Five Guys burgers and fries: Your opinion, please

Hoping to meet Five Guys and In-N-Out in China soon :)

Tony, The real difference is in the US we may be mistaken but we are never wrong

I might just have to quote ye on that one day, SiM :)

5 Guys burgers are great for that style. I would put them in the "diner" catergory. You also have the "pub" category, which is a bigger patty and they cook it to your specifications.

What other styles are there? "Steakhouse" or "hamburger stand" perhaps......Quebec is great for that....they've got the best little stands along the side of the road.

Well, it seems I'm only the second one to open this thread who has actually been to both burger joints.

I used to get a Five Guys burger every time I'd visit DC--which I used to do frequently--as for most of the chain's existence it was purely a DC-area phenomenon, much loved by the Inside-the-Beltway crowd. There were only about half a dozen locations. About eight years ago they started franchising, and are now--in just the past couple years--suddenly cropping up absolutely everywhere in North America. I don't think I've ever seen a chain expand so fast. Even back in the day, though, it seemed clear that they were imitating the In-N-Out model = hamburgers, fries, and little else. No mysterious nuggets of chicken, kids' meals, salads, or any of the dozens of novelties McDonald's has seen fit to add over the years to reinvigorate their brand. Even the color scheme of Five Guys seems modeled on In-N-Out.

In-N-Out is a much older chain, founded in 1948 in Southern California, and has by very slow degrees expanded throughout California, Nevada, Arizona, and (just recently) Utah and Texas. This is because it remains entirely a family-owned company that has steadfastly refused to franchise--almost certainly the biggest fast-food chain in the States that has never gone that route. The reason I mention this is it has meant that their product is remarkably consistent. Most of us who eat fast food have had the occasional really, really bad burger at McDonald's (or BK, Carl's Jr., Wendy's, pick-your-poison) at a poorly-run franchise, but I've never had a bad burger at In-N-Out (and I've had a lot). Also, all burgers are made to order--no making sandwiches in advance and letting them rot under heat lamps. And they have an even more limited menu than Five Guys (unless you've memorized their secret menu of variations, that is).

Haven't had a Five Guys burger in years now, though a branch is scheduled to open soon in the California town where I'm currently on holiday. Had an In-N-Out burger the other day, and they're as tasty as always. One thing I will give Five Guys, though, is that their fries are better. In-N-Out prides itself on its never-frozen fries, cut fresh before your eyes, but somehow this is an instance where "fresh" doesn't translate to "better." I find them starchily bland and unsatisfying. On the other hand, In-N-Out does offer good shakes, while Five Guys doesn't do shakes at all, AFAIK, and a typical meal at in In-N-Out is several dollars cheaper.