News

Firehouse reveals 'restaurant of the future'

July 26, 2019

After 25 years in the sandwich business, Firehouse Subs is unveiling what it's calling, "the restaurant of the future," in its hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.

The prototype, at 480 Durbin Pavilion Pkwy., Suite 103, features improved efficiency via a repositioned ordering area and a designated space for Rapid Rescue To Go orders. In addition to the layout, the furnishings, fixtures, finishes and graphics are all new. Giving a nod to the shared family-style experience of a fire station, there is also a community table in the front that seats six, according to a press release.

"We believe this prototype provides a better Firehouse Subs experience that adapts to today's busy guests, while still placing focus on the support of first responders and the communities we serve," CEO Don Fox said in the release.

In addition to the enhancements for guests, the prototype includes a back- of-the-house design with a more efficient flow for Firehouse Subs crew members.

"At the start of this project, we needed to address the pain points from an  operational and customer standpoint, in addition to refreshing our look to remain relevant and current," said John Namey, Firehouse vice president of real estate services, whose team surveyed guests before implementing changes. "We wanted to fix the customer flow to make it clearer for our guests on where to order. We also knew there was an opportunity for improvement on our production line — there's a lot of motion between crew members to make one of our signature subs, and we've come up with a solution that we hope will be a quicker experience for our guests."

Namey also said the company will continue surveying guests to gain feedback about the remodel.

Founded in 1994, by brothers and former firefighters Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen, Firehouse Subs has more than 1,165 restaurants in 46 states, Puerto Rico and Canada.