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Five Guys thread, a 130+ page swordfight. (2 Viewers)

Steve Tasker said:
Koya said:
I think folks who are outside of Cali don't understand that 5G has a lot less competition in other areas of the country. There simply are not nearly as many auto-oriented, fast-serve burger places as there are in SoCal, where it's a part of the culture. Be it Fatburger, Tommys, AstroBurger... all kinds of greasy spoon options, some better, some worse, some institutions (local, regional, national).

That culture doesn't exist elsewhere, not in the same way. So in Cali you have lots of options, in other regions you have you mainstay fast food brands and maybe delis, or BBQ places then you go up to Diners or sit down places. Not really the drive up burger type place anymore.
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IMO, there's really no direct competitor to Five Guys here. The main competitors would probably be your fast-casual Tex-Mex places, Chipotle, Moe's, stuff like that. There's no other fast-casual burgers here. It's either pure fast food or an actual sit-down restaurant. I'm still surprised it took 5G so long to get here given the void in the market.
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Where is here? Buffalo? (Connecticut Armory)

 
Chaka said:
Steve Tasker said:
Koya said:
I think folks who are outside of Cali don't understand that 5G has a lot less competition in other areas of the country. There simply are not nearly as many auto-oriented, fast-serve burger places as there are in SoCal, where it's a part of the culture. Be it Fatburger, Tommys, AstroBurger... all kinds of greasy spoon options, some better, some worse, some institutions (local, regional, national).

That culture doesn't exist elsewhere, not in the same way. So in Cali you have lots of options, in other regions you have you mainstay fast food brands and maybe delis, or BBQ places then you go up to Diners or sit down places. Not really the drive up burger type place anymore.
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IMO, there's really no direct competitor to Five Guys here. The main competitors would probably be your fast-casual Tex-Mex places, Chipotle, Moe's, stuff like that. There's no other fast-casual burgers here. It's either pure fast food or an actual sit-down restaurant. I'm still surprised it took 5G so long to get here given the void in the market.
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Where is here? Buffalo? (Connecticut Armory)
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Yes, Buffalo, NY. Plenty of good food here, but a bit lacking in burger options, IMO.

 
Wingnut said:
Burger 21 is a good 5 Guys alternative...but they're not nationwide (only a handful of states)..one opened here about a year ago. They marekt themselves as a gourmet burger joint. Prices are similar to 5G, with much bigger selection and better product, IMO. Burgers, chicken burgers, seafood burgers, turkey burgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, salads, shakes, sundaes, etc...and a sauce bar with a bunch of sauces for dipping (toasted marshmellow sauce is awesome w/the sweet potato fries). I'd choose B21 over 5G every time if they were side by side.

http://www.burger21.com/
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This is just like New York Burger Co... Priced about the same as FG, similar set up, but I like it a little more... A few of them around NYC, but FG is much more convenient for me so I rarely get in here.

http://www.newyorkburgerco.com/

 
pollardsvision said:
Politician Spock said:
pollardsvision said:
Politician Spock said:
pollardsvision said:
It's a pretty brilliant business model, I think.

First, it takes people a while to figure out they only need one order for 2-3 people, so they still get a ton of those extra orders.
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Customers mistakenly paying more than they needed to is not sustainable revenue for a business. It produces higher revenue in the beginning stages of the business location, but eventually that revenue needs to be replaced in later stages or else the business collapses.Take the self serve frozen yogurt stores for example. When they open up, people go in and fill up that HUGE cup with yogurt and toppings and then gasp when they have to pay $8 to $10 bucks for it. When all your customers are new, a lot of them do that, and it produces a TON of revenue for them in the first year. Yet now a good chunk of the stores in the industry are closing or are for sale because customers don't continue doing that. The customers now make $2, $3, and $4 cups instead, and the business as a result only has a fraction of the revenue and can't pay the rent and utilities anymore.

I don't think that is a brilliant business model at all. It's a temporary boost of revenue, and nothing more. I think a lot of Five Guys franchisees are going to be following the self serve frozen yogurt store business owners in the for sale/closings.
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I agree to with some of those points.The part you are leaving out with 5G though, is that they are running with a ticket price of nearly $10/person if you come in alone. The best way to bring that down.....bring a bunch of people with you! Even then, they are going to $8 out of you, which is not bad at all for a place only selling burgers, dogs, and fries.

The fry thing either adds value to support a very healthy average customer ticket or just encourages you to not bring others with you. Win-win.
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You are leaving out the other way to avoid the high cost... go somewhere else.When people prefer an In-n-out burger 18 to 1 over a five guys burger, there's no need to figure out a way to subsidize the costs of the "free" fries and "free" peanuts they are passing on to you in the price of the burger.
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Again, that's a reason the added perceived value of a bag fries helps. People pay a lot and feel like they got their money's worth. That's what every place dreams of.Of course, competition will always be a factor. Every place has to battle against the competitors.

What's working for 5G, right now, is that there really isn't much. You want a burger that's better than McD's or Wendy's and want to spend s little more? The other options aren't overflowing. In many places, that means hunting down the last of a dying breed...good locally owned burger shops. If you don't want to sit down and tip, 5G is going to compare well there too.

I'd probably choose INO every time, but I don't see an INO coming here anytime soon. Likely not ever. And if INO were to come, 5G already has some great brand loyalty built up.

Cookout might be a threat, but there's room for a couple of players in the market.

Plus, Cookout burgers are a step down from 5G. It's more a cheap food with solid milkshakes type of market. Probably stealing more business from chain fast food than 5G.

The yogurt market is completely different. It's not going to have the staying power of the burger market (or the ticket price) and every tom, ****, and harry went running towards it. It had to settle out.

Those people are now trying to catch on the smoothie market, until people start to realize that paying $8 for ####### smoothie is really a dumb idea.
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Great post
 
Yeah smoothies are a racket. They're so cheap to make and they rape you on the price. At home I can make 10 smoothies for about $10.

 
The Commish said:
Speaking of Cookout...we have a lot of them, never been to one. Worth the trip to try it?
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For $4.50 (combo) pick between burger/grilled chicken breast/bbq, get a chicken wrap, get a bacon wrap, and a coke float. You can upgrade that float to a shake for a buck. It' really enough food to feed two. Best deal in town and the food isn't half bad.

I don't know why someone didn't think of a bacon wrap sooner. First one I got had close to 6 pieces of bacon in it.

 
I can't read 4000 posts to catch up, so I will simply add this: went to an In N Out in SF a few years back...it was OK. Certainly not great by any means. Go to Five Guys about once a month. The food is always good and the staff (about 90% Hispanic) is tremendous.

 
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BassNBrew said:
The Commish said:
Speaking of Cookout...we have a lot of them, never been to one. Worth the trip to try it?
Click to expand...
For $4.50 (combo) pick between burger/grilled chicken breast/bbq, get a chicken wrap, get a bacon wrap, and a coke float. You can upgrade that float to a shake for a buck. It' really enough food to feed two. Best deal in town and the food isn't half bad.

I don't know why someone didn't think of a bacon wrap sooner. First one I got had close to 6 pieces of bacon in it.
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Not a big fan of the burgers, but for the price not bad. Plus, they at least have the chili/slaw option which is rare here in stupid VA (and 5G ignores the chili/slaw crowd).

The fries are surprisingly good for a place that cheap.

Agree on the bacon wrap. Great idea.

 
pollardsvision said:
BassNBrew said:
The Commish said:
Speaking of Cookout...we have a lot of them, never been to one. Worth the trip to try it?
Click to expand...
For $4.50 (combo) pick between burger/grilled chicken breast/bbq, get a chicken wrap, get a bacon wrap, and a coke float. You can upgrade that float to a shake for a buck. It' really enough food to feed two. Best deal in town and the food isn't half bad.

I don't know why someone didn't think of a bacon wrap sooner. First one I got had close to 6 pieces of bacon in it.
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Not a big fan of the burgers, but for the price not bad. Plus, they at least have the chili/slaw option which is rare here in stupid VA (and 5G ignores the chili/slaw crowd).

The fries are surprisingly good for a place that cheap.

Agree on the bacon wrap. Great idea.
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I never get the fries. They kind of skimp on them. Bacon/chicken wrap >> 24 fries. Depending on location, sometimes they crammed those wraps with 3 nice sized tender pieces.

Like you said, the burgers aren't bad for the price. Add in grilled onions and most any burger will taste good.

 
The more I read this thread the more I realize I must be spoiled with all the great local food around here.

 
Wingnut said:
Yeah smoothies are a racket. They're so cheap to make and they rape you on the price. At home I can make 10 smoothies for about $10.
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You're paying for the eye candy at the smoothie place

 
Bucky86 said:
I might get a Father's Office Burger tonight. If I'm going to spend $10+ on a burger it might as well be great.
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Now we're talking. I was at the Culver City spot a few weeks ago. Had this great stout, can't remember the name. Got a seat outside right away too.

 
Wingnut said:
Yeah smoothies are a racket. They're so cheap to make and they rape you on the price. At home I can make 10 smoothies for about $10.
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I want to audit this. Post your recipe.

 
Politician Spock said:
17seconds said:
That looks like a good burger

Interior is a total smashburger clone though
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Smashburger just recently arrived in Central Ohio. Opened up right across the street from a five guys last month. The five guys is a like a ghost town now.
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It will die down. Tons of buzz around it in SoCal a couple years back, everyone tried it. Now nearly everyone will tell you it's an OK burger that's expensive. Kind of like 5G but a tier lower in quality if that's possible.

 
Aaron Rudnicki said:
Now Cleveland has better food options than NYC?
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i wouldn't say that, impossible to compete with much if anything on a coast....but we are very under rated. Could eat out every day for a year and barely make a dent. I'd put us up against just about any inland city.
 
Been a few months since I've had the chance to get back to In&Out in my travels but did they ever get bacon on the menu as an option?

I mean seriously,who the #### doesn't want bacon as an option?

And I'm sure we have a few here for sure since we have some that love ####ty/tasteless fries too.

 
tom22406 said:
Been a few months since I've had the chance to get back to In&Out in my travels but did they ever get bacon on the menu as an option?

I mean seriously,who the #### doesn't want bacon as an option?

And I'm sure we have a few here for sure since we have some that love ####ty/tasteless fries too.
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Californians. Too much salt in bacon. Salt is the most terrible thing that's ever happened to food, didn't you know?

 
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