What started in 1986 as a small, family-owned burger joint in Virginia has grown into a
massive fast-casual chain with legions of supporters.
There's a good chance there are things you don't know about this fan favorite, so here's
what you need to know before you eat there again.
If you can't foresee yourself having the patience to wait in line for the Five Guys cheeseburger
and fries you've been craving all week, you always have the option to order online.
That way, when you get to the restaurant, your food is ready and waiting for you and
you can happily pass by all the people waiting in line because they didn't take advantage
of the amazing technology we have at our disposal today.
Some locations even have an advanced order option where you can order online to pick
up at a later time or date.
Another bonus: When you order online or in their app you can also pay in advance with
a credit card so you don't have to hassle with that when you pick up your food.
The goal is to get that burger as quickly as possible, isn't it?
For the ultimate in convenience, some locations even offer delivery.
And you'll still get it just the way you like it.
If you or someone in the crew you're planning to hit up Five Guys with has a peanut allergy,
you might want to take some extra precautions.
For starters, the chain cooks all of its french fries in pure peanut oil, but some studies
have shown that many people with a peanut allergy can safely eat foods fried in highly
refined peanut oil.
Still, it's always a good idea to check with your doctor first.
Aside from the fries, the breakdown of potential allergens in their menu indicates that peanuts
or peanut oil might be present in the milkshake base and some of the add-ins.
If you're okay with peanut oil, there's one more potential concern: The free peanuts that
are available as a snack to those waiting on their order to be prepared.
There are enormous boxes of peanuts sitting in the middle of the restaurant, and the shells
can make a bit of a mess.
So, needless to say, there's a lot of peanut action happening in each Five Guys restaurant.
While there are menu items that do not have any trace of peanuts, depending on how severe
the allergy is, all that peanut essence floating around could be a deal breaker for some potential
diners.
In spite of that, Five Guys is showing no signs of changing their peanut-centric menu.
"I'm allergic to peanut butter."
"Since when?"
"Birth."
When it comes to Five Guys burgers, there are 15 toppings to choose from, and there
isn't a limit on how many of those you can add to your burger.
The combos are so great, in fact, that there are actually over 250,000 different ways you
can order a Five Guys burger.
It's a little overwhelming, yet so wonderful — it almost makes you tear up a little,
right?
They've got grilled onions and raw onions; A1 Sauce and barbecue sauce; and of course,
your standard lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, and mayo, just to name a few of the delights.
Did we mention they're all free?
There is no "first two toppings are free" rule followed by a different extra price for
each added topping.
You simply order a burger, cheeseburger, bacon burger, or bacon cheeseburger, then get to
customizing.
There are also "little" versions of all those base burgers on the menu, which means you'll
only get one patty instead of the standard two.
A visit to Five Guys is definitely a chance to get creative and not have to stress about
what that creativity is going to cost you.
If you think you're gonna roll up to Five Guys asking for a medium-rare hamburger, think
again.
While there are lots of different ways to top your burger, there is only one way it
can be cooked, and that's well done.
This is apparently an across-the-board Five Guys policy that every location must enforce.
It's alleged that they maintain this protocol mostly for food safety reasons, and that's
completely legitimate.
Nobody wants their burger with a side of E. coli or salmonella, after all, but it could
also be because they know this will make for a uniform taste at every location.
It also makes the whole cooking process that much more efficient since cooks aren't waiting
on the various burger temperatures in your order to be executed to perfection.
If you're looking to customize the temperature of your ground beef to something below the
FDA's recommended 160 degrees Fahrenheit, you should probably hit up a steakhouse, not
your local fast-casual burger joint.
A lot of folks balk at the idea of sharing their fries.
If you want fries, get your own order.
However, in the case of Five Guys, if you're looking at just one to two additional dining
companions, you might want to opt for just one of you getting an order of fries.
“There are several sacred things in this world that you don't ever mess with.
One of them happens to be another man's fries.”
One order of fries doesn't just get you a large cup, there's usually some more tossed
into the bag for good measure.
Of course, with giant portions come giant numbers.
According to their website's nutritional information, the large comes with 1,314 calories and a
whopping 57 grams of fat.
Compare that to an order of large fries from McDonald's, which has only 510 calories.
To be fair, the McDonald's order does contain fewer fries than the Five Guys version.
Still, Five Guys' regular size fry, which is only slightly better, weighs in at 953
calories and 41 grams of fat.
It's not rocket science to deduce that heftier portions of fried food translates to heftier
amounts of fat, calories, and sodium.
It's just something to keep in mind when ordering, even if it's just to avoid wasting food.
If a regular size order is enough to feed the whole group, it might make more sense
for your wallet and your waistline.
Most fast food lovers can probably agree on one thing: There is nothing worse than a soggy
french fry.
And if the thought of soggy fries makes you shudder with dread, you can always order your
fries well done when you go to Five Guys.
Getting the perfect french fry is very important to the Five Guys brand and they go through
a meticulous process of making sure they always deliver on the delicious fries front.
Beyond their usual recipe though, they're happy to fry their signature hand-cut potatoes
slightly longer in the peanut oil order to ensure plenty of crunch.
It's not necessarily something they advertise but it definitely falls in line with one of
the many ways you can customize your order at the chain.
It might take a little bit longer to get your food, but for someone passionate about the
art of the crispy french fry, it seems like a perfectly reasonable sacrifice to make.
Did that delicious meal you enjoyed at Five Guys even happen if you didn't make its presence
known in your corner of the Internet?
And if you did, did you hashtag the photo to your full advantage?
If you post a photo of yourself chowing down on some Five Guys on Instagram, and use the
hashtag #FiveGuysFans, they just might feature you on their social media channels.
If you're trying to build your own following, it couldn't hurt since the chain has well
over a million fans who follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Look, are burgers the route to fame and fortune?
Maybe not, but getting a shout-out on their social media might just be a fun distraction
for the day.
Live your life, and take pictures of your food — you never know what could happen.
Also, don't be a monster — make sure you actually follow the Five Guys Instagram account
before you hashtag.
No one likes a tag without a follow.
Can you imagine finally giving in to that burger, fries, and a shake craving you've
been having for weeks, getting in your car and driving to Five Guys, only to discover
that this particular Five Guys location does not serve milkshakes?
The horror is unspeakable, but it could happen to you.
Make sure you check before you head to the Five Guys in your area because as their website
confirms, they do not serve milkshakes at all of their locations.
This just seems important to note, especially for a first time Five Guys-er.
Because if you're gunning to get the full experience and are thwarted by a lack of shakes,
you may never recover.
For those locations that do serve up the tasty treats, you can look forward to adding in
whatever mix-ins you choose, like bacon, salted caramel, and coffee, to name a few.
If the words "burgers and fries" are in the actual name of the establishment, you should
know what to expect, and it's not going to be raw, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free grain
bowls.
Having said that, at Five Guys there are a couple options in line with some of today's
popular diets.
The burger-centric chain offers bunless burger bowls to all the low-carb eaters of the world.
You can order everything that you would put on a hamburger, but it comes without the bread.
Another reason you might need to skip the bun at Five Guys is because they don't offer
a gluten-free bread option.
While you can order your patty wrapped in lettuce, their only bun choice comes packed
full of flour.
So, if losing the bun doesn't make you lose your mind, you can definitely keep your low-carb
or gluten-free goals intact and enjoy a meal at Five Guys.
"Where's my sandwich?!?!”
Most folks hear Five Guys and automatically think burgers, but the chain also has hot
dogs on their menu.
The kosher style dogs are cut lengthwise and grilled, which isn't your typical hot dog
protocol.
So, points for creativity but maybe no points for price point.
Why not?
The basic dog comes in at a little over $5.
That's pretty steep for a tube of processed meat on a bun.
The only consolation is that you can customize your order with any of the usual burger toppings,
so that might help quell the sticker shock.
In 2016, Business Insider did a side by side comparison of hot dogs from some popular fast
food chains, and Five Guys didn't really measure up when it came to price.
While the comparison indicates that the Five Guys dog was slightly heftier than the rest,
it still seems like you can find something similar for much less elsewhere.
Maybe stick to what always works at Five Guys: burgers and fries.
Yes, it seems that unicorns do exist and Five Guys' ultra cool secret menu is proof of that.
Secret menus have become sort of an underground sensation in the fast food world, and Five
Guys doesn't disappoint, particularly when it comes to the burger/sandwich mashup that
is the Double Grilled Cheeseburger.
This divine sandwich uses two grilled cheese sandwiches in place of what would normally
be the bottom and top of a traditional hamburger bun.
In between the grilled cheese sandwiches, you choose the number of beef patties, and,
of course, the toppings are also all up to you.
The bread they use for the grilled cheese is inverted burger buns that taste like Texas
toast when they're grilled, so if your mouth wasn't already watering, well, there you go.
It doesn't really get any more delicious than that… unless you fill it with bacon instead
of beef.
The Five Guys tantalizing secret menu has few stand-out items, and that includes their
version of another burger chain favorite.
If you are a die-hard, ride or die, hardcore, loyal In-N-Out Burger fan, Five Guys might
have a solution for when you find yourself miles and miles from the nearest In-N-Out
location — so basically anywhere that's not Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona,
or Texas — but craving an animal style burger.
Just order a Five Guys cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and grilled onions as your
topping, and ask for a side of mayo, ketchup, and mustard.
Mix all those side condiments together and spread it onto the burger, or dip the burger
in the mixture.
The Five Guys animal style burger might not be exactly the same as In-N-Out's, but it's
about as close as you can get when you're not on the western side of the country.
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