Five Guys

Five Guys is the burger chain people go to when they want a very specific fast-food style: thick burgers, fries cooked in peanut oil, and a short menu that keeps the kitchen focused. By our assessment, the attraction is the custom-made feel inside a chain format, plus the open counter service and the habit of handing out more fries than most people expect. The cost of that simplicity is obvious in the price and the lack of variety, because this is burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and shakes rather than a broad menu. In practice it is a loud, straightforward place where the smell of frying potatoes does a lot of the work. Five Guys sits above the cheapest burger stops and below polished dining, and it is the kind of place people choose for a consistent burger more than for surprises.