Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries in North Carolina

Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries, as the name implies, is a chain of burger restaurants located throughout the eastern United States. This is a quick-service restaurant where you order your food at the counter and pick it up there as well. Alcoholic beverages are not available, but you can get free refills on soft drinks or tea. The restaurants all have similar decors. They are brightly-lit with a fifties-diner-meets-Ikea feel. Five Guys has achieved some notoriety with positive reviews in several restaurant review guides such as Zagat and those in some major city newspapers.

Positives:

The burgers are very tasty and you have your choice of toppings at no extra charge. Cheese is available for an extra charge. All burgers are made fresh to order. If you have ever wondered what goes on in the kitchen, you can watch your burger and fries being cooked as there is a clear view of the kitchen from the pickup counter. Unless you are a big eater, I would recommend the Little Hamburger.

Fries are made fresh from freshly-cut potatoes, not frozen. They post on a white board where the potatoes are from (usually Rigby, Idaho) in case this is important to you. You have your choice of plain or Cajun seasoning. The portions are very generous. The regular-sized fries are portioned out by filling a 16 oz. Styrofoam cup with fries, placing the cup in the bag and then adding another scoop of fries on top of that. (Frankly, I have never understood why they bother with the cup.) Unless you really, really enjoy your fries, consider sharing an order.

Free peanuts!

The restaurant chain values cleanliness. The cooks wear gloves and change them frequently. The "if you can lean, you can clean" policy seems to be strictly enforced as I have rarely observed idle employees. The restrooms of the locations I have visited are among the cleanest of any quick service restaurant.

If you like Five Guys and you want to extol their praises in words or drawing, you can request a note card to post on the bulletin board.

Negatives:

If you have a peanut allergy, do not go to Five Guys. There are peanuts available in open boxes and the fries are cooked in peanut oil.

All burgers are cooked well-done - no exceptions. Because of E-coli scares, this is probably a good policy and many other restaurants are following suit.

The menu is limited. There are burgers, fries, hot dogs, grilled cheese and a "veggie" burger, which I have been told is just a bun with veggies on it, not a TVP or true veggie burger. Because of the restaurant's slightly retro theme, I think adding shakes to the menu would be ideal.

No "kiddie" meals. Personally, I don't miss this as this has never been an issue for my seven-year-old son who seems to get just as much entertainment out of cracking his own peanuts as any mass-produced, cheaply made toy has ever given him.

The prices of the sandwiches are a bit higher than that of the major fast food chains. The fries are also bit more, but you get a lot more, too. Usually, a Little Hamburger, a regular fries and a regular drink is just over $7. If I take someone with me, we usually share the fries and load up on peanuts while waiting for our order.

Below are some additional comments about the Five Guys locations with which I am most familiar. These are located in the western North Carolina cities of Shelby, Gastonia and Charlotte.

Cleveland Mall, 2001 E. Dixon Blvd, Shelby, NC 28152 (704) 587-9204

This location is inside the mall, just a few feet from the entrance to the Carmike Cinema. This location offers an outdoor patio. Every time I have visited this location, I have found the staff to be friendly and courteous. If you want to take a break from shopping or want a meal before or after a movie, this Five Guys is a great choice for you and your family.

Franklin Square Shopping Center, 3044 E. Franklin Blvd. Suite 2, Gastonia, NC 28056 (704) 865-2250

Of the three Five Guys locations mentioned in this review, this one may be the most difficult to locate because it is not visible from the street. You will want to pull into the Franklin Square parking lot and go toward the back of the complex. This restaurant will be on the same side of the complex as Anna's Linens, but further back. The staff at this restaurant has always been courteous on my visits. The only negative thing I would say about this location is maintenance issues. I once sat in a wobbly chair and I noticed the seat in the ladies room was also a bit wobbly.

Steel Creek, 12820 York Rd, Charlotte, NC 28278 (704) 487-9260

This Five Guys is in the same shopping complex as Bi-Lo across the street from the Rivergate shopping center. An outdoor dining area is available at this location. Presumably because this location is at a crossroads of two busy highways (Hwy. 49 and Hwy. 160) I have found this restaurant to be the most busy of the three and also the least clean. I once stepped in an oily spot on the floor and sometimes it is difficult to find a table that has been wiped down since the last customer. However, I would still recommend this restaurant for a to-go order as the kitchen area is always as clean as any of the other locations.