Access to capital remains the most significant barrier to franchise ownership. Firehouse Subs, a Jacksonville-based sandwich chain founded by two firefighter brothers and ranked #120 on the 2025 Franchise 500, launched a 2026 Development Incentive Program offering $75,000 for a single new restaurant and $100,000 per location for commitments to two or more. The program is open to new and existing franchisees, enabling faster scaling. Firehouse Subs extended its Veteran and First Responder Development Incentive Program through 2026, providing up to $100,000 per restaurant for qualified military or first responder franchisees. The incentives aim to lower entry costs and accelerate nationwide growth.
"It's all driven around how do we drive return on investment for our franchisees," says Kelly Crummer, senior director of franchising at Firehouse Subs. "We wanted to do something that would motivate franchisees to build. For a long time, people had been coming into the system via acquisition and then not building anything new. This whet their appetite to build new restaurants."
The brand has announced its 2026 Development Incentive Program, which offers $75,000 in cash for opening a single new restaurant and $100,000 per location for those who commit to opening two or more restaurants. The program is open to both new and existing franchisees, giving seasoned operators as well as first-time entrepreneurs the chance to scale more quickly with Firehouse Subs.
In addition, Firehouse Subs is extending its Veteran and First Responder Development Incentive Program through 2026. First launched in 2024, this initiative provides up to $100,000 in cash per restaurant for qualified franchisees with military or first responder backgrounds. The idea is to honor the brand's service-focused roots while making it easier for veterans and first responders to enter franchising.
Collection
[
|
...
]