Launched in 1986 in Arlington County, VA and expanding to five locations by 2001, Five Guys Burgers and Fries has been franchising over the past few years, with more than 1,500 locations worldwide as at 2016 with a planned 1,500 more under development.
There’s good reason: Five Guys offers up delicious hamburgers, hot dogs, and French fries through its simple menu and abundance of topping options, which you can get many of for free to spice up your burger or hot dog.
Despite the relatively limited menu, there are lots of cool hacks that will make your experience eating at Five Guys even more indulgent.
Here are the 10 best Five Guys menu hacks.
10 Patty Melt
This is exactly what you think it is: a combination of a hamburger patty and the Burger Joint’s delicious, ooey gooey grilled cheese sandwiches. So it’s not a hamburger, it’s not a sandwich, it’s, well, both.
Use two grilled cheese sandwiches to ensure that it’s easy to pick up and bite into. Some also call this the double grilled cheeseburger, not because there are two patties, but rather because there are two grilles cheese sandwiches keeping your patty and toppings together.
9 The Presidential Burger
Reportedly named after President Barack Obama, who was apparently a Five Guys fan, this burger contains all of the toppings the former U.S. President ordered on his. That includes lettuce, jalapeno peppers, tomato, mustard and of course what’s a burger without cheese?
While you might not be able to make any political moves while eating this burger, and don’t have the weight of an entire country on your shoulders, you might feel a bit of a commanding presence knowing that the former commander-in-chief used to chow down on the same combination of toppings.
8 In-N-Out Animal Style
Named after the famed California family-owned burger joint that is known for its limited public menu but a long list of secret menu items, ordering your burger “animal style” includes a cheeseburger (regular or little) with grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, and pickles.
But what really pays homage to In-N-Out is the addition of your own makeshift sauce. Mix together mayo, ketchup, and mustard, spread it on the burger bun, and enjoy. Go an extra step and make your fries Animal Style too by adding melted cheese and grilled onions and pouring this delicious condiment creation over top. It might not look super-appetizing. But once you dig in, you’ll feel like a wild animal as you won’t really care what it looks like.
7 Burger Bowl
Watching your carbs? First off, heading to a fast-food hamburger restaurant probably isn’t the best idea. But if you still want to indulge while also watching your carb intake, consider going bun-less.
Yes, you can order a burger bowl, which will see the employees place your hamburger patty and all of your desired toppings in a foil container so you can eat it with a knife and fork. Or just grab the patty freehand and go all in, taking a bite out of it like you mean it.
6 Extra Well Done Fries
Five Guys is known almost as much for its French fries as it is for its burgers. The fries are made fresh from potatoes from Idaho and cooked in peanut oil. They’re absolutely delicious. And they usually come in overabundance, filling your take-out bag as they spill outside of their carton.
If you like your fries super crispy, just ask! They’ll double-fry them for you so you get a really golden brown coating. Then add some seasoning for an extra kick, or just opt for the standard salty goodness.
5 The Artery Annihilator
It’s tough to choose between a burger and a hot dog, so this creation makes the decision simple because you don’t have to make one. Reportedly created by a Five Guys employee, it combines a bacon hot dog (yes, bacon, too!) with a bacon cheeseburger (yes, more bacon).
To avoid confusion by asking the employee to serve you a dish that sounds like it could land you in the hospital, just order a bacon cheeseburger and ask for a halved hot dog on top. Then sit down, pop that hot dog inside the bun, and chow down.
4 Chicago Style Hot Dog/Breaking Windy City Dog
To make your plain ‘ol hot dog into something fabulous, order it up Chicago style. This includes adding tomatoes, relish, pickles, hot sauce, mustard, and green peppers to the all-beef, kosher, premium hot dogs that Five Guys splits down the middle lengthwise as its signature style. (If you’re serious about kosher, consider that the dogs may be cooked on the same grill as the burgers.) Make it even more Chicago-style by adding some Cajun seasoning.
The combination might initially sound odd, but combine all of these ingredients together and you’re in for a real treat that will have you salivating for another.
3 Sloppy Joe
Remember Sloppy Joe sandwiches? The loose meat sandwiches with tomato sauce were a staple dinner for many kids back in the day, and you can re-create that nostalgic taste, or if you’re too young to remember, see what all the fuss was about, by ordering this invention (rather, re-invention or inspired burger) from Five Guys.
Get a burger with grilled green peppers, grilled onions, ketchup, and barbecue sauce. Take a bite and you’ll instantly be taken down memory lane. But thankfully, this version won’t be nearly as messy as the original.
2 Steak Frites
If you feel like being fancy, order this and you’ll get a hamburger minus the bun, A-1 steak sauce, and fries. It’s great for those who want to cut down on carbs, or who simply want to impress their friends by knowing about this ingenious menu hack.
Steak frites, in case you aren’t familiar with the term, is just a fancy way of saying steak and French fries. Supposedly invented in Belgium, but very popular in restaurants throughout Europe, your Five Guys burger won’t necessarily compare to a true cut of steak. But you can improvise.
1 Nacho-Style Fries
Five Guys might not have cheese fries on the menu, but that doesn’t mean you can’t order them. Have them take an abundant order of those yummy fries, cook them in peanut oil like usual (steer clear if you have an allergy), then ask them to place the fries into a foil container and cover them with melted cheese.
Take things a step further and make them loaded nacho style, complete with bacon and jalapeno slices. You will, of course, have to pay extra for the cheese and bacon (maybe the peppers, too). But it will be oh so worth it once you dig in.
