After playing second-fiddle to Irvine-based In-N-Out Burger, Five Guys Burgers & Fries finally has something to cheer about.
The East Coast burger sensation, best known for its fresh-cut fries, ousted In-N-Out in the Harris Poll’s annual brand report. The 2017 study, based on input from more than 100,000 consumers, named Five Guys the Burger Restaurant Brand of the Year, a title In-N-Out has won twice.
Five Guys, a Virginia-based burger chain, is often dubbed the In-N-Out of the East Coast. It entered Orange County in 2010, launching a Southern California rivalry with In-N-Out. As it expanded in the region, it boldly opened restaurants near In-N-Out restaurants.
The Harris study, in its 29th year, measures the strength of brands across various media — from travel to finance to restaurants.
Brands are ranked based on familiarity, quality and purchase consideration.
In the burger category, Five Guys ranked the highest in all three categories; however, McDonald’s holds the highest familiarity score across all brands. After Five Guys, the Top 10 burger brands were In-N-Out, Shake Shack, Wendy’s, Culver’s, Whataburger, McDonald’s, SONIC America’s Drive-In, Smashburger and Steak ‘n Shake. Of those, seven can be found in Southern California.
