Key Takeaways
- Firehouse Subs co-founder Chris Sorensen, a former firefighter and professional guitarist, died at 65 near Jacksonville, Florida.
- Sorensen and his brother Robin launched Firehouse Subs in 1994 with less than $100 in their checking accounts, grew it to more than 1,200 locations, and sold it to Restaurant Brands International for $1 billion in 2021.
- His legacy continues through the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, which has awarded more than $118 million in grants and will benefit from an October 28 K-9 plush promotion.
Chris Sorensen, the former firefighter who turned Firehouse Subs into a billion-dollar sandwich empire alongside his younger brother, Robin, has died at 65. His death, reported earlier this month, comes as the company prepares to celebrate National First Responders Day with a new campaign honoring working K-9s—a cause closely tied to the legacy Sorensen spent decades building.
According to Fox News, Sorensen died October 11 at his home near Jacksonville, Florida. Firehouse Subs President Mike Hancock confirmed the news in a statement.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Chris Sorensen, co-founder of Firehouse Subs," Hancock said. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and all who knew him."
Long before Firehouse Subs became a nationwide restaurant chain, Sorensen had an entirely different career. A professional guitarist, he performed alongside musicians from bands including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Foreigner, Huey Lewis and the News, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
He eventually followed his father into firefighting, working as an engineer and EMT with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department after serving with other Florida emergency response agencies.
In 1994, Sorensen and his brother opened their first Firehouse Subs restaurant in Jacksonville with less than $100 in their checking accounts. The brothers built their business around hot sandwiches and their firefighting backgrounds, eventually expanding to more than 1,200 locations nationwide.
Restaurant Brands International, the parent company of Burger King and Popeyes, acquired Firehouse Subs for $1 billion in 2021.
But Sorensen's influence extended beyond the menu. He helped design the restaurants' signature interiors and commissioned custom murals celebrating local firefighters and police officers. An avid collector of historical artifacts, he also served as the company's unofficial archivist, preserving pieces of its history as the business expanded.
In 2005, the brothers established the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation to provide emergency personnel with lifesaving equipment, training, and other resources. According to Sorensen's obituary, the organization has distributed more than $118 million in grants to approximately 7,700 departments across the United States and Canada.
That mission continues with the company's upcoming K-9 Crew promotion, launching October 28. The collection features three $9.95 plush dogs inspired by real-life working K-9s: Stone, a search-and-rescue golden retriever who responded to the Surfside condominium collapse; Ember, a Dalmatian who teaches fire safety in Tennessee; and Echo, a Minnesota police K-9 who helps locate missing people.
All net profits from the plushies will benefit the foundation. Firehouse Subs will also donate the eligible purchase price of every Hook & Ladder sandwich sold that day to the organization.
"Alongside his brother Robin, Chris built Firehouse Subs into the brand it is today and helped establish the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, creating a lasting legacy of giving back to first responders and the communities they serve," Hancock said. "We are forever grateful for his contributions to our brand and the countless lives he touched."
