The Reason Five Guys Burgers Always Come Well Done

There may only be one McDonald's and one Burger King, but we can all be thankful that there are Five Guys out there. Having started in Arlington, Virginia, back in 1986, Five Guys specializes in a very simple concept: selling high-quality burgers and high-quality fries. While not as expansive in terms of the "official" menu compared to places like the aforementioned fast-food restaurants, Five Guys has done pretty well for itself over the years, with ScrapeHero telling us that it boasts a respectable 1,429 stores across the United States.

Although specializing mainly in selling burgers and fries, Five Guys also has a few unique characteristics that help set it apart from more mainstream fast-food restaurants. Take, for example, the boxes of peanuts that line the dining room walls when you walk in, generously provided for you to snack on so you don't get bored waiting for your meal. The chain also boasts an extensive secret menu (or items that aren't "officially" on the menu) consisting of patty melts, grilled cheese, and towering cheeseburgers. Five Guys does its best to sell a delicious burger prepared just the way you like it, whether it's slathered in bacon, grilled onions, and cheese or just served with lettuce and tomatoes.

Okay, maybe Five Guys doesn't serve your burger exactly as you want it. The burgers are always cooked one very specific way — well done. For a chain that prides itself on serving the customer the best burger, why grill the burger only one way?

If you ever go into Five Guys and ask for a cheeseburger, the workers would be able to do everything except cook it medium rare. You're getting it well done and you're going to like it. While Five Guys means no disrespect to those who think medium rare is the only way to serve a burger, the company has to serve its burgers well done as part of a commitment to food safety. 

Five Guys proudly tells the world that it has no freezers in its store, only walk-in refrigerators, so the meat is never frozen. Although never-frozen meat does sound appealing, it also means that the meat is still raw while in the restaurant. With raw meat in the store, that naturally means bacteria may be present in the meat. To ensure that bacteria are eliminated, should there even be any in the meat, to begin with, Five Guys simply cooks its meat to the highest possible degree of doneness to kill them off. This way, when your burger is prepared, it's safe to consume and carries no risk of getting you sick.

If Five Guys had freezers in its store, it would stand to reason then that the workers could cook your burger any way you like. But considering Five Guys believes it has a good thing going, there seem to be no plans in place to change its operations any time soon. Hey, at least the well-done burger is being cooked for your health.

Have you ever dug into a bag of fries, only to discover that rather than them being crispy, you've gotten a fistful of wet, greasy potato sticks? If you've ever found yourself getting the limp end of the french fry, you don't have to worry. Five Guys will be happy to cook your fries well done — if you ask nicely, of course.

"Well-done fries" are another item on the expansive Five Guys secret menu mentioned earlier. Unlike your usual fries, these fries are said to be fried much longer until they are dark golden brown, giving them an incredibly crunchy exterior. Another bonus is that you don't need to pay any extra money for it. If you pay for a large order of fries to be cooked well done, you'll still pay the same price as you would for an ordinary order of fries.

Five Guys does take immense pride in its fries, even going so far as to cook them exclusively in peanut oil. It is this type of oil, Five Guys claims, that gives its fries a buttery and rich texture and flavor when compared to other oils, like canola or vegetable oils. While the fries are no doubt perfectly fine on their own, it certainly wouldn't hurt to try them well done. After all, you're already eating a well-done burger, so why not just go the extra mile?