Originally Posted by
mjcewl1284
The same was said about Starbucks and look at where they're at.
Wasn't said by me (bought SBUX around $5 in late 90s and sold in 2004 before they hit $30)
Starbucks has a lucrative niche and for years they went basically unchallenged in the marketplace in most regions.
5 guys is entering an already crowded market and seem to have minimal advantage over the other players. Competitors down market can offer a better value proposition, while competitors upmarket have additional revenue channels to exploit.
Competition is a good thing, but will be interesting to see how it plays out for them, particular once the novelty/buzz of new locations wears off.