Firehouse Subs App
Reviews and Complaints

It sent my order to a location over 100 miles away. I've been trying to get a refund for a month. I've emailed 7 times and never recieved a reply. I called today and they still wouldn't give me a refund but they did acknowledge they recieved all my complaints. They will steal your money and ignore your emails. It's truly an awful company. I will never spend another dime there. They've stolen enough already.

My family and I where placing orders for sandwiches because of a free meal coupon we got online, but as I placed my order the app crashed and removed the sandwich from the order, causing me to just order chips. The app did not stop me from doing so or even ask if I meant to.

I have now wasted time and money (About 45 minutes) to get our meals because of issues with the app. I would not recommend using this app unless it is an absolute emergency, even then... Jimmy-Johns app works better. (And makes better subs) My entire family is now stressed and hungry.

Firehouse used to send emails with rewards that can be printed out and taken in. Now it’s ALL about the app but it doesn’t work! I got a birthday reward I wanted to use, and the app clearly states I can enter my phone number at checkout. The reward is red at the top of the screen, it’s ALSO orange in the middle of the screen, suggesting it’s already unlocked. I CLICKED IT ANYWAY to be sure, it told me once it’s clicked I can’t unactivate it and I clicked OK.
I order my sandwich at the shop, give them my phone number, and...
NO REWARD!?!
My thanks to the clerk who manually cleared it as a birthday reward, but this app’s not doing what it claims!
Maybe the rewards work better if I used it while placing an order on the app, but if you can’t even get this right then I feel even stronger about not trusting you with my credit card information.
Get it right, and make it do what it claims to, please!

Downloaded and used the app for the first time today and found it a bit clumsy. When adding the combo (drink+chips) to a sandwich order, there is no way to select a drink or chip flavor. I ordered three combos for our three sandwiches and there is a space for a special note, but it had a very small character allowance and couldn’t accommodate three drink flavors and three chip flavors. I considered ordering the family pack initially, but the only option it gave were chip flavors and not which sandwiches, even though the description says there are three to pick from. Nosing around the app some more, I found that I could order 1 or 2 cookies, but couldn’t specify which variety there either. When we picked up our curbside order, we gave the employee our drink and chip requests and he ran back in to fill it, because, basically, Firehouse Subs is a great place with great staff. The app just needs a little tweaking.

Read the reviews for the app and thought the critical elements of complaints were blown out of proportion. I was wrong. The app conveyed all kinds of wrong information to the restaurant. I was very clear in what I wanted on the sandwich. The app, like most food ordering apps has a very clear list of items to select or deselect so no mistakes can be easily made. The only thing they did correct was leave the sauces off the sandwich. Food arrived with piles of wet lettuce and mealy tomatoes (the sandwich I ordered doesn’t even have those items selected by default, and I certainly didn’t add them) and the toppings I did order were barely there. How is it I can turn in a detailed order form and get back something that doesn’t resemble what I ordered? I want a refund. If it was a 5 or 6 dollar sandwich I’d blow it off as no big deal, but $12 is what I’d pay at a full service restaurant for a pastrami and corned beef sandwich.

Used the app for the first time and went to location to pick up my order and was told that the location never received my mobile order. Was charged both by the app and then the store itself.

This was the response I got from the tech support.

“I'm sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I checked your account and I can see that there was one order submitted on 12/27. I have escalated this issue to our app development team and further actions will be taken to further investigate it.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to process your refund for the order that was already submitted. As our stores are independently owned and operated, all refunds must go through the store. I would recommend calling the restaurant directly to request for a refund of this order since you were not able to pick it up.

We understand that this has been an inconvenience and we are deeply sorry for the trouble you've had. If there is anything else

Love Firehouse and when the app works it’s convenient but between odd glitches like reordering an order and the updated site not saving and the multiple problems with logins if is the most frustrating ordering app I’ve ever used.

1. Saved password doesn’t always work so i begin the painful process of resetting.
2. Reset password and then attempt to use the one that I know is correct because I cut and pasted the text only to be given the message that “something” is wrong contact tech support. Always viewing the password to confirm it is correct.
3. Attempt to update password via website but the two don’t seem to communicate.
4. But the winner is the message I’ve received multiple times that I’ve had too many incorrect attempts, try again in an hour. I call this message “The let’s order McAlisters” message.

We order groceries and meals on line from a dozen different restaurants and have never had the issues we do with this app.

I don’t know what it is. But hopefully someone sees this. A few months ago I ordered twice with a debit card, and was told it didn’t go through. Had to pay a third time when I go to the location to pick it up. Well all 3 payments cleared. The district manager refunded me almost $90 that had been charged to my card. Fast forward to today, I just ordered again on the app (thinking the problem is fixed). Paid with the same card. Once again, it took my money. But didn’t let my order go through. So I had to call it the order in. Now I’ll have to go through getting a refund again because I’m pretty sure this charge won’t drop off like the other ones didn’t. What’s the point in having an app if it doesn’t work? I’ve had to call my orders in since then. So sometimes I forget to put my number in so I can get my points. It’s annoying. And then there’s no corporate office to call about this matter. But surely I’m not the only one having this issue. But maybe I am.

This app is so bad I had to write another review.

On a whim I went to Jimmy John’s for lunch. Not because the sandwiches are better than FireHouse ( they clearly aren’t ) but because I couldn’t bring myself to suffer the Firehouse app experience again.

Holy moly what a different digital experience. Jimmy John’s app and digital process is so much better that Firehouse’s that it’s hard to believe. I used Apple Pay at the register and my iPhone prompted me to add the Jimmy John’s loyalty card to my iOS wallet. Sure. And then when I went to the wallet I saw a button to install the Jimmy John app. Sure. And then when I launched the app I saw that I could order food without signing up and pay using Apple Pay. Wow.

So here’s the point that Firehouse should understand: your sandwiches are markedly better than Jimmy John’s. It’s an objective fact. But your app is so miserable that I’ll go to JJ’s before I go to Firehouse. Please share this with your marketing team and software development team.

Ok I can’t remember my password was because it been a long time since the last time I had signed on but I can’t remember my password then so I tried to reset my password on the app when they sending me a temporary password through my email when I using temporary password that they had giving me on my email but it won’t not allow me to log in it was so very frustrating I been having this issue for a long time so I been waiting for the response from the customer service for assistance but I am still waiting if I have continued dealing with these issue well I wouldn’t not referring this app to someone who will dealing with this same issue by logging in experience that I had so I would like to delete it from my account from this app for good I would be dealing with the old school way by getting sandwiches from their restaurant directly in stead of using on my phone to buy from them sometimes I don’t trust some of these apps because it can be a joke but great awesome sandwiches too please fix this thank you have a wonderful blessed day

I was reading other reviews to see if I was the only one with persistent log in issues... and I’m not. I want to love the app... I love the food, but the loop that we get stuck in when there are issues has been an ongoing problem for apparently a year or more. I wish this was fixed once and for all. Thankfully the employees at my location know the app and the quirks - and know how to help. I like the layout of the app... I like most things about the app... wish I could love it.

Suggestion- is there any way to reduce how cumbersome this app is by proving a “coupon code” or something similar that the employees scan. Right now, we have to load the order... and the rewards “code” is pending until the order is complete. This leads to a mess when my friend is picking up 5 lunch orders- with all of us wanting to use our rewards. Create a coupon/barcode that I can forward to my friend (via pic), and then he can have the employee scan it and deduct the cost? I don’t know how easy/hard it is— but right now, the way we have to use the rewards, and the persistent log in issues, frustrates the heck out of me. 5 stars if you can figure out an easy way to do this.

It has been about 5 months since I used the app because the last time I did, it wouldn’t work. My husband ordered food in the store, and when he came out with the food I asked him if he gave them my number so we could get the rewards points. He forgot so he went back in and they gave him a receipt and told him to enter the information through the app. Well, that was the beginning of so much frustration that I took a 5 month hiatus from the app. Every time I tried to enter my receipt to get the points, the app would give an error message and crash. Then it stopped showing any of my rewards points all together. I deleted the app and downloaded it again. Still nothing. I hung onto the receipt and tried for multiple weeks. It just kept crashing so I threw the receipt away because it wasn’t worth the hassle. I just opened the app up again today because my husband and I decided to eat there tonight, and I wanted to use my points for a free sub. Well, the same problem still exists. I’m so shocked by the fact that this problem is still happening that I was compelled to write a review complaining about it. Don’t waste your time downloading this app until they address the issues.

5/15/23 Update:
Finally got a response to my ticket. It was a generic email offering no help. There was another app update today that seems to have done nothing. The rewards system is still down. The email said if we’re missing our balances after this is fixed, we’ll have to request an update. What if you don’t know what your balance should have been. It also said to resubmit old receipts. What if we don’t have those receipts? It’s been weeks. You have a lot of loyal customers. You’re going to need to make this right.

Original 5/1/2023 review:
Great food. Everything else about this company seems like it’s being run out of a dorm. You can’t use their gift cards in their app. You can’t check your gift card balance on their site because the site has been broken for years. The receipts show the incorrect gift card balance. You force users to update to an app that doesn’t work. Your FAQ doesn’t match the app you forced everyone to use. What is going on?
ETA: thanks for the developer’s response but I already sent and email to that address to try to get credit for my receipt. Days later and no response because you’re too overwhelmed because of this failed app update. So, there’s no need for me to add another email to your queue.

I stopped at the Firehouse Subs at 100 Julian Lane Suite 150,Atden,NC
28704.
I placed an order for a medium engineer. My order # 337112.
I went home after getting my sub as that was where I was going to eat it. I only live about 5 miles at most from that particular Firehouse Sub shop. Anyway when I got home abd got the sub out it was STONE COLD.
There is no excuse for this mind of service. And I guess you don’t have them say “ Welcome to Firehouse” anymore as the two workers didn’t .
They also did not take my name so I waited at a table far from the front, then when I thought it should of been ready, I sat down again since no one had say Engineer sub ready. So I finally went up to her and she was just then putting it in that plastic bin. They didnot ask me if this order was a to go order which it was so I received no napkins either.
There were only 3 customers sitting eating when I was waiting and tgen another customer came up to put in their order, so they were not “ busy.

I’ll take my sub sandwhich business back to the Airport Road( actually it is right off of it but I can't remember the name of that particular road. It is the one right by the Ups store and is on the Arden- Fletcher,NC border.
As I have always gotten good service there and they are always busy too.
Mrs. Jan Arthur

Oof. I refuse to believe that the app builders can’t do better than this.

1) You can’t check out as a guest. You HAVE to sign up for the rewards program if you use the app. Signing up is way more in depth than it needs to be. Dude, I just want a sandwich.

2) When getting your total, you have to enter in your credit card information (which is fine) BUT it saves your credit card to your account. If I just want to make a one time payment and not have that information stored, I should be able to do that without having to circle back around to my settings and delete it every time. I’ve had my CC info stolen from other restaurant apps and I don’t trust them. There’s not even an Apple Pay option.

3) The first time I ordered on the app, they left out my cookie and my chips. I took my bag and left because I apparently shouldn’t have trusted it would be correct. I called the store and said “can you issue me a refund?” And they said yeah (I didn’t get said refund), and told me that I need to walk up to the counter to get my sides in the future. What is even the point of mobile ordering at that point? I’ll stick to curbside.

4) Now curbside. In the year 2022 you must call the store and let them know you’re there. I’m sorry, but I should be able to tap a button on my app to alert the staff that I’ve arrived.

5) Most menu items have photos, but the quality of the photos are inconsistent. Some are great. Some look like the image from a 2002 box TV.

I know this app can be better so I don’t know why it’s not.

I downloaded this app back in 2016. It was glitchy and really wasn’t ready for prime time. Management at a couple different stores agreed. I used the app maybe once a year every year since 2016. It has never been a stellar app. If management is still using the same app development company they should really consider firing them.
Fast forward to march 2022 I downloaded the app again to place an online order for some clients. I didn’t have any trouble at all and the app worked just fine and my order was correct. When I went back in to download my receipt for my expense report, I couldn’t access it. I emailed support as directed. I checked the following day and was able to upload the receipt. Five days later I received a reply from the developer asking if I had a screen shot of the problem. I replied that I thought they made the repair because I was able to upload my receipt.
My next problem was I went to fill in the information from the receipt for my rewards and the drop down date box won’t open to enter that information.
I give up. Why should you have to go back in and enter information for rewards after you have clearly ordered online from the app? This is the only food app that makes you go through so many hoops for rewards.
As the title states this is 2022, the technology is here for a better app. The only thing I can figure is after 6 years at least being in the App Store you would think the app would be perfected by now. I’m guessing upper management has one of their kids in charge of it and can’t fire them‍♂️

Less functional than previous versions and website

Works fine if you want subs only exactly as they are on the menu. But if you customize, it's messed up.

no option for "less bread" (where they scoop out some of the interior bread to reduce about 100 calories off a medium sub)
no option for "comments", for example if you want bbq sauce inside the sub but also a little side cup for dipping, you have to choose one or the other now, not both.
probably the worst thing: some of the subs are completely wrong in the "customize" page. For example: smokehouse beef n cheddar brisket by default has: brisket, cheddar, mabbq sauce, and dill pickle. But if you hit "customize", the preselected options suddenly changes a lot of that. For example, I want to remove maso if I select
"mayo" to "no" I would think I would get everything else as described, but that's not the case. By default, the customize options list the following, asterisks are by options that are DIFFERENT from what it should be, so you need to check everything:

White bread

Mayo: normal

Bbq sauce: no*

Shredded lettuce: normal*

Tomato: normal*

Sliced onions: normal*

Deli mustard: normal*

So if I went to this and JUST changed the “mayo” and left everything else unchanged because I thought: “I’m only removing maeverything else should be exactly as described on the menu”, I’d get a sandwich with NONE of the bbq sauce that’s supposed to be there, and lettuce, tomato, onion and deli mustard added when they’re NOT supposed to be there.

I haven’t checked every sandwich, but it should be fixed, and fixed fast.

Up-Date: after testing and communicating with Firehouse Subs technical support, I determined (confirmed by tech support) the App will not function properly if the device (iPhone, iPad, etc.), is connected through a VPN. I confirmed this by using only cellular and Wi-Fi connections, on multiple devices.

I can not confirm the reason(s) the App fails to function properly when the device is connected through a VPN (without access to the source code), though it may be related to the collection of individual data for marketing and/or advertising purposes.

Original Review: As many, many, many other reviewers have mentioned, the App is horrible. It previously worked well, but recently something was changed and now it never works. I even sent the following to the App Developer “… “Something went wrong…”. The App could not load my account, find a location, send an email to reset my password, or even load the Customer Support contact information. I have waited to contact the App developer to see if there were server issues. I have since attempted to fix the issue by (1) deleting the App and reinstalling it; (2) deleting the App, rebooting my device, and reinstalling the App. Neither of these steps corrected the login issue.” Hopefully a fix will be included in the next version. The “standard Developer reply to all reviewers who report issue(s) to send a private message…” is not a fix or solution to the underlying issue(s). Whoever at Firehouse Subs corporation H/Q that is responsible for overseeing the on-line ordering operations needs to step up and get a handle on these on-going issues with the App.

I went to order at sub at 7:00pm and the app had a time for pick up at 7:15 available and I chose that. When I went to place the order (at 7:02) the app said the pick up time of 7:15 was no longer available and to choose a new time and the earliest time was now 8:50pm?!?! So now instead of 15 minutes it’s almost two hours later?! I drove up there thinking well they must have suddenly got really packed. There wasn’t a customer in the store just some very bored employees. I placed my order there and waited 10 minutes for them to make my sub.

I deleted the app and will just call if I REALLY want firehouse subs but I prefer to do my online orders through apps so I’ll just eat at other sub shops for now on.

This rating is for the app and not the sandwiches. I have not been able to log in for quite some time now. I had a app update and after that I could no longer log in. I tried the online access and it said once you log in on the app you will no longer have access to your account online. I tried to reset my password but the log in said your information can not be accessed. I even tried to create a new account but since my phone number is used on my old account it will not let me create another account using my phone number. I tried to email your support team and nothing. I love your sandwiches and would like to get my points. Please fix the log in on the app or please let us access our accounts online again.

This is a great lesson in “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” From a customer standpoint, there wasn’t anything wrong with the old app. Sure, it was basic, but it worked. Then you launch this half-baked embarrassment and now my rewards information doesn’t work and I can’t put in mobile orders for the location near my house. In other words, everything I want to do, I can no longer do. Guys, this is app development 101. Test your app before you launch it, and if it doesn’t work, don’t launch it yet! No one was waiting for this app to come out. Delaying the launch wouldn’t have disappointed any customers. I love your food, but I don’t love it enough to use this worthless app. I’ll just eat somewhere else until you fix it.

Rewards
I tap to add a reward and it just leads me back to the same place. The store NEVER gets notice of the reward being added and has to assist.

Location
The location closest to me, which is only 1.2 miles away, shows in the app as being almost 4 miles away. The app always selects the second closest store as the closest.

Ordering
I’ll correct the app and select the REAL closest location, add a sub, and then it magically puts be back to the wrong store.

Then when I try to place my order, it keeps making me set the time further and further out, because it’s so slow to respond.

Finally
I hadn’t been to Firehouse in months, because of the crappy app. I was going to try again today, but guess what...I’m going elsewhere.

I have been using this app and keep hoping with each update that it will work better. So far, no luck.
Although the app is visually pleasing and allows me to get rewards, etc, it is so slow as to be almost impossible to order in the app. The processing time on every click forward is appalling.
An app that is intended to let you order ahead should not take 15 minutes to process through the order!
I often get the “something went wrong, try again later”, and at the checkout screen, it takes so long to process that the “soonest pickup time” is forced to me moved forward (which means I have to submit again and wait AGAIN).
Don’t bother getting this app. Save yourself time and order on a real computer or just in the restaurant.

Do NOT get the APP.

Their website and app are not compatible. So if you get the app you can never login on the computer/mobile website.

I had 50K points. I started the app two years ago, and I can no longer access that email associated with it. I got a new phone earlier this year and nothing but problems with the APP logging me out. Then it sends email to recover to the lost email.

I mean, I can use my phone number like when the app started or like in store. It works. But can’t access anything with that online? Why.

So basically I was logged in up until a week ago when I stupidly tried to use some of those 50,000 points; guess what it logged me out. Then I couldn’t get back in.

Now it’s all lost. Thanks so much Firehouse.

The app has always been buggy, crashing randomly when trying to order, etc. No big deal, it’s always been manageable.

Fast forward to the latest update, I’ve been logged out for some reason. Try to log in, my password is incorrect? Hit forget password, they email me a recovery password to use to log back in. Nope… Now I get a message that I’ve tried to log in too many times (twice, maybe three times is too many attempts? all of them using the correct password?) and to contact guest services through the app to unlock my account. What a surprise, the guest services page is permanently blank.

Been using this app for years without this sort of issue and now I’m locked out of my own account for using the password they gave me. Nice.

...exactly half the time I open up this app to order a meal or claim a reward, it’s down. I just claimed a free medium sub reward and now I can’t use it because everytime I choose a location to start my order it’s signing me out. This will probably expire before i actually get to use it, which has happened before for similar crashes/issues.

Also the website will NOT let you manage your account/rewards if you’ve already used your account on the mobile app. What? Is it 2003? What kind of backend infrastructure spaghetti code nonsense is that? Completely defeats the purpose; firehouse, hire me to do your backend dev if whoever is doing it now is yanking your chain. Your food deserves better representation than whatever is being told to you by your devs.

Firehouse just opened in Anchorage and I’m excited to have it again. It’s been about 6 years since I last had it in Florida.

Anyway, I downloaded the app to set up an account. I filled everything out, agreed to terms and use, but left the box unchecked that said I agree to receive regular emails and marketing.

I created my account, but can’t log it. It errors out and says to use the App Help link under the info section. I can’t use it because it says there’s no user mail on file.

I tried creating account again, but same errors. The app should allow me to create an account without agreeing to receive marketing emails. Or, it should stop me and say I have to check the box. It shouldn’t have allowed me to proceed and get stuck in limbo.

I never had a problem ordering from this app or the website till now. For some weird reason when I try to do online ordering from my login account, there are fewer pick up times and by the time I get to one, they are all gone for the rest of the day. Like today At around 7pm and there were no pick up times and when in fact they don’t close till 9pm where I’m at. This wasn't the only time, this has been going on for a few weeks now and it had me thinking that firehouse was limiting online ordering. But when when I decide to try the website one again today and I wasn’t logged in, it showed more pick up times but then I logged back in, it showed fewer again. If anyone else is having a problem like this that’s what you need to do is logout and just order food that way. But this needs to be fixed.

Bad IU/UX all around. Frustrated because it wouldn't take my credit card and didn't say what was wrong, just "We were unable to process your request". I put in all the info again (Visa card) THREE TIMES guessing at what it didn't like and eventually tried a different card (Amex). It said "DO NOT HONOR" but then allowed me to charge finally and get my sandwich.

Ideally a credit card issue would say what's wrong as soon as it sees it, and not force you to reenter the data.

I spent time to set up account, put in an order, apply a reward (which didn't just let me add the free drink from the reward, it was almost like I had to create a new order, THEN apply the reward again). Now that everything is set up I MIGHT use it again but honestly it was a real pain this first time...much easier to just call in the order.

Let me start out by saying I have used competitors app regularly and the app Firehouse has is functional and visual pleasing.
However, when I use app and pay I expect to be delivered food when scheduled with no line or wait. ( As competitor does). Instead, you schedule, pay online and wait to go a little after scheduled time. I show up to be told I must stand in line with everyone because checkout is actually processed at register. Even after paying online. So I wait behind everyone to checkout. And then another 10 minutes for sandwich to now be made since I checked out. I placed the order and paid online why do we have to go through this? It seems to be a waste of time to enter it in app to simply wait same time as ordering in store. As a father of 6 month old twins always short on time, competitor will get majority of business.

I got a new iPhone 13 and haven’t been able to get the app to work since. I have removed the app numerous time and reinstalled but it still doesn’t work. I get the same error message as mentioned in other reviews. I contacted app support and was told that they can’t duplicate the error so I thought that I was the only one having a problem. After reading the reviews from the past few weeks I see that the problem is common. Firehouse management needs to read the reviews and take appropriate action to get the problem solved. You are losing sales and that is not the purpose of the app.

Having an app with problems happens, the problems get fixed and all is good. When the app support team tries to say the problem isn’t the app and I spend a few hours trying to fix my phone, that is a problem on a different scale. Now you’re being dishonest.

Whoever is the developer of this app likely hasn’t been paid yet so they intentionally made the app not work. It’s been broken for weeks, and I can’t even place an order because the set pickup time button doesn’t work, and every time I try to press it to set a time, my cart refreshes with the wrong toppings on my sandwich. I witnessed a customer at a Firehouse location threaten to physically assault a worker because of how frustrated he was that the app took his money for an order that wasn’t ready, and the store refused to give him a refund. The police were called and the employee looked visibly frightened. The website isn’t any better either, with no option to add special instructions, it is essentially a useless service. Just stick to ordering in store, or calling in the order ahead of time, trust me it’ll save you a lot of time and hassle.

I downloaded the app, created an account and that pretty much all that’s bee. Able to be done. The app loads but after that it’s useless. You location pops up every now and then but I haven’t ever been able to log into my account from the app or add points to my account from purchases I made. I go to the location near me and they tell me to contact support just like the app does when I can’t log in over and over. I have emailed support 7 times in the past month and haven’t gotten anything back. I have lost the chance in collecting point from the purchases I have made because I can’t log into my app and the location says my account must not be working. Seeing that my wife and I go here all the time it would be nice to be able to add up points and use them for my birthday for catering platters and such. But I see that isn’t going to happen. I really wish this app would be fixed.