Thats a bargain! My local Five Guys charges �8 for a cheeseburger - about $12

Five Guys' normal burger is a double-patty burger, and the patties are noticeably thicker than In-N-Out's--3.3oz vs 2oz each.

Also, the regular fry is enough to split between 2-3 (or more) people. I haven't tried the new smaller fry size (previously, it was just "regular" and "large"), but I suspect it's still more than one person should eat (well, ignoring the fact that, technically, you should never eat fries).

To me, Five Guys' is more like a traditional, juicy diner burger than In-N-Out's. Both are good, but both satisfy different cravings. In-N-Out has a cleaner, fresher taste (unless you Animal Style-it), whereas Five Guys has a big, juicy flavor, especially if you doctor it up with lots of toppings (I usually get L/T/O plus green peppers, ketchup, A-1 sauce, and a little bit of hot sauce).

It's interesting that you bring up the price as being on the high side, though. Five Guys' walls are invariably plastered with clippings from newspapers both local and distant with claims that they've been voted best burger and mentioning how their burgers are so cheap and such a great value. Yet while I have no issue paying $6+ for a burger (likely a product of having grown up in Alaska, where Carl's Jr's "Six Dollar Burger," which was supposed to be as good as but cheaper than a burger you'd pay $6 for in a sit-down restaurant, was actually closer to $7), I've gone in with friends and family who have commented that the food is expensive. I suppose it is expensive if you're comparing it to McDonald's, Burger King, and other fast-food restaurants; it's a bit unfair to compare it to In-N-Out, with which its footprint doesn't really overlap very much (although that's changing) and which is sort of an aberration of great quality at a great price. Within its original footprint, though (primarily the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic), it occupies a definite middle ground between fast food and sit-down diners and is a clear step up--in both price and quality--from the former.

Only if you can stomach the quantity-over-quality product that is served by Carrows.

If you want a really good burger that doesn't have fat dripping down your arm, try Bobby's Burger Palace.

The food is fresh (non-frozen) and the meat non-greasy.

And it costs about the same.

I would say that Carrows' quality compares favorably to a fast food restaurant. Heck, they're serving prime rib meals for $10: that meat has to cost more than hamburger. My baked potato was huge and fresh. My salad as green as anything on an In N Out burger. Chocolate cake wasn't gourmet, but I wouldn't expect it to be at a USA chain diner.

I think the whole buzz about 5 Guys is because it is not as widespread and when one opens in your town, it is great because it is different.

Kinda like Coors beer (see: Smokey and the Bandit). When it was so hard to get, it was so much better. Now that you can find it in any town, it is just beer. A more recent example is Fat Tire Amber Ale. There was a craze 10 years ago when you couldn't find it just anywhere. Now, it is just another beer most people skip it.

When the 5 Guys opened near me, there were lines out the door. Now, the crowds are typical.

To me their burgers are equivalent in quality to Habit, but more, so we usually do the Habit when choosing a fast-casual burger. Their fries are expensive, but huge, we share between 2 or 3 people.

That's why five guys should only be an occasional treat-otherwise I feel like I'll actually die soon

Five Guys to me is simply fast food and fast food is extremely unhealthy and best avoided.

Nonsense.

A burger from a fast food place, a fast casual place or a fine dining place may have the exact same nutrient contents.

This x100. When I first discovered 5 Guys, I ate there once a week. Then it dropped to once a month, then once a quarter, and now it's only when a friend suggests it. The last time I was there, my bill was $15 and I thought, "I can get a diner burger and table service for the same price."

I've had Five Guys, In-n-Out, and The Habit. Of the three, I prefer The Habit; the best beef of the three, and the most substantial burgers (while still being generally fast food size and price.) Not quite as broad a condiment range as Five Guys, but a good bit more interesting than the very limited menu at In-n-Out. Prices are higher than In-n-Out, but cheaper than 5 Guys (at least around here.)

The one near me is also rarely as busy as the Five Guys near me or even the least-busy of the In-n-Out locations

The only thing I prefer Five Guys for is that they usually (always?) have a Coke Freestyle machine, and the fries are both good and plentiful.

I haven't had Shake Shack to compare, but friends from the East Coast love it.

I had lunch at Five Guys yesterday. It was my first visit in about 6 months. I ordered a small bacon burger, small fries, and a small drink. $13 for lunch at a fast food place?

Ray Croc must have been asleep to not have figured this out. Don't know who he is >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Kroc

dh

Went to the one in BLI again last month on a layover. TSA wanted to 'inspect' my burger and fries

I've reached the point where if I want a burger, I want a really good one, and these days there are only 2 chains that I consider really good. Much as it annoys me to say it, Bobby's Burger Palace is one of them (Bobby Flay himself I find incredibly irritating). I get their bunless burger over a salad: good quality beef, good quality greens, and their fries aren't bad at all.

The other place we like is The Counter, which has a variety of meat choices for the patty, different buns and some salad options for those who don't eat buns. I just wish there was a location nearer to us than the one in Times Square.

We used to go to the local Five Guys when my son really wanted fries, but since they switched over to the horrible 50 flavors Coke machine for soft drinks, we don't even do that. (NOTHING out of those machines tastes right!)

I agree about Bobby Flay, and it almost stopped me from going in

I've never heard of The Counter. I'll have to look it up. They did open a Bobby's Burger Palace not too far from home, and we get their once a month the get our "good burger" fix.

I haven't walked into a Five Guys in at least 3 or 4 years, and the one near my home doesn't seem to do too much business any longer.