Chris Randall Sorensen, the former firefighter and entrepreneur who co-founded Firehouse Subs with his brother Robin Sorensen, has died at the age of 65. He passed away peacefully at his home on October 11, surrounded by his family, leaving behind a legacy of entrepreneurship, public service and philanthropy.
Sorensen helped transform a small sandwich restaurant in Jacksonville into a nationally recognized brand while maintaining a strong connection to the firefighting community that inspired the business. His death has prompted tributes from family, friends, former colleagues and members of the restaurant industry.
Born in Jacksonville on October 16, 1960, Sorensen spent much of his life in Northeast Florida. He was known for his varied interests, which included music, history, entrepreneurship and supporting emergency responders.
From Musician to Firefighter
Before becoming a successful restaurateur, Sorensen pursued his early ambition of becoming a professional musician. A gifted guitarist, he spent several years performing and playing alongside musicians associated with well-known acts, including Earth, Wind & Fire, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Foreigner and Huey Lewis and the News.
Although music remained an important part of his life, Sorensen eventually followed his father’s footsteps into firefighting. He served with fire departments in Florida before becoming an engineer and emergency medical technician with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.
His experience in emergency services helped shape his understanding of teamwork, dedication and the importance of supporting people who put themselves at risk to protect others.
Those values would later become central to the business he built with his brother.
Building Firehouse Subs Into a National Brand
In 1994, Chris and Robin Sorensen opened the first Firehouse Subs restaurant in Jacksonville, drawing inspiration from their shared firefighting backgrounds.
The restaurant’s distinctive atmosphere, decorated with firehouse memorabilia and emergency-services imagery, helped establish its identity. Chris played an important role in developing the brand’s visual character and preserving the history behind its concept.
What began as a local restaurant grew into a major sandwich chain with more than 1,200 locations. In 2021, the brothers sold Firehouse Subs to Restaurant Brands International in a transaction valued at approximately $1 billion.
The sale marked a major business achievement, but Sorensen’s work extended beyond commercial success. His connection to the fire service remained a defining part of his identity.
A Lasting Commitment to First Responders
In 2005, the Sorensen brothers co-founded the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, an organization established to provide equipment, resources and assistance to first responders and public safety organizations.
The foundation became one of the most significant expressions of Sorensen’s commitment to the emergency-services community. Through grants and other support, it helped departments obtain equipment and resources needed to serve their communities.
For Sorensen, the foundation represented an opportunity to give back to the profession that had shaped his life and inspired the restaurant business.
His philanthropic work became an enduring part of his legacy, demonstrating how a business could be used to support people working in demanding and often dangerous public-service roles.
Family, Music and Personal Interests
Away from business and firefighting, Sorensen was remembered as a devoted family man with a lasting love of music and a wide range of intellectual interests.
He lived in St. Johns, Florida, for approximately 30 years with his wife, Kirsten. He also leaves behind children, grandchildren and other members of his extended family.
Those who knew him remember a man whose interests extended well beyond his professional achievements. His appreciation for music continued throughout his life, while his curiosity about history, science and the space program reflected his enthusiasm for learning.
Although the public often knew Sorensen through Firehouse Subs, his family and friends also knew him through the personal relationships, interests and everyday experiences that shaped his life.
Cause of Death
Sorensen died at his home on Sunday, October 11, 2026, with his family at his side. He was 65 and would have celebrated his 66th birthday on October 16.
His obituary described him as a cancer survivor, but no specific cause of death was publicly disclosed in the available announcement. Further details about his final illness have not been confirmed.
Celebration of Life
A celebration of Sorensen’s life was scheduled for Friday, October 23, in St. Johns, Florida, giving family members, friends and others who admired his work an opportunity to gather and remember him.
His death represents a significant loss for the Jacksonville community, the Firehouse Subs organization and the many first responders who benefited from his philanthropic efforts.
Chris Sorensen’s legacy reaches beyond the restaurant chain he helped establish. It includes his years of service as a firefighter, his creative work as a musician, his achievements as an entrepreneur and his commitment to supporting those who serve the public.
He helped build a nationally recognized business without losing sight of the people and profession that inspired it. Through the foundation he co-founded and the community he helped support, his influence will continue beyond his lifetime.
Chris Sorensen will be remembered as a businessman who built a lasting brand, a firefighter who understood the demands of public service and a philanthropist who used his success to help others.
