So, can we talk about Five Guys?

[goodolmike]

Last week, two IRL friends of mine told me about a new (to San Diego) burger joint called Five Guys, then two guys from the Interwebs also brought it up. I decided I had to check it out. I love a good burger, that's for sure.

Yesterday we found ourselves a few blocks away from one and ready for lunch, so we went.

From the start, I could tell it was a hot mess. The line was almost out the door, and I saw a lot if people standing around without food.

Turns out, Five Guys is incredibly inefficient and poorly laid out. All they sell are burgers and fries, and our order took a half hour. Fail-urrr.

By the time we got our food, we were going batshit stir-crazy, so we took our food to go. Later, we found a table outside that was, at least, quiet.

Here's the thing. My burger was good. It was really good, but for $5 and that god-awful wait, I'm going to go with Not Worth It.

What I'm wondering, though, is did we just come at a bad time? If it would have been less crowded, maybe I would have loved it. I'm curious what you guys think.

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Comments

[sultmhoor.livejournal.com]

Even the busy-ish one I went to in Washington DC didn't have any kind of line like that. The one by our house gets us our food in about five minutes. Wait until the hype dies down or go during an off time.

[njbearcub1.livejournal.com]

It's probably still undergoing the "OMG! NEW!" phase, where everybody has to try it. It happened a few towns over when they opened one here, and we'd drive past to see the place full of people standing up, ordering, or waiting to have their orders taken. They also opened one in the town where we have our store, but I never drove past during the opening phase.

Same thing happened when they opened a Sonic in town, though. They opened in the height of summer craziness, and people had been clamoring for something new. For at least a month, there was a cop car present to guide traffic into the parking lot, and it took me weeks before it slowed down enough that I wanted to even attempt the drive-thru.

I haven't had a Five Guys burger, though. Seeds. The first time we went, I had hot dogs and fries. Couldn't have the free peanuts, either. But we called, and asked if I could bring a kaiser roll or something to put a burger on next time, and they said that we could. Jeff liked it, but, not enough that we've been like, "OMG. When are we going again?"

[50poundnote.livejournal.com]

I would kill to have a Sonic in San Francisco...same with Chik-Fil-A.

[goodolmike.livejournal.com]

I would kill for a White Castle!
I'm going to have my first White Castle experience, in Ohio, in October. I can't wait!!!!!

[njbearcub1.livejournal.com]

Shhh. Don't tell anyone, but, after brunch and Williams-Sonoma yesterday, I stopped at White Castle for a drink, 4 Castles, and a pulled pork BBQ sammich, which was the messiest thing I"ve ever eaten there. I had to pull over to eat it.

[50poundnote.livejournal.com]

Buy some Tums.

[cpj.livejournal.com]

Since you're going to be in Ohio, you may as well hit your first Rax.

[goodolmike.livejournal.com]

Rax? Researching now.

[njbearcub1.livejournal.com]

Both are less than a mile from the store. I couldn't tell you the last time I went to either one.

[50poundnote.livejournal.com]

Thank god I have an LJS between work and home.

[njbearcub1.livejournal.com]

Built one in town last year. I must say, for a nothing town in the middle of nowhere, we have pretty much everything. The only things I really wish we had (and then, I'd probably never go, anyway) are a Carl's Jr. and a Jack in the Box.

[50poundnote.livejournal.com]

...which we have in great supply, and I never go to.

[njbearcub1.livejournal.com]

See how it is?

If you're having fast food, where are you most likely to go?

[50poundnote.livejournal.com]

KFC/Taco Hell is the easiest, because there's one in the Castro. I used to *love* KFC, but I'm finding it harder to eat with all the grease. McDonalds is easily had within the city limits. There's one Arby's and it requires some effort. Long John Silvers, In-N-Out, and Krispy Kreme are a drive.

I generally avoid Burger King (gave me food poisoning 3 times), and Carl's Jr and Jack In The Box are meh.

Fast food in San Francisco is usually chinese takeout or a mom'n'pop tacqueria.

What I wish we had: Chik-Fil-A, Wendy's, Sonic, El Pollo Loco.

[goodolmike.livejournal.com]

I'm a total Taco Bell guy myself. I go there way too often!

[brunorepublic.livejournal.com]

I love the Bell myself. Sadly, very few locations here have the Fire sauce.

[goodolmike.livejournal.com]

It's all about the fire sauce!
Sometimes they forget my Fire sauce or they give me Hot, and I get all confused and sad.

[brunorepublic.livejournal.com]

Indeed.

A few of the ones out in the suburbs have Fire sauce. The odd time I get to visit them, I'll grab a bunch extra and save them for the crappy, bland, fire-sauce-deprived Taco Bells of the city.

[goodolmike.livejournal.com]

Don't tell anyone, but I have a special box of backup Fire sauces. Just in case they forget. True story.

[njbearcub1.livejournal.com]

In the town where I work, we have:

2 McDonald's (plus an express in the Wal-Mart), a burger King, a Taco Bell, a KFC, a Pizza Hut (plus an express in Target), a Dominos, a Checkers, a Long John Silvers/KFC mashup, a Boston Market, a Five Guys, a Sonic, an Arby's, a Chick-Fil-A, a Starbucks, 3 Dunkin' Donuts, a Stewart's Root Beer, and a White Castle just on the border. Could not even count how many pizza places, and Chinese takeouts there are.

At home, we have 2 McDonald's (plus the express in Wal-Mart), a BK, a KFC, a Taco Bell, a Boston Market, a Pizza Hut/Wingstreet (plus Pizza Hut express in Target), a Cheeburger Cheeburger (new. Haven't been yet.), a Papa Johns, a Dominos, an Arby's, 2 Wendy's, Starbucks Express in Target, and they just broke ground on the Sonic that will soon be there.

All of these are like, within 10-15 minute drives from home or work.

[njbearcub1.livejournal.com]

(Keep in mind that these are tiny towns, too, in comparison to San Francisco. Brick's population is around 81,000, and Howell is around 52,000.)

[brunorepublic.livejournal.com]

You've inspired today's entry. :)

[tonethbone.livejournal.com]

It's always crowded down here in Atlanta

Here's a tip
Crowded..worth the wait..food is good..tasty, tasty burger
Empty...food is fair-horrible

except for IHOP on Sundays after church...where crowded=food is still awful and the Christians are here.

[cpj.livejournal.com]

The only way they can make it more efficient is to double the size of the grill and the number of cooks, since they don't pre-cook any meat. But doing that wastes floor space when their seating is already tight. The food is good, but the ambiance is pretty lacking.

But like someone already said, if it's a new store, you're fighting the Five Guy virgins who want their taste.

[goodolmike.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that seems to be the consensus. It's super new here, so everyone is checking it out.
I'm sure I'll give it another chance soon.