Five Guys Burgers and Fries has an exceedingly simple menu, with only about a half-dozen different things to eat (focusing on only a few items and serving them well is actually a core principle of the company). The star of the show are their burgers, of course, which use all beef patties. The burgers are cooked to order, and the patties are never frozen. In fact, Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurants don’t have freezers in them.
Normally when I get a burger from Five Guys Burgers and Fries, I order one of the “regular” burgers, which have 2 patties in them. In order to keep this review as fair as possible, I ordered a Little Cheeseburger, which has a single patty.
All of the toppings are free, and there are over a dozen to choose from. I usually order all sorts of toppings, but in order to keep this burger similar to others I’ve eaten for this project, I ordered my Little Cheeseburger with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup, yellow mustard, and grilled onions.
Five Guys Burgers and Fries cares about the quality of the food, but one thing they don’t really seem to care about is the presentation of the food. When my number was called, I was handed a plain brown paper bag with visible grease stains on it from the fries. My burger was wrapped in aluminum foil, and unwrapping it revealed a burger that wasn’t about to win any beauty contests. (Comparing this one to others I’ve had at Five Guys Burgers and Fries in the past, this one actually looked much better.)
Beneath the soft, toasted sesame seed bun are fresh ingredients cradling a flavorful, perfectly cooked burger patty. It’s not all sunshine and roses, however. The toppings, while good in their own right, overshadowed the burger patty—especially the mayo. It’s a problem I haven’t encountered with Five Guys Burgers and Fries before, probably because my burger normally has a second patty on it.
The cheese was also fairly disappointing, but maybe I’ve just reached a point in life where I prefer bold, stinky cheeses to ones with more subtle flavors.
Eating the Little Cheeseburger, like every other burger I’ve had here, made a big mess. It dripped juices, sauces, and pieces of toppings. It got all over my hands and the foil I had spread out in anticipation (pro-tip, by the way). I’m not complaining, really, just pointing out that this burger was messier than ones I’ve eaten at other restaurants.
Disagree with my review? That's cool, people have different tastes. Feel free to leave a comment and tell me why you think I got this one wrong. But keep your comments civil or they'll get deleted.