Top 5 Things You Didn't Know About Five Guys
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VOICE OVER: Phoebe de Jeu
WRITTEN BY: Spencer sher
T-minus 10 seconds until your mouth starts watering. For this list, we'll be giving you the inside scoop on one of America's most popular and fastest growing food chains: Five Guys. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we'll be counting down our picks for the Top 5 Interesting Facts About Five Guys.
Top 5 Interesting Facts About Five Guys
T-minus 10 seconds until your mouth starts watering. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 5 Interesting Facts About Five Guys.
For this list, we’ll be giving you the inside scoop on one of America’s most popular and fastest growing food chains: Five Guys.
#5: There Are Actually 6 Guys
Five Guys is and has always been a family affair. The company was launched in 1986 by the Murrell family, which at the time consisted of father Jerry and his four sons Jim, Matt, Chad and Ben - all of whom made up the titular “five guys.” However, within two years after the opening of the first location in Arlington County, Virginia, the Murrells welcomed yet another son to the family -Tyler. Nowadays the name is said to refer only to the Murrell children and they all play an integral role in making sure Five Guys continues to run smoothly.
#4: The Start-Up Funds Came from a College Savings Account
In 1986, the two eldest Murrell boys had a decision to make. They could either go to college or use the $70,000 their parents had set aside for tuition to start a business. Seeing as how you wouldn’t be watching this video if they’d gone with the former, it’s clear what they opted for. The idea for this unique and ultimately fruitful ultimatum was ultimately approved by their father. Jerry Murrell claimed the decision was all about family and once quipped, “I always liked having my kids around me, so I thought that was a good way to do it.”
#3: The Decision to Franchise Wasn’t an Easy One
Despite having been around since 1986, Five Guys didn’t begin franchising until 2003. Up until that point, the company consisted of just a handful of locations in and around northern Virginia. So why did it take more than 15 years for the company to expand? The answer lies with its patriarch. Jerry Murrell was concerned that they wouldn’t be able to “control the quality” of the food and that it “worried the heck” out of him. Ultimately he relented, giving in to his sons who’d reportedly been pushing for expansion since the beginning. With over 1000 locations worldwide and yearly revenue in the hundreds of millions, we think he should have listened to his kids sooner!
#2: It’s Terrible for People with Peanut Allergies
As anyone who has ever been to a Five Guys will attest, the peanut is king. Each location features massive barrels filled to the brim with complimentary peanuts. And when you tack on the fact that Five Guys fries all of its food in 100% peanut oil, you have a nightmare for anyone with even a mild peanut allergy. The company understands that it must protect its clientele, so it labels all of its doors with warnings and doesn’t allow customers to take peanuts outside with them.
#1: There Are Upwards of 250,000 Ways to Order a Five Guys Burger
Every Five Guys menu proudly proclaims that customers can “choose as many of our free toppings as you want." This includes but is not limited to: pickles, tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers, grilled mushrooms, BBQ sauce, hot sauce and A1 sauce. With that many options, it should come as no surprise that there are countless ways to order a burger - and by countless, we mean more than 250,000. But it isn’t all about burgers! Their fries are just as important to them. That’s why they cut them by hand and soak them in water to remove excess starch. The result is a French fry guaranteed to make your mouth water!
T-minus 10 seconds until your mouth starts watering. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 5 Interesting Facts About Five Guys.
For this list, we’ll be giving you the inside scoop on one of America’s most popular and fastest growing food chains: Five Guys.
#5: There Are Actually 6 Guys
Five Guys is and has always been a family affair. The company was launched in 1986 by the Murrell family, which at the time consisted of father Jerry and his four sons Jim, Matt, Chad and Ben - all of whom made up the titular “five guys.” However, within two years after the opening of the first location in Arlington County, Virginia, the Murrells welcomed yet another son to the family -Tyler. Nowadays the name is said to refer only to the Murrell children and they all play an integral role in making sure Five Guys continues to run smoothly.
#4: The Start-Up Funds Came from a College Savings Account
In 1986, the two eldest Murrell boys had a decision to make. They could either go to college or use the $70,000 their parents had set aside for tuition to start a business. Seeing as how you wouldn’t be watching this video if they’d gone with the former, it’s clear what they opted for. The idea for this unique and ultimately fruitful ultimatum was ultimately approved by their father. Jerry Murrell claimed the decision was all about family and once quipped, “I always liked having my kids around me, so I thought that was a good way to do it.”
#3: The Decision to Franchise Wasn’t an Easy One
Despite having been around since 1986, Five Guys didn’t begin franchising until 2003. Up until that point, the company consisted of just a handful of locations in and around northern Virginia. So why did it take more than 15 years for the company to expand? The answer lies with its patriarch. Jerry Murrell was concerned that they wouldn’t be able to “control the quality” of the food and that it “worried the heck” out of him. Ultimately he relented, giving in to his sons who’d reportedly been pushing for expansion since the beginning. With over 1000 locations worldwide and yearly revenue in the hundreds of millions, we think he should have listened to his kids sooner!
#2: It’s Terrible for People with Peanut Allergies
As anyone who has ever been to a Five Guys will attest, the peanut is king. Each location features massive barrels filled to the brim with complimentary peanuts. And when you tack on the fact that Five Guys fries all of its food in 100% peanut oil, you have a nightmare for anyone with even a mild peanut allergy. The company understands that it must protect its clientele, so it labels all of its doors with warnings and doesn’t allow customers to take peanuts outside with them.
#1: There Are Upwards of 250,000 Ways to Order a Five Guys Burger
Every Five Guys menu proudly proclaims that customers can “choose as many of our free toppings as you want." This includes but is not limited to: pickles, tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers, grilled mushrooms, BBQ sauce, hot sauce and A1 sauce. With that many options, it should come as no surprise that there are countless ways to order a burger - and by countless, we mean more than 250,000. But it isn’t all about burgers! Their fries are just as important to them. That’s why they cut them by hand and soak them in water to remove excess starch. The result is a French fry guaranteed to make your mouth water!
