Five Guys Menu: Mastering the Marketing Mix of Simple Burgers & Unlimited Free Toppings

The Five Guys Menu: Classic Burgers and Fries

Five Guys has become one of America's favorite burger chains, with over 1,500 locations across the US and Canada. The simple, straightforward Five Guys menu focuses on burgers and fries, but what keeps customers coming back is the high-quality ingredients and customization options.

Burger Basics: More Than Just Burgers

While burgers are the undisputed stars of the Five Guys menu, there are other options available. The basic burger comes as a "Little" single or "Regular" double patty with your choice of free toppings. Fans rave about the sizable portions and juicy burgers.

For a change of pace, you can order a hot dog or sandwich. The sandwiches come in a few classic varieties like grilled cheese, BLT, and veggie.

Fry Facts: Fluffy Potatoes Fresh-Cut Daily

It wouldn't be Five Guys without the fries! Their fries are cut fresh daily from whole potatoes, leaving the skin on for extra nutrition and flavor. The default is regular fries, but you can upgrade to cajun style for a kick.

Instead of being weighed down with heavy condiments, the fries are lightly salted so you can taste the potato flavor. Malt vinegar and kosher style salt are available to sprinkle on yourself.

Going All-In on Toppings

Five Guys sets itself apart when it comes to customizing your burger or sandwich. While other chains charge extra, every single topping is free at Five Guys with unlimited refills. Load up your burger with all the classics like lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, pickles, and condiments.

Feeling adventurous? You can also add bacon, mushrooms, hot sauce, BBQ sauce, jalapeños and just about anything else behind the counter.

The Not-So-Secret Secret Menu

While they don't advertise it, Five Guys has a secret menu that longtime customers love to order from. Here are some of the most popular secret menu items:

Little Bacon Cheeseburger

This tastes like a slider with melted American cheese and crispy bacon atop a compact beef patty.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Bacon

A gooey, decadent take on a classic.

Veggie Sandwich with Bacon

For the vegetable haters out there, this adds crispy pork to the veggie sandwich.

Peanut Butter Milkshake

Rich creamy peanut butter blended into a classic milkshake - perfection!

The Marketing Genius Behind the Simple Menu

With a menu that seems so basic compared to other chains, you may wonder how Five Guys attracts so many loyal fans. As it turns out, the simple menu and pricing approach is a carefully plotted marketing strategy.

Quality Ingredients at a Fair Cost

By sticking to a simple menu focused around burgers and fries, Five Guys can invest in high-quality ingredients. They hand-form patties from fresh ground beef and slice whole potatoes for fries every morning. At the same time, the simple menu reduces overhead costs of stocking complex ingredients.

Drawing You in with Free Toppings

Five Guys relies heavily on free toppings to create a unique experience for customers. By making every topping free, you feel like you can customize your perfect burger every visit. It also provides great value compared to chains that nickel-and-dime you on additions.

Price Bumps Once You Customize

In the end, you happily pay more for a burger you customized to perfection with quality ingredients. Now that's a smart pricing strategy!

FAQs

What is Five Guys known for?

Five Guys is known for its simple menu of high-quality burgers and fries that you can fully customize with unlimited free toppings.

Why are the fries so good at Five Guys?

The fries are cut fresh daily from whole potatoes, leaving the skin on for extra texture and flavor. They're lightly seasoned so you can taste the potato.

What meats are available for Five Guys burgers?

All of their burgers use fresh (never frozen) ground beef. No other meat options are available.

Does Five Guys offer any veggie or vegan options?

They have a veggie sandwich that can be customized, but no veggie burger or strictly vegan options on the regular menu.

How much more expensive is Five Guys than fast food?

On average you can expect to pay $2 to $3 more per person than typical fast food. But the high-quality ingredients make it worthwhile.