When it comes to the rankings of the best burger chains, Five Guys will usually rank near the top of the list, and their fries are pretty great as well. Not only do they have great taste and texture, but you always get a ton of them in your bag. Of course, this is all part of the business strategy, as you're still paying for those extra fries, but it sure looks like you're getting more than you should. Let's take a look at why Five Guys always gives you so many extra fries, as well as a few hacks that will make your fries even better.
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00Five Guys is one of the many quick-service chains that have swept across the country,
00:04and the restaurant's quirks are part of the reason why.
00:07The untold truth of Five Guys is that quality ingredients and a few marketing tricks elevated
00:12them to a level where they could refuse to serve the Pentagon.
00:16While it might be one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the world, according
00:19to Forbes, the decision to franchise while maintaining high-quality food is what fueled
00:24their expansion, enabling them to sell more than 300 options for units in 18 months.
00:30Of course, the public's need for crispy, seemingly endless French fries was also helpful.
00:35Five Guys takes French fries quite seriously.
00:38They only use potatoes grown in Idaho above the 40-second parallel to ensure they have
00:42the right texture and flavor.
00:44The company also doesn't believe in freezers, which means that the fries are never frozen.
00:48When you go out of the ground, into the bag, and to the store, without stopping at the
00:53freezer, you have to have the best quality potatoes."
00:57The quick-service cooks only use peanut oil to fry the potatoes, too, which gives them
01:01a rich, buttery flavor that melts in your mouth.
01:04Finally, the potatoes are twice fried, once to pre-cook, and a second time to get them
01:09perfectly crisp with a soft interior.
01:12Once the spuds are fried, they're shaken exactly 15 times before being served.
01:17This carefully honed technique is designed to keep everything in order with the Five
01:20Guys science of burgers and fries.
01:23If you've ever been to a Five Guys restaurant, then you know that regardless of what size
01:27you order, there's always a topper, which is that extra scoop of fries piled into the
01:32bottom of the bag.
01:33The idea behind giving customers so many extra fries is that the guests think they're getting
01:38a great deal.
01:39The extra fries, however, are factored into the menu pricing, so it really is just an
01:44illusion of receiving more than your money's worth.
01:47According to Reader's Digest, the founder of the restaurant, Jerry Murrell, it's better
01:51for customers to feel that their serving of fries was too large.
01:55As he explained to Food Republic,
01:56"...people complain that they get too many fries.
01:59I just tell them to make hash browns with the leftovers.
02:03I teach my managers that if people aren't complaining, then you're not giving them enough.
02:08Whether you're hungry or just need those extra fries in the bag to dip in a thick and creamy
02:12milkshake, there should never be a shortage when you eat here."
02:16While some people complain that the brand creates too much waste by only serving food
02:19in to-go fashion, this is also what allows them to provide those extra fries.
02:24Without the paper bag, there would only be a cup of fries and no topper.
02:28While the topper might be a clever marketing ploy, you can always continue to think the
02:32Five Guys employees are simply treating you to some extra fries for being awesome.
02:37Though the menu is often touted as simple, there are supposedly about 250,000 options
02:42available for customizing your burger order.
02:45Presumably one of those options includes piling fries onto your burger, but the possibilities
02:50for ordering french fries might be limitless.
02:53If you are someone who values the crispiest fries in the bag above the rest, then you
02:57can order all of the fries that crisp at Five Guys.
03:01To get an order of perfectly crisp fries, though, ask for them to be extra well done.
03:06This should yield a cup and a topper of nothing but incredibly crunchy french fries made for
03:10munching and dipping.
03:12Other customizable ideas include making your own sauce or mixing in Cajun seasoning.
03:17The menu offers mayo, ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, a one-sauce, and hot sauce as a part
03:23of their free toppings.
03:25This means you can mix any of your favorite sauces for your own signature dipping sauce.
03:29Don't forget that it can be combined with their Cajun fries, too, for an extra kick.
03:34Most fast food, quick service, and coffee shops have a secret menu these days, and Five
03:39Guys certainly does as well.
03:41One employee suggests trying Confetti Fries, which have barbecue sauce, mayo, and Cajun
03:46spices added on top before being tossed in the bag to lightly coat the crispy potatoes.
03:52Another secret menu item is Cheese Fries.
03:55Just ask for a bit of cheese on your fries when you order.
03:57With so many options, all of those extra fries might be even more tempting than before.