The Untold Truth Of Five Guys

The growth of the Five Guys Burgers and Fries chain is amazing and the story behind it will make you believe that anything is possible. With founders who remain an integral part of their company, franchisees who buy not just a brand but an entire formula, and a company built from the ground up, Five Guys has a history that encompasses what was once the American dream... and it still can be. Choosing to Cook Five Guys founding father Jerry Murrell comes from a middle-class family in Michigan, which encouraged him to go to college. However, he didn't much enjoy his own educational experience, so when it came time to send his children to college, he gave them an option.

The money he had saved for his education was his and they could each go to college or, as a family, decide to pool the money to open a restaurant. Not only would he give a legacy to his children, but he would allow them to work together, and his limited menu concept was a huge success. "We stuck to our guns, kept it simple and pleased the press." What's in a name? The name Five Guys couldn't be simpler. Murrell and his sons decided on the name to describe themselves: father Jerry, sons Matt, Jim and Chad from his first marriage, and son Ben from his second.

But when his youngest son, Tyler, was born, the name no longer fit, so it was unofficially removed from the list of names so that the "

five

boys" it refers to are his children. And they are all still key players in the business. While his father oversees everything, Jim and Matt travel the country and visit places, Chad is in charge of training, Ben works with the franchise owners and screens new applicants, and Tyler runs the bakery. Murrell's second wife, Janie, is also involved in the business as an accountant. Finding a Franchise Five Guys opened its doors in 1986 and has continued to grow ever since.

The chain experienced almost unthinkable growth of 792 percent between 2006 and 2012, but that global expansion almost didn't happen. At first, the Murrells, especially Jerry, were content to open a few restaurants in the same area. They had complete control, kept the menu the same and experimented with very few new things. But Matt bought a copy of Franchising for Dummies, written by Dave Thomas of Wendy's... and at the same time, former Washington Redskins kicker Mark Moseley was mulling over the future of his own burger joint. In a case of "right place, right time," Moseley joined Five Guys and began his franchising efforts.

They quickly discovered how wise the decision was when the franchise rights in Virginia sold out in three days and the rest is fast food history. No Timers There are a lot of things to keep track of in any kitchen, but take a close look at any Five Guys kitchen and you'll notice something is missing: timers. Jerry Murrell says they are not necessary because good cooks know when a burger is ready. Those burgers are thin for a reason, too, and that goes back to the early days of Five Guys. The first burgers they experimented with were thicker, but they dried out too quickly.

So, the thinner burgers gave them the flavor and texture they were looking for, and customers seem to enjoy the choice. No VIP Deliveries Receiving a phone call from the US government could normally send a restaurant into a tailspin, but when Five Guys was asked to deliver 15 burgers to the Pentagon, Murrell refused. He told QSR: "We've never had a delivery service. We don't believe in it. We think it makes the product cheaper." Not only did they refuse, they hung a huge sign outside their Arlington store that said, "Absolutely no deliveries." "Putting a sign in the window that says 'We deliver' is probably a sign that you might be in trouble." The move was risky, since the Pentagon's 26,000 employees were a large part of the site's customer base, but it worked.

Business reportedly increased about 20 percent, and even Barack Obama stopped in 2009, after they also refused to offer any delivery service to the White House, because some groceries are worth the walk. "Let's go eat some hamburgers." Fresh French Fries Five Guys sources its potatoes almost exclusively from Idaho, and then only north of the 42nd parallel. "Those potatoes grow more slowly than those in the south, which makes them denser." They buy so many that they represent 5 percent of the entire state's potato sales. However, two months of the year, the growing season forces a switch to Washington state potatoes. And the reason their fries are so tasty goes far beyond the consistency of the platter.

After being hand-cut, members of the Five Guys fry team give the raw potatoes a 3-minute power wash to remove excess starch, and pre-cook them for two and a half minutes before chilling them for 10 minutes to a few hours. Once sorted, they are topped off with another two to three minutes in the fryer, shaken exactly 15 times, and served to customers. Mystery Shoppers There's a lot of unconventional things about the way Five Guys does business, and that includes its approach to getting the word out. According to BestMark, the reason you've never seen a Five Guys commercial or billboard is because they use that cash to hire mystery shoppers to visit their restaurants and do a full evaluation.

This keeps employees on their toes, ensures your customers have a great experience, and those experiences turn into word-of-mouth advertising. Anyone who's worked in retail knows how scary the prospect of a mystery shopper is, but Five Guys turns it into a major rewards program. Director of Communications and Marketing Molly Catalano told QSR Magazine that they give out a huge amount of money as bonuses for meeting mystery shoppers' goals. Each week, the top 200 restaurants receive between $900 and $1,300 each to divide among employees, meaning there's a chance they could earn a bonus each week. That's a big incentive to hurry up.

So if your local Five Guys team seems to keep a little pep in their step during your next visit, it could be because they suspect you're a shopping spy who could make them some extra cash. Thanks for watching! Click the Mash icon to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Plus, check out all these cool things we know you'll love too!