and public safety organizations across the country though Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation®, which has granted more than $8.1 million in Florida. For the time being, dining room seating will be unavailable to guests and the restaurant will operate through drive-thru service and takeout. Outdoor seating on the patio will be available, and guests can place to-go orders by calling the restaurant or online at FirehouseSubs.com or through the Firehouse Subs app via Rapid Rescue To Go®.

Firehouse Subs offers small, medium and large hot specialty subs, including the No. 1 selling Hook & Ladder® sub, piled high with smoked turkey breast and Virginia honey ham smothered with Monterey Jack cheese and served Fully Involved with mayo, deli mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion and a kosher dill pickle on the side. Other top sellers include the Smokehouse Beef & Cheddar Brisket™ loaded with USDA choice beef brisket smoked for up to 16 hours in an authentic Texas smokehouse and topped with melted cheddar cheese and a special combination of sauces, including Sweet Baby Ray’s® Barbecue Sauce.

In 2005, the Firehouse Subs founders established the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation with the mission of providing funding, lifesaving equipment and educational opportunities to first responders and public safety organizations. The 501(c)(3) Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation has granted more than $51 million to hometown heroes in 49 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. Each restaurant recycles five-gallon pickle buckets, available to guests for a $3 donation to the Foundation. Donation canisters on register counters explain the nonprofit’s mission and collect spare change, while the Round Up Program allows guests to “round up” their bill to the nearest dollar. All funds raised benefit the Foundation.

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About Firehouse Subs

Firehouse Subs® is a fast-casual restaurant chain with a passion for hearty and flavorful food, heartfelt service and public safety. Founded in Jacksonville, Florida in 1994 by brothers and former firefighters Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen, Firehouse Subs is a brand built on decades of fire and police service, hot subs, steamed and piled high with the highest quality meats and cheeses and its commitment to saving lives through the establishment of the non-profit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation®. The founders are the real deal, the food is their creation and the brand is a family of franchise operators who share their same passion for generously serving food and community. This year, Firehouse of America and Firehouse Subs suppliers will together donate a portion of purchases at Firehouse Subs locations to the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation for the purchase of lifesaving equipment, with a minimum donation of $1 million. Firehouse Subs is consistently recognized as one of the leading brands in the U.S. among consumers. Based on recent Technomic Ignite consumer data, Firehouse Subs is currently ranked America’s No. 1 Favorite Fast-Casual Chain, America’s No. 1 Favorite Sandwich Chain and America’s No. 4 Favorite Chain overall. In 2019, Firehouse Subs was named the No. 1 brand in the restaurant industry that “Supports Local Community Activities” and ranked No. 1 among Fast Casual brands in the categories of Food Quality, Taste and Flavor, and Service and Hospitality in Technomic’s Consumer Brand Metrics rankings.

Enjoy more subs. Save more lives. To learn more, visit http://www.firehousesubs.com.

Quick Facts:

More than 1,180 restaurants in 45 states, Puerto Rico, Canada and non-traditional locations

$51+ million granted to public safety organizations via Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation®

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla.