Review: Firehouse Subs Ushers In The Holidays Early With New Thanksgiving Menu

Sam Zwick/Mashed

For all the hype that Thanksgiving dinner receives — and deservedly so — one could argue that the day after is even better thanks to the turkey leftovers. Anyone who loves to eat has briefly transformed their kitchen into a five-star restaurant while shoving turkey, stuffing, gravy, and anything else found in the fridge onto a sandwich fit for royalty. If your mouth is watering at the mere thought, then good news: You don't need to wait until Turkey Day to get in on the Thanksgiving fun, because Firehouse Subs just dropped a holiday-themed menu built to satisfy your bird-based cravings.

The sub chain has touted a Thanksgiving sandwich before, featuring carved turkey breast, stuffing, tasty cranberry sauce, and mayo piled high on fresh-toasted bread. Also back is the Five Cheese Mac and Cheese, upgraded with cavatappi noodles covered in American, cheddar, and Neufchatel cheese sauce and topped with a four-cheese blend. New this year is a Turkey Gravy that brings garlic, roasted turkey, and vegetable stock together to create a perfect dipping sauce for that sub, and a Double Chocolate Chip Cookie for dessert.

Firehouse Subs invited me to try the seasonal items the day they hit the menu. Like the holidays, the Thanksgiving menu is only around for a limited time, so the question is: Do you need to make a pilgrimage to your local Firehouse Subs for a taste? Read on to find out.

Recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Sam Zwick/Mashed

Firehouse Subs has had mac and cheese on the menu in the past, most recently with a lighter, white cheddar-forward sauce, but this Five-Cheese take is classic mac with a little extra. The cavatappi noodles are hearty, and the corkscrew shape allows them to hold a ton of cheese sauce. I sometimes find mac and cheese noodles to be overcooked, but these were perfectly al dente. The large noodles also make it easy to take a one-noodle bite and feel like you've got enough.

As for the cheese, wow, it is creamy and rich in the best possible way. I loved that there was a little extra cheese sauce left at the bottom of the cup, a good sign that no noodle was undercoated. A healthy sprinkling of shredded cheese on top makes for the perfect mix-in and leads to a picturesque cheese pull with every bite.

I love the classic sandwich-and-chips combo, but this classic Thanksgiving side dish is undoubtedly the side you need to order at Firehouse. It would work well with any sub, but it definitely makes sense as a pairing with the Thanksgiving sandwich.

Sam Zwick/Mashed

Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mayo inside a lightly toasted white bread bun. It's so simple, but so incredibly tasty. Let's break it down by the individual elements. First is the turkey, which has make-or-break status in a sandwich like this. The meat is tender and, unlike the bird your aunt forgot in the oven, it's moist. Not to mention, it's well-seasoned, so not only does it provide the protein, it doesn't rely on the other elements for flavor.

The stuffing is a classic stuffing that should absolutely retake the throne from all other versions that involve anything but bread and seasoning. Moist is once again the keyword, as this is the ingredient that holds together what could otherwise be a messy sandwich. Also helping in that department is the cranberry sauce, which brings a great sweetness to the savory dish. Firehouse has upped the amount of cranberry sauce used this year, but honestly, I could go for even more. The brightness is crucial to the overall flavor profile.

The mayo and the bread do their role in holding everything together with a pillowy softness, but never stealing focus. This is a sandwich that can absolutely stand on its own, but Firehouse knew it wouldn't take much to elevate it even higher.

Sam Zwick/Mashed

Dipping sauce is the universal food cheat code. Nothing is ever made worse by adding a dipping sauce, and the Thanksgiving Turkey Sub is no different. Does the sandwich need the gravy? No, it absolutely doesn't, because there's not a dry or underseasoned bite to be found. Does the gravy enhance the sandwich and provide the full Thanksgiving experience? Yes, yes it does.

The gravy is straightforward but effective, with roasted turkey and garlic notes in a vegetable broth base. Mine came out steaming hot in a cup that's closer to a small bowl, perfect for dipping a sub without anything getting cramped. Oversalting and coagulation are the two traps most bad gravies fall into, but Firehouse sidesteps both possible problems with a balanced gravy that stayed perfectly dunkable through my entire meal. The only real excuse not to add gravy to your Thanksgiving Turkey Sub order is if you truly hate the stuff, because otherwise, I promise you'll hardly take a bite of your sub without it.

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Thanksgiving dinner is only as good as the desserts that follow, and this meal is no different. Firehouse Subs is no stranger to cookies, with three standard options on the menu: Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal, and Celebration Sugar. If you're in the mood for something richer, the chain also carries a brownie, which is fudgy and quite tasty. But what if you can't choose between a cookie and a brownie? Now you don't have to.

The Double Chocolate Chip Cookie is the ideal blend between that brownie and a chocolate chip cookie. It's soft, chewy, and littered with semi-sweet and white chocolate chips to give it some additional sweetness and texture. I'm a sucker for white chocolate, and the addition here is a welcome one as the buttery sweetness provides a nice contrast to the richness of the darker chocolates. I don't care if it's Thanksgiving or any other celebration, I want one of these cookies.

Sam Zwick/Mashed

Earlier this year, I was invited to try the Firehouse Subs collaboration with Hot Ones. The result was a fantastic menu of spicy subs for the heat fanatics among us. This time around, the menu is a fully Firehouse creation that I believe will speak to anyone who enjoys comfort food. The mac and cheese is all you could ask for in a side serving, and makes a real case to be a meal in itself. The Thanksgiving Turkey Sub and Turkey Gravy are an ideal pairing that brings the best of the holiday meal to a warm, cohesive sandwich. And don't forget the Double Chocolate Chip Cookie to finish things off with a decadent, fudgy finish. Get it all and enjoy every bite, but be ready to take a quick nap after lunch; you might need it.

Firehouse Subs invited me to try out the new items at my local restaurant. I photographed everything before digging in. My evaluation was based on taste, texture, and overall quality. Firehouse Subs did not pay me or Mashed for this review.