Five Guys is the newest eatery to open in the Eastgate area. Taking up residency in the old Cici's Pizza, this particular location has been open for about three months now. I had driven by it a few times and had taken note, but it wasn't until recently that I had the opportunity to stop in.
Now I had never heard of this place and wasn't aware that it was a national chain. All I knew is that the sign on the store said "Burgers and Fries" which gave me a pretty good idea as to what the main feature was going to be. Come to find out they also do hot dogs as well. Since I was completely unfamiliar with this restaurant and as such had no idea what to expect, I had absolutely no expectations (good or bad) going in.
Walking in the first thing I noticed was lots of red and lots of white. From the lampshades to the wall tiles, from the employee uniforms to the giant bags of potatoes piled up in the front of the store, from the menu on the wall to the Coke machine at the drink stations, it is all red, all white, all the time. The tables are mostly those small ones that can seat up to six people all around, with a smattering of high tops for variety. All of the tables and chairs are made of that light-colored, sturdy, wood that you normally see being used in high school wood shop classes across the nation.
A number of other first impressions; the big box of free peanuts is pretty cool. The uber-loud Top 40 music that's blaring inside, not so cool. Not that it's bad music, it's just a constant loud that gets irritating after awhile. While waiting in line I glanced around and noticed a few things. There was a small chalkboard that named where the potatoes that were being used for the fries came from. I thought that was kind of neat. I also noticed that all the ingredients being used were fresh. That is always encouraging, especially given that we're talking about a fast-food joint here.
After placing my order I waited about five or six minutes. That gave me plenty of time to check out the dining area, which was a little dirtier than I would have wanted to see. Not sure how often they take a broom to the place but it was in dire need of one right then. Also went and got my soda at the digital Coke machine. Had never seen that before. And I am not going to lie, it took my ten-year-old daughter to show me how to work it right. That's just shameful. For me, not Five Guys. There are copied articles and reviews all over the walls in the dining room (and the bathroom as well) bragging on the various Five Guys across the nation. Speaking of the John, the urinal in the men's bathroom was really low to the ground, so unless you don't mind a little bit of splash-ege on your shoe, go with the toilet bowl.
They called my order number and I went up and got my food. I went with the Bacon Cheeseburger with all the toppings, a large drink and regular fries. Total cost was $13.07. Sounds a bit steep, but again, all ingredients are fresh. If you want the same order for less than five bucks, go over to McDonald's. But don't gripe about the quality.
I took my brown paper bag with my fries and burger, looked in and noticed that the fries were everywhere . I had to shake the bag a couple of times to find the carton for the fries. Then when I reached in and grabbed my burger I had to navigate past the fries and grabbing hold I pulled my hand out, a hand clenching my burger, a hand all goopy with mustard, mayo, and ketchup. So my sandwich wasn't well wrapped and my hand got all messy because of it. A little bothersome, but not a catastrophe.
As for the quality of the food, I'll start with the fries. The fries were amazing. Whatever they're using to season them, don't stop. They were fantastic. They provided both ketchup and vinegar to dip them in, and they both taste great, but honestly the fries by themselves do the trick. I also love how the fires didn't really have that greasy feel/taste to them. That might have something to do with the fact that they don't use any trans-fat to cook their food. That has to be a plus. The burger itself isn't bad. And yes I am aware of the fact that that is not a ringing endorsement. But honestly, for the amount I paid, and the fact that the food was fresh I expected a little more. I also didn't like that the burger patty was far bigger than the bun so for the most part I was holding meat in my hand and not bread. Additionally while I love that all the extra toppings are free, and fresh, and tasty, the extras are what made this burger such a disappointment. Extra toppings should enhance a burger's taste, not overpower it. Such was the case here. overall, it was a pretty average burger at best.
I was hoping for more than I ended up with. Not a horrible experience but neither was it the best.
Mahaol, and okay. read more
