Which is cheaper, Firehouse Subs or Panda Express?

Panda Express is cheaper, averaging $7.73 per item versus $8.49 for Firehouse Subs — a 9% difference. Based on 77 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Firehouse Subs or Panda Express?

Firehouse Subs has more menu items (66 vs 11). The total combined menu across both chains is 77 items.

Which has lower calories, Firehouse Subs or Panda Express?

Panda Express averages 479 calories per item, compared to 586 for Firehouse Subs. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Firehouse Subs and Panda Express similar?

Firehouse Subs (1,200 US locations) and Panda Express (2,500 US locations) compete on 1 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 6%.

Firehouse Subs vs Panda Express (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 66 items at Firehouse Subs vs 11 items at Panda Express.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Firehouse Subs averages $8.49 per item across 66 menu items, while Panda Express averages $7.73 across 11 items. Panda Express is $0.77 cheaper per item (9% difference). Panda Express has lower average calories (479 vs 586 per item).

Quick Comparison

Firehouse Subs vs Panda Express: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Firehouse Subs	Panda Express	Winner
Avg Price	$8.49	$7.73	Panda Express
Menu Items	66	11	Firehouse Subs
Avg Calories	586	479	Panda Express
US Locations	1,200	2,500	Panda Express
Secret Menu	0	1	Panda Express

Panda Express is 9% cheaper on average than Firehouse Subs ($0.77 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Firehouse Subs

Cookie $0.85

Slaw Side $1.09

Chips $1.09

Cookies $1.25

Brownie $1.29

Panda Express

Honey Walnut Shrimp $1.50

Bowl (1 entree + 1 side) $8.30

Plate (2 entrees + 1 side) $9.80

Bigger Plate (3 entrees + 1 side) $11.30

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

Panda Express

Broccoli Beef 150 cal

Kung Pao Chicken 290 cal

Honey Walnut Shrimp 360 cal

White Steamed Rice 380 cal

Beijing Beef 470 cal

Deep Comparison: Firehouse Subs vs Panda Express

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Firehouse Subs delivers 5.63¢/cal on average, while Panda Express delivers 1.18¢/cal. Panda Express gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Firehouse Subs and Panda Express share 1 menu categories (6% Jaccard overlap). Shared categories: sides. Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Firehouse Subs fits 1 item, Panda Express fits 0 items
$15 budget: Firehouse Subs fits 0 items, Panda Express fits 1 item (360 cal)
$20 budget: Firehouse Subs fits 1 item (310 cal), Panda Express fits 2 items (860 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Firehouse Subs ranks #249 of 414 on price (pricier than 60% of tracked chains). Panda Express ranks #218 of 414 (pricier than 52% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Firehouse Subs, 63% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Panda Express, 55% are under 500 calories. Firehouse Subs offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Panda Express ($7.73 avg vs $8.49)
More variety: Firehouse Subs (66 items)
More locations: Panda Express (2,500 US locations)
Best calorie value: Panda Express (1.18¢/cal)

Full Menus

Firehouse Subs Menu Panda Express Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide