So, sorry about that. Besides work business, I've been suffering from a FUN HANGOVER after our weekend trip down Orlando way. This was our last hurrah because our seasonal passes expire and we aren't going to renew right now because of the BABAY.
I'd like to tell y'all a little story about our dinner in Orlando Sunday on the way back at a place called Five Guys Burgers. It's a chain, but I don't think there are all that many locations. They sell hamburgers with lots of different toppings, thick cut french fries (with optional cajun seasoning), I think hot dogs and drinks. That's it.
The walls are all decorated with their own kudos. Like every time they were mentioned in any magazine when the chain started, the owners made copies for every franchise to hang on the walls, and when I say that I mean ALL walls, like all up and down the counter, in the bathrooms, wherever there is a vertical surface there is either a copied newspaper article or quotes from said articles in 1000 point red type. It's a little on the tacky side; I mean, just let the tasty burgers speak for themselves, ya know?
1. Walmart stuff is value. Publix bogos are a value. Redbox machines are a value. But there's something about a restaurant focusing on value rather than taste that just seems wrong to me. I mean, we can all agree that McDonalds hamburgers wont' break the bank, but we can also agree that they will make you feel like death. Right?
2. FIVE GUYS BURGERS IS NOT A VALUE. Join me as I weave this tale of overpriced food:
Hubby and I were tired, cranky and ready to get home. It was 9 and they closed at 10 so I'm sure they felt the same. We walked in and the first thing the guy said to us was, "WE'RE OUT OF CHEESE!" like that was the determining factor in us staying or leaving (as that was no option because it was the only place open). And I'm all, well that's a bummer, I guess I'll just get something beside cheese. Hubby ordered his bacon hamburger and I ordered mine with mushrooms and onions. Then the guys says to me, "WE'RE OUT OF MUSHROOMS TOO! EVERYTHING BUT MUSHROOMS AND CHEESE!" I'm all eye-rolly with him but changed my order to onions and mustard only. Then Hubby tries to pay with our Discover card and he says, "Hm, it says 'not a valid transaction, THAT'S SO WEIRD" and about that time Hubby realized they dont' take Discover card.
Cearly we're dealing with Einstein over here working at Five Guys, but I decided to go into mini-meltdown mode and said "You've GOT to be kidding me right now. I have to walk away." I sat down and started steaming about it mumbling about how a HAMBURGER PLACE can possibly run out of cheese. There wasn't a store you could run out to and grab a hunk of cheese before your supply truck rolls in? No? not even the Quiznos next door?
Hubby brings the food to the table and hands me the receipt for.....$17 BUCKS.
Excuse me, but in what universe is $17 for two burgers, one fry and one drink a value? I'm going to refer back to my breakfast chart from last blog:
It should be easy to understand why I had such a fit. I feel like a chart would also best represent my feelings after this meal:
Before we left, I went to the bathroom and discovered why Five Guys were so delusional in thinking the food there was a good value. I was washing my hands and reading one of the articles when I noticed the publishing date -- 1996. The article stated that Five Guys had one heck of a burger and a good value, too: only $1.75 for two big, juicy, fresh, hand-pattied burgers. I read some others -- 1990, 2001, 1998 -- not one media outlet has proclaimed them BEST VALUE in at least 8 years. Maybe it's because one hamburger now costs $4.50! I mean let me just hand you my wallet and pin number so you can take all of my money! It's good but not that good! Bev's Better Burgers in this podunk little city near us is just as good -- if not better -- and her burgers cost $2!
My rage turned to pity when I saw this:
It just.....it explains a lot. I'll leave it at that.
Then yesterday we were on a quest to find some shorts that I can button and saw a building under construction that looked eerily like the Five Guys decor...sure enough: Gainesville is getting a Five Guys. I am encouraging all my friends here to mortgage their houses so they can try it at least once.
Have y'all heard of this place? What do you think?
26 comments:
They just opened one near us. Besides the fact like I feel like I am transported to a ball stadium when I walk through their doors (concrete floors, a barrell full of peanuts, and the shells are just thrown all over the floor while people wait for their food), I think their burgers are WAY over priced. If I wanted to pay that kind of money I could go to TGIF or Ruby Tuesday's and have a decent sit down meal. My cousin also started working for them, and their pay sucks. So between the lack of decor, and the slave labor, I guess they are pocketing a lot of that burger money.
We have Five Guys here in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area. I don't eat meat but I've heard the burgers there are really good.
Also, Five Guys is the fastest growing chain restaurant in the nation. Expect to see more popping up in your area. Five Guys is the new Starbucks. Soon there will one on every corner.
Ok, so there is a Five Guys in my city that is kind of new. I heard they have good fries. Is this true? I have yet to try this placeas there are many places that have really good burgers near me.
I LOVE that you used a pie chart to describe thoughts & feelings! ha ha ha
Never heard of "Five Guys". I guess we don't have them up here. Fortunately.
The president eats there. That's all I know about it.
Also, I will now never eat there. $17 for what you got is way too much.
WTF $17? I never knew that place was so expensive. What I do know is that there are now more of them around this area than Burger Kings and you couldn't pay me to eat there. Especially because I saw an ambulance pulling up outside of one the other day.
Someone had a heart attack when they saw their check obviously.
Believe it or not, we have one in Toledo. I have mixed feelings about it. I love the fact that you can pile as many toppings on your burger and it doesn't cost anything extra. (I am fat kid deep down inside!) But the burger itself is not cheap at all. The fries are good, sometimes. And usually the burgers are very greasy. I have been there twice and that was enough for me.
No, I've never heard of them either, but I agree that $17 is freaking over the top for fast food. Are they serious? That sucks.
My husband and I saw a sign for a Five Guys by us in Ohio and he was like "We have to try it!! Everyone tells me it is great!" So maybe we will take a loan out and try it out sometime.
Wow thats crazy. I hear you about running out pf cheese. That is like Subway saying they ran out of bread. Really now?
And that is pretty crazy and delusional about the price. :(
Funny that you post this! We are getting one anyday now and we have heard rave reviews.
I will make sure to pie chart my experience.
I love yuo speaking in chart-ese.
Can you give a tutorial?
I really like 5 guys but I agree with you...it's not a value price place. I usually end up getting the Little hamburger because it's cheaper than the full size.
I've never heard of it, but I totally agree. Food should not be the thing you find the best deal on!
yes we have one up the street & in our local mall....we are big FANS and i'll explain--i'm not a fan of burgers, i'm a fan of FRIES and lemme tell you they pile on the fries and cook them in peanut oil. we get an entire paper bag full of them for less than $3 and their not little chunky burnt pieces, their fresh cut real potatoes, yumm, makes me want some right now.....that's def a value to me. ok so the burgers another story, not much flavor to me, but like i said, i'm not a fan of burgers anyways. the hubby is however a fan of their burgers and it's because he can pile an entire vegetable garden on top of it for no extra costs he loves them. seriously go to most other burger places and you'll get one pickle, one squirt of mustard, and one wilted piece of lettuce, then if you ask for extra veggies they give you the deer in the headlights look like why would anyone that eats a burger want vegetables too?! LOLOL..anyways, so yeah i'm gonna head to my local 5guys for some fries now =)
first of all, you are like a professional chart maker. i am beginning to think we should all use charts and graphs to express our feelings. and then we could hire you to make them. and then you'd be super rich and could get all the five guys you wanted.
we don't have that place around here, but we have super fun little hole in the wall places where i can get a whole cheeseburger platter (with fries and a pickle) for that price. so i'm not sad we don't have one.
OMG i am watching phantom gourmet right now (i think it's a new england thing- but its a show about restaurants) and they just listed five guys as one of the top 8 burger joints!! holy moly that was weird. i had never even heard of it until i read this post. you must be psychic.
We have them here, but I'm not even a little tempted. The atmosphere seems depressing.
You know I love a graph. So, obvs i love this post. But, with 5 guys popping up like...um, poppers? here in Chicago I have yet to try one. And now I think I won't be. Especially if they think it's ok to operate while out of cheese.
I've been to Five Guys several times, including the night my fiance and I got engaged (we're simple people). Honestly, I hate Five Guys. Their burgers always taste cold to me, probably because the put so much crud on them. I'd rather have a $.99 cheeseburger from McDonald's any day!
You have to get the junior burger (same size as a regular burger) and share a fry--and get water. Totally worth it though.
Be nice to 5 Guys. I love it! It's Jody-approved!
We have 5 guys here in NYC. Sorry, but those prices sound great for NYC. To be honest, a bit on the cheap side.
That's crazy! We have one in San Antonio and it's super tasty and lots cheaper! Plus they ALWAYS have cheese. Wonder what the deal was!
we're supposed to be getting a Five Guys place here. I can hardly wait for the "value". yikes. for $17 I can get a real hamburger from a good place that doesn't run out of cheese or mushrooms, and have a drink and dessert. Do you guys have Culver's there? They rock!
I agree they are expensive, but they are oh-so-tasty (when mushrooms and cheese are present, after all). The plus side of the fries is that one order can feed 2 people plus a little extra. I can barely finish one burger (the small ones!) and about 1/3 of the fries. Of course, since I am trying to watch calories, I have only been able to drive by and drool for the past 6 months or so :(
First, let me just say that life will be much more bearable for you if you don't worry about buying buttoning shorts and just give in to maternity shorts. It will feel much better. I'd give you mine but BFF is in them right now. But trust me...elastic is your friend.
Secondly, I went with another BFF to Five Guys before we moved and felt exactly the same way. It was OK but overpriced....kind of like Red Robin. I don't really get Red Robin - they have "gourmet burgers" and endless fries, but who can really eat 9 baskets of fries in order to make their dinner a value? Not this girl.
Also?? I'm in freakylust with these bar charts and pie graphs you're whippin out. I like how you've gone all Beaker on us.
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