SYgle>Industry Information>Review: Firehouse Subs And Hot Ones Team Up For 2 New Subs That Are Straight Fire

Review: Firehouse Subs And Hot Ones Team Up For 2 New Subs That Are Straight Fire

Column: industry Tag: Firehouse Subs,Hot Ones Published: 2025-03-11 15:06 Source: www.mashed.com Author: Sam Zwick

Sam Zwick/Mashed

It's not often you think of a firehouse serving up the heat rather than putting it out, but that's precisely what Firehouse Subs is doing with its new collaboration with Hot Ones. The spiciest talk show on TV is bringing its signature kick to two new Firehouse sandwiches: the Zesty Garlic Hook and Ladder and the Spicy Dill Hook and Ladder.

The Zesty Garlic takes the Firehouse classic Hook and Ladder and adds crunchy garlic chips and Hot Ones' Fresno sauce to a sub already piled high with smoked turkey, honey ham, melted pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and mayo. Meanwhile, the Spicy Dill utilizes the same base sandwich and turns up the temperature with Firehouse Hero Sauce and a one-of-a-kind Last Dab Pickle. This special pickle is marinated in Hot Ones' Last Dab Reaper Edition Hot Sauce, making it the first time this sauce has been featured in a menu collaboration.

Firehouse Subs invited me to try out the two newcomers before they hit menus everywhere for a limited time starting March 10. To say these are two very different takes on spice is an understatement. Read on to find out if I could handle the heat or if I had to get out of the Firehouse.

Zesty Garlic Hook and Ladder Review

Sam Zwick/Mashed

When you're about to taste-test two different subs at once, choosing the right order is key. My options were "zesty" or "spicy," so I started with the flavor profile that was least likely to fry my taste buds.

The Zesty Garlic is aptly named. This isn't a spicy sub so much as it's a flavorful one. The Hot Ones' Classic Garlic Fresno Sauce is often the first sauce presented on the show thanks to a Scoville rating of 1,700, which puts it slightly above a poblano but well below a jalapeño in terms of heat. What this sauce lacks in kick, it more than makes up for with garlicky goodness. Add in the garlic chips, which were wonderfully crispy and crunchy, and there isn't a boring bite on this sandwich.

Of course, two ingredients alone don't make for a good sub, but they can elevate an already great sub to excellent. Firehouse Subs knows how to build a banger. Piled high with meat, melted cheese, and fresh veggies, the Zesty Garlic Hook and Ladder is a win on all fronts. If you prefer rich flavors to straight spice, this is the sub for you.

Spicy Dill Hook and Ladder Review

Sam Zwick/Mashed

The joy of spicy foods comes not only from a unique flavor profile but also in the form of the challenge these foods present. When it comes to Hot Ones, the greatest challenge is making it to the end where guests can enjoy — or more accurately, face off with – The Last Dab. Tipping the scales at over 2.5 million Scoville units — a number reserved on some charts for pepper spray – this sauce is not for the faint of heart. So why put it on a sandwich?

Thankfully, Firehouse Subs has opted to use pickles marinated in The Last Dab rather than pouring on the sauce itself. I wanted to see what the fuss was about, so I was given one of the marinated pickles on the side. The employees who fulfilled this request politely laughed when I said I wanted to try the pickle alone, which should have been a warning. This spicy pickle is no joke. Some spices hit hard and then fade, but The Last Dab is all about the build-up. Alone, it's intimidating, but on the sub, it works phenomenally well.

The sweetness of the honey ham comes through to help mellow out the heat, and the crisp lettuce and tender tomato add a freshness that levels out the vinegar notes of the marinated pickle. Don't get me wrong, this is a very hot sandwich, but it's enjoyable. The sauce itself is not just blind heat; it adds flavor, too.

Final thoughts

Sam Zwick/Mashed

Spice is polarizing. People tend to fall into two categories — light-my-tastebuds-on-fire or not-for-me — with little middle ground. A collaboration with a show famous for sending sweat and tears streaming down the faces of celebrities as they lunge for the nearest glass of milk hardly seems like one that could service both sides of the spice aisle, but Firehouse and Hot Ones managed to do so with ease.

The Zesty Garlic Hook and Ladder is a good sub elevated with rich garlic flavor and just a hint of heat. Garlic fans rejoice; this is the sub for you. And for the mild crowd, this sandwich will give you just enough zip to taste it, but not enough to leave you feeling any nasty aftereffects.

Then there's the Spicy Dill. The goal of this sub is clear: bring as much heat as is reasonably possible. I say reasonably because, yes, it could be hotter. If you're itching for a real challenge, try the pickle on its own, but if a spicy, well-rounded sandwich is your desire, this one hits the mark dead center.

Firehouse Subs and Hot Ones created two subs that both work in their own unique ways. There's something for everyone in this collaboration, and hopefully, it's not the last time we see these two brands team up because there's an obvious spark between them.

Methodology

Sam Zwick/Mashed

Firehouse Subs reached out and offered to set up a tasting a week prior to the new subs' release. I visited my local franchise, where I was provided with a medium size of both the Zesty Garlic and the Spicy Dill. I photographed and tasted both subs in the restaurant. My evaluation was based on spice and flavor levels, each individual element of the sandwich, and the overall cohesiveness of the subs. Firehouse Subs did cover the cost of my samples, but starting March 10, you can pick up a small Zesty Garlic or Spicy Dill for $6.99, a medium for $10.49, or a large for $14.79 at your nearest Firehouse location.

Previous：The Simple Ingredient That Keeps Your 'Fried' Egg From Getting Crispy Edges

Next：Stakeholders call for Hong Kong seafood import regulation overhaul amid traceability concerns