Turn Firehouse Subs' Chili Into A Comforting, Hearty Meal With Just One Addition

Firehouse Subs is known for having a solid lineup of sandwiches — including an Italian sub that took top spot in our Italian sub taste test. The chain's menu features both classic meat-and-cheese subs that you can customize to your preference, as well as creative specialties like the Smokin' Honey Steak Melt. But no matter how many choices a menu presents, it's fun to discover new "secret menu" items or viral hacks that revitalize old standards into something unexpected — like turning a cup of Firehouse Subs chili into a DIY sloppy Joe by pairing the stew with a side of garlic bread.

Simply order the two items – when ordered as a side, the garlic bread conveniently comes sliced in half horizontally, with both halves slathered in garlic seasoning. Spoon your chili in between the two slices, replace the top slice, and voilà: a delicious sandwich that you won't find on the actual Firehouse Subs menu.

Now, as you might expect with a sloppy Joe-type sandwich, this menu hack can get a bit messy. If you're considering trying it "on the go" in your car, you may want to ... reconsider. Then again, this custom item seems worth a little mess. Firehouse Subs' chili can also be customized with add-ons like bacon, a variety of cheeses, onions, and jalapeños. Don't hold back if you want extra layers of flavor and texture.

The garlic bread side at Firehouse Subs is a respectable 8 inches, and a cup of chili seems like just about the right amount for creating your own sandwich. You may even have a little left over — in which case, you can keep scooping chili onto your sandwich as you eat it. If you're dining in-house, don't forget another favorite Firehouse Subs ordering hack: swinging by the hot sauce bar to add some extra flavor.

Price-wise, a cup of Firehouse Subs chili might run you about $3.50, depending on your location, while the side of garlic bread could be $2, meaning the sandwich as a whole would cost less than $6. That sounds like a good deal, and people who've tried it confirm the cobbled-together sandwich is plenty filling. You can also choose between white and wheat bread.

But there are other factors to consider, too. For example, a simple build-your-own sandwich, the Roast Beef Combo (priced at about $11), has 740 calories, while the garlic bread and chili together are roughly 600 calories. And of course, their nutritional makeup differs. So, if you're trying to calculate whether the hack is "worth it" from a nutritional/cost perspective, it depends on your goals. But if you just want a filling sandwich that doesn't cost too much — and reportedly tastes delicious — then consider giving this a try. Especially since it isn't one of those obnoxious secret menu orders that cause more trouble for the store's employees.