Five Guys hype

[s0me0nesmind1]

Chipotle is my total "go-to" for a quality home meal for less than $7.

Rice, beans, plus chicken and veggies (and whatever else toppings you're looking for) = shweet.

 

[zerocool84]

Chipotle is my total "go-to" for a quality home meal for less than $7.

Rice, beans, plus chicken and veggies (and whatever else toppings you're looking for) = shweet.

Unfortunately Chipotle is bland

 

[RossMAN]

Their fries are good and plenty but that's about it.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Unfortunately Chipotle is bland

Toss some sour creme + cheese + hot salsa + grilled veggies in? You're shitting me.

Just kidding, I'm shitting myself after I eat their burrito bowl.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Fried? Uh, there's this thing called a grill that you can see them using behind the checkout counter...

You're welcome not to like them, but "barely a step up from McDonalds" is simply not true. They're the Panera Bread of burger joints. It's nothing that'll blow your mind but it's still tasty as hell.

I don't know Panera Bread, but McDonald's has more flavor than Five Guys. A fake flavor and less content, sure, but Five Guys (unless you get all the toppings and bullshit) is flavorless.

 

[cubby1223]

Every new joint that opens up in town gets hyped up locally at least for a bit. We just got a Culver's and Chick-fi-la this past year. They were jammed pack for about a month then died down to hardly anyone there. Everyone always goes back to McD's by default. Most new FF places here get enough to scrape by but that's about it. McD's is always backed up all the way out in the road at lunch time and evenings. If Five guys comes here, it'll be the same way over again.

Every Chick-Fil-A near me is packed busy, and Culvers not far off. Yes, McDonald's still has the most customer traffic, but these two continue handily beatings the Wendy's, Burker Kings, and Taco Bells years after their openings.

A Five Guys location opened up last year, and I think it's particular location has a lot to do with it, I hardly ever see anyone in the parking lot anymore as I drive past on the highway.

 

[irishScott]

I don't know Panera Bread, but McDonald's has more flavor than Five Guys. A fake flavor and less content, sure, but Five Guys (unless you get all the toppings and bullshit) is flavorless.

So you can't enjoy the taste of beef unless it's spiced? I pity you. Five Guys intentionally doesn't season their beef, still tastes miles above whatever chemical treatment McDonalds uses IMO; and if you don't get any toppings on your burger... you're not their target audience.

 

[TheAdvocate]

Every Chick-Fil-A near me is packed busy,

In the southeastern U.S., this is an incredible understatement. Seriously, a Chick Fil A franchise is a license to print money. At lunchtime, they often have 2 drive though windows, plus multiple order takers on foot outside, relaying them in on handheld POS machines, and it's still a madhouse. I am amazed at how courteous they are, and how people navigate the feeding frenzy in relatively good moods. Breakfast is just as nuts, maybe with a few less dine in customers.

Anyway, they destroy the other FF joints, even McDs. Chipotle gets packed too, but only for about an hour. I've been in a long line at CFA at 2:30 on a random afternoon. I can't imagine how much money a franchisee can make, even if corp overhead is high.

 

[Ichinisan]

Toss some sour creme + cheese + hot salsa + grilled veggies in? You're shitting me.

Just kidding, I'm shitting myself after I eat their burrito bowl.

The sour cream + cheese + fajita veggies are very important. Unbelievable flavor. Never had anything like that anywhere else.

 

[bradley]

Weird how this burger place became so popular. I had my first experience with a 5 Guys burger and it was overpriced yet plain and underwhelming. Maybe it's the free peanuts of which the shells are strewn all over the place.

If I'm going to indulge in fast food burgers, give me a Wendy's Hot 'n Juicy 3/4 lb triple any day. Or better yet, for ten dollars, I can get huge juicy charred NY diner bacon cheeseburger included with a large order of fries, coleslaw and a big dill pickle tasting way better.

 

[kranky]

Anyway, they destroy the other FF joints, even McDs. Chipotle gets packed too, but only for about an hour. I've been in a long line at CFA at 2:30 on a random afternoon. I can't imagine how much money a franchisee can make, even if corp overhead is high.

It is hard to imagine a CFA being deserted. They have the highest average sales per store of any fast food place, even higher than McDs. (And they're only open 6 days a week!)

They make bank but it's a little different than the typical model as CFA doesn't do traditional franchises. They have a very low "fee" (like $5K) but the company owns everything (vs. typical franchise where the franchisee owns the building, the equipment, etc.). I've read that CFA operators average net $100K a year but the flip side is they don't actually own anything - can't sell it, can't transfer it to anyone else. True entrepreneurs have been critical of the model because "you're only buying a job" and there's no ownership, but it's their system and it seems to work well. They only choose around 3 out of every 1000 people who want a franchise.

 

[Fingolfin269]

If anyone is from Memphis or has had a Hughey's burger, those are damn good. I tried one last week and supposedly they are well known for their burgers and have a seasoning sold in stores

Haven't been there but have been to Dyer's Burgers on Beale. It's pretty good I guess but the story about the grease is the interesting part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URM04TnbIr4

 

[Fritzo]

I can't believe you even thought to question this. Its ATOT, where a weekly thread such as this brings this same question to the unwashed masses. ^_^

If you psychoanalyze these types of posts, it seems to boil down to narcissism and the need to demonstrate one's superiority.

 

[chitwood]

quick, someone go make a 'I hate Olive Garden' thread

 

[Vdubchaos]

Overrated? yes

crap? Well I'm not sure what that makes McDs and others? Complete worthless pile of cow manure?

 

[MiniDoom]

I like five guys because they make burger bowls too and when i'm watching my carbs i can get my greasy food fix.

 

[JM Aggie08]

This fucking thread again.

 

[JM Aggie08]

Unfortunately Chipotle is bland

You must go to a shit Chipotle.

 

[SunnyD]

I don't see how saying it tastes like a home made burger is a bad thing at all, unless of course you don't know how to use a grill.

That said, as far as fast food burgers go, Five Guys doesn't hold a candle to a place like Jack's.

 

[DCal430]

It is hard to imagine a CFA being deserted. They have the highest average sales per store of any fast food place, even higher than McDs. (And they're only open 6 days a week!)

They make bank but it's a little different than the typical model as CFA doesn't do traditional franchises. They have a very low "fee" (like $5K) but the company owns everything (vs. typical franchise where the franchisee owns the building, the equipment, etc.). I've read that CFA operators average net $100K a year but the flip side is they don't actually own anything - can't sell it, can't transfer it to anyone else. True entrepreneurs have been critical of the model because "you're only buying a job" and there's no ownership, but it's their system and it seems to work well. They only choose around 3 out of every 1000 people who want a franchise.

Many people don't like the bitter after taste of bigotry.

 

[Ichinisan]

I've been to 5 Guys many times. I've had some awesome burgers, and some underwhelming ones. The fries are almost always awesome, but I've had bad fries 2-3 times. To me, that's far more consistent than most fast food.

I've been to Chipotle many times. I've had an amazing fajita burrito almost every time About 2 times ever, the awesome flavor wasn't there, but that was still far, far, FAR better than Moe's.

Even people who love Chipotle don't seem to realize how to get max flavor / consistency.

• Burrito
  (not a bowl, not a taco, not a quesadilla)
• FAJITA VEGGIES
  (this is extremely important - one of the only burritos I didn't love was on the day they were out of fajita veggies)
• NO BEANS
  (beans complicate the flavor and don't enhance the flavor of the tastiest ingredients at all)
• Chicken
  (steak *can* be better than chicken, but far less consistent and more expensive)
• White or brown rice
  (I prefer white because it emphasizes the taste the other ingredients)
• Any salsa
  (I prefer corn salsa because it's tasty and fresh)
• Cheese
  (this is absolutely the perfect cheese for this kind of burrito - explodes with flavor)
• Sour cream
  (a bite with this, cheese, and fajita veggies overwhelms me with bliss and ecstasy)

If you're turned off by sour cream, you have no idea what you're missing out on. It's not the sour cream itself that's so awesome, it's incredible the flavor combination it creates...especially with Chipotle cheese and fajita veggies.

A grapefruit Izzy is the perfect thing to wash it down.

Knowing what to order, Chipotle-haters need to go back and order again. If they still think Moe's is better or even comparable, they don't deserve to breathe the same air as other Earth dwellers.

 

[JM Aggie08]

Many people don't like the bitter after taste of bigotry.

That's fine - more chicken for me.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I have been hearing and reading Five Guys hype for a long time and I finally tried it. Good thing I had not fell for the hype, I wouldn't even put it in my top 5 if I had to make a list. It straight up tasted like a home made burger and it was not bad or anything though. The fries did really disappoint the most, so meh.

Next I need to try Chipolte to see how reality compared to interweb hype

Yup, had it once. Thought it was overpriced. years later I tired another location. Same experience. $11 for what I could have gotten from Burger King for $8 but Burger King food actually tastes better.

Best burger from a chain in my life: Shake and Steak.

http://www.steaknshake.com/

 

[ControlD]

Yup, had it once. Thought it was overpriced. years later I tired another location. Same experience. $11 for what I could have gotten from Burger King for $8 but Burger King food actually tastes better.

Best burger from a chain in my life: Shake and Steak.

http://www.steaknshake.com/

I do love me some Steak 'n Shake.

The one time I had In and Out Burger it was pretty damned tasty too.

I had Five Guys once. I thought it was a decent burger, just a little too expensive for me to want to make it a regular thing.

 

[moonbogg]

Agreed. I heard the hype and didn't agree with it. Good food, but not better than the hole in the wall burger joints around here.