In the vibrant landscape of American fast-casual dining, Five Guys has cultivated a distinctive reputation, firmly establishing itself as a beloved destination for discerning burger enthusiasts. Founded in Washington, D.C., in 1986, this popular chain has remained steadfast in its commitment to a refreshingly straightforward yet undeniably delicious menu, centered around its signature burgers, hot dogs, fries, and milkshakes. Central to its enduring appeal is a core promise: only fresh, never-frozen ground beef for its patties and premium peanut oil for its renowned fries, ensuring a consistent and satisfying culinary experience across its more than 1,500 locations nationwide.
While the menu at Five Guys might appear deceptively simple at first glance, the true magic lies in its seemingly boundless customization options. It’s an open secret among fans and employees alike that the ability to personalize one’s order transforms a standard meal into a truly bespoke creation. With a generous offering of 15 different free toppings to choose from, the Five Guys fan page proudly asserts that there are over 250,000 distinct ways to personalize your order, a testament to the chain’s dedication to individual preference.
Beyond the officially listed toppings, there exists an exciting frontier of culinary exploration: the unofficial ‘secret menu.’ These are not hidden items in the traditional sense, but rather ingenious combinations and preparations that knowledgeable employees and dedicated fans have discovered and shared, leveraging the inherent flexibility of Five Guys’ ordering system. These innovations elevate the dining experience, transforming what might be considered a simple burger joint into a playground for gastronomic creativity.
One of the most frequently celebrated and unofficially recognized items is the ‘Patty Melt,’ a delightful hybrid that marries the comforting familiarity of a grilled cheese sandwich with the hearty satisfaction of a burger. To order this masterpiece, one simply requests a grilled cheese and asks for a beef patty to be skillfully inserted within its cheesy embrace. For those seeking an added layer of flavor and tradition, including grilled onions is a highly recommended touch, and some enthusiasts even suggest adding jalapeños or Cajun seasoning to infuse it with an extra kick.
For burger connoisseurs desiring a unique flavor profile, an insider tip involves altering the cooking method for the patty itself. Certain employees have advocated for cooking the beef patty directly in BBQ sauce, a technique that imparts a distinctively smoky bite to the burger, setting it apart from standard preparations. This subtle adjustment showcases the depth of customization available, extending beyond mere toppings to the very essence of the burger’s taste.
The creativity extends far beyond the burgers, reaching into the realm of sides with equally enticing innovations. Imagine Five Guys’ famous fries, generously covered with melted cheese, then crowned with crumbled bacon and finely chopped jalapeños. This ‘Cheese Fries Hack,’ though not an official menu item, can be easily assembled by ordering a side of fries and a separate side of melted cheese, allowing patrons to create their own fast-food nacho experience right at the table.
Inspired by iconic regional fast-food offerings, Five Guys enthusiasts have even engineered their own versions of beloved classics. The ‘Animal Style Fries (Five Guys Edition),’ for instance, pays homage to a West Coast favorite by loading the signature fries with grilled onions, melted cheese, and a generous drizzle of BBQ sauce. Similarly, fans of California’s renowned burgers can request an ‘In-N-Out Style Burger’ by customizing their Five Guys burger with grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, and pickles, achieving a tangy, savory flavor profile while still enjoying that classic Five Guys beefy goodness.
For those adhering to specific dietary preferences or simply seeking a lighter option, Five Guys offers incredibly accommodating solutions. The ‘Burger Bowl’ or ‘Lettuce-Wrapped Burger’ allows patrons to enjoy all the rich flavors of a Five Guys burger and its multitude of toppings without the traditional bun. This flexibility ensures that the deliciousness of Five Guys remains accessible, whether one is avoiding carbs, gluten, or simply prefers a different textural experience.
Some custom creations are legendary for their indulgent nature, earning colorful monikers that hint at their sheer decadence. The ‘Artery Annihilator’ is a prime example: starting with a double bacon cheeseburger, it boldly replaces the buns with two grilled cheese sandwiches, then piles on grilled onions, mushrooms, and extra cheese. It’s a testament to the maximalist possibilities within the Five Guys ecosystem, catering to those moments when only an utterly over-the-top culinary adventure will suffice.
The customization doesn’t stop at savory items; Five Guys’ milkshakes are also a canvas for imaginative concoctions. Beyond mixing in one’s own cereal, as some employees have suggested, a standout recommendation is the ‘Extra-Chunky Chocolate Peanut Butter Bacon Protein Shake.’ This adventurous blend of chocolate milkshake with peanut butter, bacon, and malted milk offers a surprising yet harmonious salty-sweet flavor bomb. Further indulgence can be achieved with the addition of banana or caramel, transforming a simple shake into an extraordinary dessert.
Ordering these personalized creations at Five Guys requires a slight departure from standard fast-food etiquette. Since these items are not officially listed, a direct request for “The Patty Melt” may not always be understood. Instead, a polite and clear, step-by-step explanation of the desired components is key. For instance, one would order “a grilled cheese, with a beef patty inside, and grilled onions.” While bacon can often be added to certain items like burgers, hot dogs, or grilled cheese at no extra charge, it’s prudent to anticipate potential additional costs for extra toppings or cheese, and to be prepared for some DIY assembly, such as pouring melted cheese over fries.
As the appetite for highly customized fast-food experiences continued to grow, Five Guys faced a challenge inherent in its very success: how to maintain its commitment to personalized service and taste while addressing operational bottlenecks. The traditional ordering process, while allowing for extensive customization, could inadvertently lead to queuing issues, a confusing experience due to the sheer volume of choices, and extended waiting times—pain points articulated succinctly by customers who lamented, “I hate when fast food, is not fast!”
Recognizing these challenges, a forward-thinking design sprint initiative was undertaken in June 2017 by a team of UX/UI designers at General Assembly London, led by Estelle JIN, alongside Ryan and Cherie. Their mission was clear: to leverage existing customer habits by introducing a digital solution that would streamline ordering and payment, all while ensuring the current food delivery system remained unchanged. The core problem they sought to solve was how to better handle order and payment to mitigate the frustration of queuing.
Through rigorous inquiry, including surveys, in-depth interviews, and on-site contextual observation, a clear picture of customer needs and aspirations began to emerge. The team conducted 62 Google Forms surveys to gauge people’s habits, behaviors, and feelings toward burger chains, complemented by 15 in-person and phone interviews to delve into motivations and pain points. Additionally, contextual inquiry at two Five Guys locations allowed for direct observation of customer behaviors and attitudes within the restaurant environment. This comprehensive research underscored a fundamental truth: while customers loved the taste, expressing sentiments like, “Their (Five Guys) burgers are so good!” and valued the convenience of avoiding dishwashing, they consistently expressed dissatisfaction with the waiting aspect.
The research revealed three critical pain points in the existing user journey: the frustrating experience of queuing, where menus could be difficult to read when lines were long; the overwhelming nature of customizing an order with too many choices; and the perceived boredom and length of waiting for food. The overarching goal derived from these insights was to make the order and payment process smoother and more enjoyable, thereby allowing customers to focus entirely on the delicious taste that Five Guys is renowned for.
Armed with these insights, the design team embarked on an ideation phase, focusing their creative energy on two pivotal screens: burger customization and bill splitting. Through a process of affinity mapping, gathering all feedback on sticky notes and grouping them, key questions emerged: “How to avoid queuing?” “How to make the customisation enjoyable and not overwhelming?” and “How to make the waiting time less boring?” These questions guided the development of potential solutions.
Initial testing with paper prototypes revealed valuable user feedback, quickly identifying usability issues. Early iterations, however, encountered a common hurdle: many users expressed reluctance to download yet another application, particularly if they weren’t regular customers, stating, “I have too many app on my phone, how can I avoid downloading an app?” This highlighted a critical need to offer a solution that didn’t require an application download, especially in scenarios like a group of friends wanting to order together, where not everyone might be a loyal app user.
This insight led to a pivotal re-evaluation, pushing the team beyond initial “tunnel vision” and towards a more innovative solution. By revisiting the core goals—”How to reduce waiting time?” and “How to group order in a fast, easy and fun way?”—the concept of a cloud-based solution emerged. This elegant approach would allow groups of friends to order simultaneously under a single order number, see what their friends had ordered, track payment status, and even pay for others if needed, all without the necessity of a dedicated app.
The proposed solution centered around a unique order code generated at the start of a new order, which friends could simply join to collaborate on a group order. The conceptualization even extended to integrating playful elements like a “Burger game” and “randomise option for choosing the toppings,” designed to entertain customers during the waiting period. User feedback on these final iterations was overwhelmingly positive, with comments such as, “Cool, I like the randomise option for choosing the toppings!” and “The Burger game could be fun while I’m waiting, I won’t need to pretend I’m texting,” along with an encouraging “It looks easy.”
