The Firehouse Subs Sandwich We'd Think Twice About Ordering

Firehouse Subs was founded in 1994 by a pair of brothers who really were firefighters. The chain has grown substantially since then, with nearly 1,500 locations today. Known for its firehouse-themed decorations and warm, meat-and-cheese-filled subs that are beefier than average, the chain has carved a respectable niche in the sandwich world. As with any restaurant, the menu has its highs and its lows. For every winner Firehouse produces, there is also a sub that misses the mark, and for us, that was the Jamaican Jerk Turkey.

Just hearing the name, Jamaican Jerk Turkey sounds like a sandwich that should be delicious. That is, as long as you're a fan of the smoky, sweet, and savory notes of an island spice mix that usually packs a real punch of heat. Jamaican jerk seasoning is steeped in history and brings with it certain expectations. But when Tasting Table ranked 14 sandwiches from Firehouse, the Jamaican jerk turkey fell to the bottom of the list.

Our taste tester found none of that signature Scotch bonnet heat you want from a real jerk seasoning. Instead, everything was masked by an intensely sweet mustard sauce that pulled the sandwich out of the savory realm and into something far too sugary to enjoy. It turned out to be "the only sandwich no one at my table wanted to finish," our taste tester said. The sweetness ensured it was entirely one note. When you are trying 14 sandwiches, and only one goes unfinished, that is a bad sign.

Sweetness is the word of the day when it comes to the Jamaican Jerk Turkey Sub. Even those who like the sandwich point out how sweet it is. So if that's your thing, the Jamaican jerk turkey sub might work for you. But if you don't like mixing sweet and savory, leaning heavy on the sweet side, you might feel more like our taste tester did.

KBD Productions TV on YouTube felt the mustard was too overpowering and would have preferred to try the sub without it. Instead of a jerk-flavored sub, he felt like he just had a sweet mustard-flavored one. Other reviewers have also noted the lack of heat in the sandwich. One YouTuber said that a Firehouse employee told him the spice comes less from the seasoning and more from the pepper Jack cheese.

Taste is very subjective, and the Firehouse Jamaican Jerk Turkey Sub is divisive among those who have tried it. While everyone acknowledges that the mustard sauce is sweet, that doesn't deter some people from enjoying it. Knowing that ahead of time will probably help you decide whether you want to try it. If you like the heat from Jamaican jerk seasoning to take a backseat to other flavors, this might be the right sub for you. Along with the pepper Jack cheese, the seasoning serves as more of an accent to the mustard-forward sweetness that becomes the dominant flavor profile of the sandwich.

For our taste tester, this was not Firehouse Subs' best offering. If you want the real deal of Jamaican jerk, try our flavor-packed jerk chicken recipe instead.