Which is cheaper, Firehouse Subs or Starbucks?

Starbucks is cheaper, averaging $4.13 per item versus $8.49 for Firehouse Subs — a 51% difference. Based on 140 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Firehouse Subs or Starbucks?

Starbucks has more menu items (74 vs 66). The total combined menu across both chains is 140 items.

Which has lower calories, Firehouse Subs or Starbucks?

Starbucks averages 308 calories per item, compared to 586 for Firehouse Subs. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Firehouse Subs and Starbucks similar?

Firehouse Subs (1,200 US locations) and Starbucks (13,502 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

Firehouse Subs vs Starbucks (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 66 items at Firehouse Subs vs 74 items at Starbucks.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Firehouse Subs averages $8.49 per item across 66 menu items, while Starbucks averages $4.13 across 74 items. Starbucks is $4.36 cheaper per item (51% difference). Starbucks has lower average calories (308 vs 586 per item).

Quick Comparison

Firehouse Subs vs Starbucks: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Firehouse Subs	Starbucks	Winner
Avg Price	$8.49	$4.13	Starbucks
Menu Items	66	74	Starbucks
Avg Calories	586	308	Starbucks
US Locations	1,200	13,502	Starbucks
Secret Menu	0	15	Starbucks

Starbucks is 51% cheaper on average than Firehouse Subs ($4.36 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Firehouse Subs

Cookie $0.85

Slaw Side $1.09

Chips $1.09

Cookies $1.25

Brownie $1.29

Starbucks

Chocolate Chip Cookie $1.95

Salted Caramel or Birthday Cake Pop $1.95

Freshly Brewed Coffee $2.10

Teavana® Shaken Iced Tea $2.25

Double Chocolate Chunk Brownie $2.35

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

Starbucks

Skinny Vanilla Latte 70 cal

Mango Dragonfruit Refresher (Grande) 90 cal

Strawberry Acai Refresher (Grande) 100 cal

Iced Coffee (with or without Milk) 120 cal

Pink Drink (Grande) 140 cal

Deep Comparison: Firehouse Subs vs Starbucks

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Firehouse Subs delivers 5.63¢/cal on average, while Starbucks delivers 5.04¢/cal. Starbucks gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Firehouse Subs and Starbucks 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, Starbucks fits 3 items (310 cal)
$15 budget: Firehouse Subs fits 0 items, Starbucks fits 3 items (1100 cal)
$20 budget: Firehouse Subs fits 1 item (310 cal), Starbucks fits 3 items (1100 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Firehouse Subs ranks #249 of 414 on price (pricier than 60% of tracked chains). Starbucks ranks #49 of 414 (cheaper than 88% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Firehouse Subs, 63% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Starbucks, 92% are under 500 calories. Starbucks offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Starbucks ($4.13 avg vs $8.49)
More variety: Starbucks (74 items)
More locations: Starbucks (13,502 US locations)
Best calorie value: Starbucks (5.04¢/cal)

Full Menus

Firehouse Subs Menu Starbucks Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide