Which is cheaper, Firehouse Subs or McDonald's?

McDonald's is cheaper, averaging $6.03 per item versus $8.49 for Firehouse Subs — a 29% difference. Based on 230 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Firehouse Subs or McDonald's?

McDonald's has more menu items (164 vs 66). The total combined menu across both chains is 230 items.

Which has lower calories, Firehouse Subs or McDonald's?

McDonald's averages 413 calories per item, compared to 586 for Firehouse Subs. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Firehouse Subs and McDonald's similar?

Firehouse Subs (1,200 US locations) and McDonald's (13,786 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

Firehouse Subs vs McDonald's (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 66 items at Firehouse Subs vs 164 items at McDonald's.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Firehouse Subs averages $8.49 per item across 66 menu items, while McDonald's averages $6.03 across 164 items. McDonald's is $2.46 cheaper per item (29% difference). McDonald's has lower average calories (413 vs 586 per item).

Quick Comparison

Firehouse Subs vs McDonald's: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Firehouse Subs	McDonald's	Winner
Avg Price	$8.49	$6.03	McDonald's
Menu Items	66	164	McDonald's
Avg Calories	586	413	McDonald's
US Locations	1,200	13,786	McDonald's
Secret Menu	0	15	McDonald's

McDonald's is 29% cheaper on average than Firehouse Subs ($2.46 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Firehouse Subs

Cookie $0.85

Slaw Side $1.09

Chips $1.09

Cookies $1.25

Brownie $1.29

McDonald's

Butter $0.15

Syrup $0.25

Creamy Ranch Sauce $0.30

Spicy Buffalo $0.30

Honey Mustard $0.30

Lowest Calorie Options

Firehouse Subs

Firehouse Pepperoni Meatball™ 96 cal

Catering Salad 100 cal

Grilled Chicken Breast 131 cal

Slaw Side 140 cal

Smoked Turkey Breast 149 cal

McDonald's

Honey Mustard 60 cal

Medium Frozen Fanta® Wild Cherry 80 cal

Medium Frozen Coca-Cola® 80 cal

Medium Frozen Fanta® Blue Raspberry 80 cal

Mayonnaise Packet 90 cal

Deep Comparison: Firehouse Subs vs McDonald's

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Firehouse Subs delivers 5.63¢/cal on average, while McDonald's delivers 6.07¢/cal. Firehouse Subs gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Firehouse Subs and McDonald's share 0 menu categories (0% Jaccard overlap). Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Firehouse Subs fits 1 item, McDonald's fits 1 item (290 cal)
$15 budget: Firehouse Subs fits 0 items, McDonald's fits 0 items
$20 budget: Firehouse Subs fits 1 item (310 cal), McDonald's fits 3 items (260 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Firehouse Subs ranks #249 of 414 on price (pricier than 60% of tracked chains). McDonald's ranks #156 of 414 (cheaper than 63% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Firehouse Subs, 63% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At McDonald's, 70% are under 500 calories. McDonald's offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: McDonald's ($6.03 avg vs $8.49)
More variety: McDonald's (164 items)
More locations: McDonald's (13,786 US locations)
Best calorie value: Firehouse Subs (5.63¢/cal)

Full Menus

Firehouse Subs Menu McDonald's Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide