Firehouse Subs has announced plans to open six new GTA locations in 2025, building on its recent urban market entry that established three downtown restaurants in late 2024. The expansion includes a confirmed location at 325 King Street East, as the brand continues to adapt its format for Toronto’s dense urban environment.
The quick-service restaurant chain, which recently surpassed 112 locations across Canada, opened restaurants in Liberty Village, 501 Yonge, and Bathurst at College in 2024, marking a significant shift in its real estate strategy.
“One of the biggest opportunities that we see, and we do a ton of guest research… we know guests love our product, they love our supportive community. But the reason they don’t come to us is we’re inconvenient,” says Sam Gallant, General Manager of Firehouse Subs Canada, in an exclusive interview with 6ixRetail.
The brand has dramatically adapted its store format for Toronto’s urban landscape. “We’ve had to be creative,” Gallant explains. “I look at our Bathurst and College location as only about 800 square feet, which typically, if you looked at a Firehouse from 10 years ago in Canada, we were looking for 2,500 to 3,000 square feet.”
Since entering Canada in 2015 with its first locally-owned franchise restaurant in Oshawa, Firehouse Subs has experienced significant growth. The brand’s expansion strategy emphasizes local ownership, a factor Gallant believes differentiates them in the market. “A hundred percent of our restaurants are locally owned and operated. Our franchisees live in the communities which they operate… they know their team members, they know their guests, they know their local fire departments.”
The Toronto expansion reflects broader changes in urban dining habits, with delivery accounting for more than 50% of orders in downtown locations. The company recently launched first-party delivery through its mobile app while maintaining third-party partnerships.
In a move to strengthen its market presence, Firehouse Subs became the Official Sub of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2024. “We want to be where our guests are,” Gallant shares. “If we were going to be in Toronto, we felt like in order to earn our spot, we needed to be a real partner and support the local community. I think the Leafs were the best way to do that.”
The brand’s community focus extends beyond sports partnerships with its fervent support of the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. In 2024, the Foundation had a record year, donating $1 million to grant first responders lifesaving equipment across Canada, contributing to a total of $4.1 million since its inception in 2015.. Each restaurant features handpainted and customized murals reflecting local neighbourhoods and first responder heritage.
Looking ahead, the Toronto expansion is part of a broader national growth strategy, with plans to open more than 60 restaurants across Canada in 2025. “We’re going to be in more communities, we’re going to be more convenient for our guests, but most importantly for us, we’re going to be able to give more money back to first responders. And that’s what it’s all about,” concludes Gallant.
Dustin Fuhs is the Editor-in-Chief of 6ix Retail. He is the former Editor-in-Chief of Retail Insider, Canada’s most-read retail trade publication. He has over 20 years of experience in the retail, marketing, entertainment and hospitality industries, including with The Walt Disney Company, The Hockey Hall of Fame, Starbucks and Blockbuster.
Dustin was named as a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert in 2024 and 2025.