In recent years, Five Guys Burgers and Fries has really taken off as a franchise, with millions all over loving their special recipes. CEO Jerry Murrell and his sons opened the first Five Guys back in 1986, but there’s a lot about the restaurant that you may not know! Here are a few untold stories about the franchise that millions of people know and love.
Five Guys Began Because Jerry Murrell’s Sons Didn’t Go To College
Jerry himself was once told that he needed to attend college to be a success. He went…and didn’t like it. When his older sons got close to graduating high school, he gave them a choice. They could either use the money he’d saved for them for college or use it to start a family restaurant. Guess which offer they went with?
It Really Was Named After Five Guys
Jerry and his sons went with the chain’s name describing themselves as simply five guys running their own burger joint. There was patriarch Jerry, his sons Matt, Jim, and Chad from his first marriage, and son Ben from his second marriage. When Jerry’s youngest son Tyler was born, Jerry began to refer to the real five guys as his five sons. All of them have roles in the business.
The Fry Formula Is Very, Very Specific
First off, Five Guys gets all their potatoes from a very specific spot in Idaho— north of the 42nd parallel, to be exact. Apparently, potatoes there grow during the day when it’s warm and stop at night when the temperature cools. That little difference creates higher quality potatoes for the fries customers love.
After hand-cutting them, workers power wash the potatoes for a solid three minutes. They’re then precooked for two and a half minutes, and cooled for anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours. Once the fries are ordered, they get another two or three minutes in the frier and shaken exactly 15 times before the customer gets them. A pretty long process, but worth it, right?
There’s Also A Secret Menu
At first glance, Five Guys’ menu is pretty simple. Burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, and fries with as many free toppings as you want (and maybe even a shake at the right location). However, there are also some items that are kept on the hush you can snag if you make a custom order.
Some of the items include the Patty Melt which brings together two Five Guys classics: grilled cheese and a burger and the Double Grilled Cheeseburger, that combines two grilled cheeses and however many beef patties you are able to stomach. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s the Artery Annihilator, a hot dog wrapped up in a bacon cheeseburger.
The Restaurant Absolutely Refuses To Do Deliveries
More fast-food chains are slowly opening up to the idea of delivering to their customers. With its growing success, you would think that the Five Guys chain would want to do the same. Nope…not happening! And it doesn’t matter who you are or where you work. Jerry and his sons aren’t changing that for anyone.
Case in point, a Five Guys restaurant near the Pentagon was asked to deliver 15 burgers to the Pentagon. Not only was the order refused, but a huge banner was hung outside of the store that said, “Absolutely No Delivery.” To Jerry, delivery would only cheapen their product and overall brand. The franchise does offer online ordering, though, so at least your food will be ready when you get there!
