15 Secrets Five Guys Doesn’t Want You to Know — Eat This Not That

By Ghuman

Introduction

Five Guys is one of the most popular fast-food chains in the United States. But did you know that there are some secrets that Five Guys doesn’t want you to know? From hidden menu items to calorie counts, this article will reveal 15 secrets that Five Guys doesn’t want you to know. So if you’re a fan of Five Guys, read on to find out what you should and shouldn’t order next time you visit.

15 Secrets Five Guys Doesn’t Want You to Know

Five Guys is one of the most popular fast-food chains in the United States. But there are some secrets that the restaurant doesn’t want you to know. Here are 15 of them.

1. You Can Get Free Fries

If you order a burger at Five Guys, you can get a free order of fries. All you have to do is ask for them. This is a great way to save money and get a delicious side dish.

2. You Can Get a Veggie Sandwich

If you’re looking for a vegetarian option, you can get a veggie sandwich at Five Guys. It’s made with grilled mushrooms, onions, and green peppers, and it’s topped with melted cheese. It’s a great way to get your veggies in without breaking the bank.

3. You Can Get a Burger Without the Bun

If you’re trying to cut down on carbs, you can get a burger without the bun. Just ask for it “protein style” and you’ll get a burger patty with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. It’s a great way to get your burger fix without all the carbs.

4. You Can Get a Grilled Cheese

If you’re in the mood for something a little different, you can get a grilled cheese at Five Guys. It’s made with two slices of American cheese and grilled to perfection. It’s a great way to satisfy your cheese craving.

5. You Can Get a Bacon Cheeseburger

If you’re feeling extra hungry, you can get a bacon cheeseburger at Five Guys. It’s made with two beef patties, two slices of American cheese, and four strips of bacon. It’s a great way to get your protein and fat fix.

6. You Can Get a Veggie Burger

If you’re looking for a vegetarian option, you can get a veggie burger at Five Guys. It’s made with a veggie patty, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. It’s a great way to get your veggies in without sacrificing flavor.

7. You Can Get a Hot Dog

If you’re in the mood for something a little different, you can get a hot dog at Five Guys. It’s made with an all-beef hot dog and topped with your choice of condiments. It’s a great way to get your hot dog fix without breaking the bank.

8. You Can Get a Milkshake

If you’re in the mood for something sweet, you can get a milkshake at Five Guys. It’s made with real ice cream and topped with your choice of toppings. It’s a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without overindulging.

9. You Can Get a Salad

If you’re looking for a healthier option, you can get a salad at Five Guys. It’s made with fresh greens, tomatoes, onions, and your choice of dressing. It’s a great way to get your veggies in without sacrificing flavor.

10. You Can Get a Veggie Wrap

If you’re looking for a vegetarian option, you can get a veggie wrap at Five Guys. It’s made with grilled mushrooms, onions, and green peppers, and it’s topped with melted cheese. It’s a great way to get your veggies in without sacrificing flavor.

11. You Can Get a Bacon Burger

If you’re feeling extra hungry, you can get a bacon burger at Five Guys. It’s made with two beef patties, two slices of American cheese, and four strips of bacon. It’s a great way to get your protein and fat fix.

12. You Can Get a Veggie Dog

If you’re looking for a vegetarian option, you can get a veggie dog at Five Guys. It’s made with a veggie patty and topped with your choice of condiments. It’s a great way to get your veggies in without sacrificing flavor.

13. You Can Get a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

If you’re in the mood for something a little different, you can get a grilled cheese sandwich at Five Guys. It’s made with two slices of American cheese and grilled to perfection. It’s a great way to satisfy your cheese craving.

14. You Can Get a Veggie Burger Without the Bun

If you’re trying to cut down on carbs, you can get a veggie burger without the bun. Just ask for it “protein style” and you’ll get a veggie patty with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. It’s a great way to get your burger fix without all the carbs.

15. You Can Get a Bacon Cheeseburger Without the Bun

If you’re trying to cut down on carbs, you can get a bacon cheeseburger without the bun. Just ask for it “protein style” and you’ll get a burger patty with two slices of American cheese and four strips of bacon. It’s a great way to get your protein and fat fix without all the carbs.

Five Guys Burgers & Fries began back in 1986 as a family-run spot founded by the Murrell family, including husband-and-wife team Jerry and Janie Murrell and their four sons in Arlington, Virginia. 35 years later, the multi-million dollar company has hundreds of franchises around the country and serves delicious meals to hungry burger lovers. They have secret methods for cooking and topping their burgers, great menu hacks, and a few things they might not want you to know. So, before you enjoy your beautiful juicy burger, there are some secrets about Five Guys you should know before bellying up to the counter to order. Plus, always skip the 8 Worst Fast-Food Burgers to Stay Away From Right Now.

five guys sign
Hendrickson Photography/Shutterstock

Five Guys was founded by Jerry and Janie Murrell, who named the restaurant after their four sons: Jim, Matt, Chad, and Ben. However, according to Thrillist, right after the first restaurant opened, he had another son named Tyler. Whoops! Jerry Murrell now says that the “Five Guys” name only refers to his sons, excluding himself from the namesake.

original five guys
Courtesy of Five Guys

In 1986, the two eldest Murrell brothers had a choice between using their college savings account for college or to start a business. They ended up using the $70,000 to open Five Guys and the rest is history.

RELATED: This Is Why Five Guys Burgers Are So Consistently Good 

five guys peanuts
Box Lab/Shutterstock

Okay, they probably care, but anyone with a peanut allergy is not going to have a good time at Five Guys. Everything on the menu is cooked in 100 percent peanut oil and the restaurants offer free bins of peanuts to snack on while you wait for your order. Due to the pandemic, though, they are no longer sitting out. You have to ask for them, though Facebook comments to the above post indicate the peanuts might have quietly disappeared in many locations.

five guys employee preparing burger
Five Guys/Facebook

Five Guys might need to change how they do things soon because millennials are abandoning the chain for cheaper and healthier fare at chains like Shake Shack, according to a Business Insider report. They’re hoping that the long-awaited introduction of shakes at stores will help lure customers back.

RELATED: The Best Burger in Every State

five guys grilled cheese
Five Guys/Facebook

Unlike some of their competitors, such as Burger King’s Impossible Whopper and Panda Express trying out a plant-based orange chicken with Beyond Meat products, Five Guys doesn’t have any meat alternatives on the menu. However, vegetarians aren’t left out of the yums, the chain offers a veggie sandwich, a cheese veggie sandwich and a grilled cheese.

RELATED: We Tasted 4 Plant-Based Burgers, And This Was The Best

five guys fries
Five Guys/Facebook

When you order fries at Five Guys, they put a small fry cup in a bag and seemingly pour a ton of fries in with a scoop. According to a former employee on Reddit, it’s a bit of an illusion. “When you order a small fry you are paying for all of the fries that go into the bag. That ‘extra’ scoop is kind of an illusion, they told us during training that it’s to make customers think they’re getting a big bargain. And you can ask for the cup with no topper if you want, you can do that.” But beware, they still have 528 calories and 23 grams of fat.

RELATED: We Tried 7 Fast-Food Fries & These Are the Best!

five guys menu
madeleine n./Yelp

Five Guys has tons of different free toppings that you can add to your burger, like sauces and grilled onions. However, while they aren’t listed, you can add extra cheese and bacon without an added charge. However, in order to get this upgrade, you will need to have ordered cheese and bacon in the first place. You cannot order a regular burger and get free cheese and bacon.

five guys bacon cheeseburger
John K./ Yelp

The traditional two-patty hamburger already has 840 calories. If you add bacon, cheese, and mayo that burger has over 1,200 calories. Sticking to one patty and adding fresh veggies and pickles will cut the calories in half!

RELATED: We Tasted 5 Mayos & This Is the Best

five guys milkshake
Five Guys/Facebook

The base of the delicious shake already has 670 calories. If you add Oreo pieces, peanut butter, and chocolate you could have a shake with well over 1,000 calories.

RELATED: We Tasted 5 Fast-Food Chocolate Milkshakes & This Is the Best

five guys patty melt
Five Guys/Facebook

Trust us on this one! The Five Guys grilled cheese is a burger bun inside out, buttered, with cheese. Just ask to add a burger patty, grilled onions, and BBQ sauce and you have an absolutely decadent patty melt.

five guys employee preparing food
Five Guys/Facebook

Five Guys have some unusual rules in the kitchen for a fast-food restaurant, and one of them includes no timers in the kitchen–because good cooks should know when food is done. Plus, the French fries must be shaken 15 times exactly, and onion and bacon go below the patty while pickles and tomato go above.

five guys bags
Five Guys/Facebook

No need to ask. The restaurant staff serves everything in paper bags, even if they put it on a tray. Apparently, some people who dine in complain about the waste, but it’s their thing. They also have a strict no-delivery policy.

five guys fries with ketchup
Five Guys/Facebook

With all those free toppings, it’s no surprise you can max out your fry order with tons of toppings. One employee wrote on Reddit to try “confetti fries,” which have BBQ sauce, mayo, and cajun spices added on top before being tossed in the bag to lightly coat the crispy potatoes. Or ask for a bit of cheese on your fries when you order, and you’ll get a nice order of cheese fries. But remember those toppings add up!

five guys bacon cheeseburger
Courtesy of Five Guys

At the restaurant’s early locations, the buns came from Brenner’s, an Alexandria, Virginia bakery that was a favorite of Janie Murrell. The bakery created a sweet, squishy bun, but they eventually closed and Five Guys started making their own buns. Eventually, there was no way they could keep making the buns, so they contracted out.

five guys interior
​​PICTOR PICTURE COMPANY/Shutterstock

According to AdAge, Five Guys spends the money most chains would spend on advertising on mystery shoppers who visit the restaurants to make sure they’re up to snuff. That’s why you rarely see Five Guys commercials or billboards, and that’s because they use that cash to hire third-party companies to visit their restaurants and do a full evaluation.

Read more about your favorite restaurants:

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