I'm not sure how widespread Five Guys is, but they've been around since the late 1980s. I was living in Fayetteville, North Carolina when they opened a Five Guys there, and we just got one in Bangor, Maine a year or so ago. If you like burgers and fries, without a lot of complications, you'll love Five Guys. Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and french fries are pretty much the only thing on the menu, unless you count peanuts, which are free. If you have a peanut allergy, you might want to avoid Five Guys because their burgers are cooked in peanut oil too. The meat is fresh. They don't have a freezer on the premises, and the potatoes that they use for their french fries comes from different farms around the country. There is a sign stating where the potatoes came from that day, and the potato bags are stored in the area between the order line and the customer tables so you can read the bags for yourself. While there aren't many choices as far as the meal choices go, there are a lot of choices in what you want on your burger. As I mentioned in another thread, they'll even add bacon to your milk shake if you want it, although I can't imagine why anyone would. The prices are good, and the quantities are large. Although I usually get a full burger, I could easily make do with a small one, since their small burgers are about the size of the burger you'd get from most places. The only time I order a large order of fries is when someone else is there to help me eat it since my wife and I, together, are usually unable to finish a small order of fries. Milk shakes are new to Five Guys, but they are also very good, although might want to give it some thought before ordering your shake with bacon. By the way, although I have seen as many as six guys working behind the counter, there are usually five guys working there at a given time.
Five Guys is very popular in this area. I also like the fresh meat used to make the burgers. The serving size of the french fries is always amazing. A small is large enough for two people to share and still have some left over. When ever you see a Five Guys restaurant and it is time to eat choice Five Guys.
I've had In-N-Out burgers when I was living in North Carolina, but I don't think we have any here in Maine, at least not anywhere near the part of Maine that I am in. However, when the put the Five Guys in Bangor, their burgers seemed much better than what I remembered from In-N-Out, but there were several years in between.
We have Five Guys here but I've never tried it. I like In-N-Out but I rarely eat there because the line snakes out to the street most of the time.
I haven't been to 5 Guys. If it's in my area it's new. I really like In and Out but for some reason my husband doesn't and I can't figure why.
When we lived in So Calif., we went to In-N-Out in Corona. Loved the burgers, fries and shakes. No Out here, but do have Five Guys and really like them. They really remind us of Out in So Calif. Got their regular cheese burger once and it was just too big for me, so we both now get the small (single patty) burger w/everything on it. There FF are absolutely delicious, but my wife says my home-made ones are better. Love their peanuts also. First time we went to Five Guys I notice the music that was playing.......Classic Rock. Loved it!!
I see that they are in North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky.
We don't have In and Out, but I've heard good things. I tried Sonic and was not impressed, but will check out Five Guys.
I've only been in W. Virginia of all the states you mentioned Ken and not for long, so probably never had one. Besides fast food places, I prefer a good hamburger in a restaurant. Red Robin used to make a good one but it's been awhile since I've been there. A French restaurant in San Jose that I sometimes have lunch at with my daughter has an excellent hamburger but you feel kind of stupid ordering a hamburger in a French Restaurant but I have.