Five Guys thread, a 130+ page swordfight. (5 Viewers)

[pollardsvision]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

[B Maverick]

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.

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.

Where are people paying $8-$10 for self serve yogurt? My wife pays approx $4 and loads that cup up. I actually find it would be difficult to load it up so you spend $10 on a single cup. Not talking about being able to eat that much, just being able to fill a cup that much. We have two different chains here and both are thriving and new ones are constantly opening. Been open a couple years too and I have not seen one close or go for sale. But thats just in SoCal so obviously your area is different.

 

[17seconds]

Just walked by the local Five Guys. Completely empty at 6:30pm. Not a soul in the place. People behind the counter just stared at me walking by. About 40 people in the Chipotle right next door.

I have never seen less than 30 people at an In N Out

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Gimme a litre o' cola...

 

[17seconds]

Is this a good time to bring up how bad California Pizza Kitchen sucks?

Yeah, it's horrible. There was a time it wasn't as bad as it is now but that was long ago. It kind of went the Baja Fresh route to crapville. Baja Fresh used to be awesome when there were only 5 of them. Inedible now.

Baja Fresh has the best chain burrito you can buy. Diablo chicken with the hot red salsa from the salsa bar. I've never ordered anything else there because after I had that I was in love. I go once a week. Chipotle can shove it - too salty.

 

[B Maverick]

Just walked by the local Five Guys. Completely empty at 6:30pm. Not a soul in the place. People behind the counter just stared at me walking by. About 40 people in the Chipotle right next door.

I have never seen less than 30 people at an In N Out

True for me too. maybe because its new here but I have never seen more then 4 people at 5G

 

[Keerock]

Just opened 2 miles from my house.

ETA: 7 Days without HaloBurger makes one weak

 

[B Maverick]

Is this a good time to bring up how bad California Pizza Kitchen sucks?

Yeah, it's horrible. There was a time it wasn't as bad as it is now but that was long ago. It kind of went the Baja Fresh route to crapville. Baja Fresh used to be awesome when there were only 5 of them. Inedible now.

Baja Fresh has the best chain burrito you can buy. Diablo chicken with the hot red salsa from the salsa bar. I've never ordered anything else there because after I had that I was in love. I go once a week.

Never been a fan but Baja Fresh seems to be closing their locations near me (OC).

 

[avoiding injuries]

Is this a good time to bring up how bad California Pizza Kitchen sucks?

Yeah, it's horrible. There was a time it wasn't as bad as it is now but that was long ago. It kind of went the Baja Fresh route to crapville. Baja Fresh used to be awesome when there were only 5 of them. Inedible now.

Baja Fresh has the best chain burrito you can buy. Diablo chicken with the hot red salsa from the salsa bar. I've never ordered anything else there because after I had that I was in love. I go once a week.

Never been a fan but Baja Fresh seems to be closing their locations near me (OC).

Same here. They had a really good shrimp burrito, but it wasn't on the menu. It also cost close to $10.

 

[Keerock]

Is this a good time to bring up how bad California Pizza Kitchen sucks?

Yeah, it's horrible. There was a time it wasn't as bad as it is now but that was long ago. It kind of went the Baja Fresh route to crapville. Baja Fresh used to be awesome when there were only 5 of them. Inedible now.

Baja Fresh has the best chain burrito you can buy. Diablo chicken with the hot red salsa from the salsa bar. I've never ordered anything else there because after I had that I was in love. I go once a week.

Never been a fan but Baja Fresh seems to be closing their locations near me (OC).

Same here. They had a really good shrimp burrito, but it wasn't on the menu. It also cost close to $10.

Salsa bar was awesome, but the food quality went downhill fast.

 

[pollardsvision]

Speaking of women driven fads, anybody have a Tropical Smoothie Cafe open up recently?

Basically, sandwiches and smooties.

I assume it's get women that want to fool themselves into thinking it's somehow healthy to opt for a 30 ounce cup of fruit flavored sugar and some fancy sounding supplements.

 

[Nipsey]

Is this a good time to bring up how bad California Pizza Kitchen sucks?

Yeah, it's horrible. There was a time it wasn't as bad as it is now but that was long ago. It kind of went the Baja Fresh route to crapville. Baja Fresh used to be awesome when there were only 5 of them. Inedible now.

Baja Fresh has the best chain burrito you can buy. Diablo chicken with the hot red salsa from the salsa bar. I've never ordered anything else there because after I had that I was in love. I go once a week. Chipotle can shove it - too salty.

Baja Fresh's quality of ingredients went in the toilet. Death by 1000 cuts. It's a (taco) shell of what it once was.

 

[B Maverick]

Speaking of women driven fads, anybody have a Tropical Smoothie Cafe open up recently?

Basically, sandwiches and smooties.

I assume it's get women that want to fool themselves into thinking it's somehow healthy to opt for a 30 ounce cup of fruit flavored sugar and some fancy sounding supplements.

not around here, but the smoothie market is pretty saturated here. I would be surprised if any new chains tried to open. Looked on their website and under locations CA isnt in the drop down.

 

[Nipsey]

Just walked by the local Five Guys. Completely empty at 6:30pm. Not a soul in the place. People behind the counter just stared at me walking by. About 40 people in the Chipotle right next door.

I have never seen less than 30 people at an In N Out

Drove by the one on Venice last year and only saw about 6-7 cars in the drive thru line at about 3:30pm. Had to stop and get it even though I wasn't hungry because I'd never have a shot at that small a line again.

 

[Pipes]

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.

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.

Where are people paying $8-$10 for self serve yogurt? My wife pays approx $4 and loads that cup up. I actually find it would be difficult to load it up so you spend $10 on a single cup. Not talking about being able to eat that much, just being able to fill a cup that much. We have two different chains here and both are thriving and new ones are constantly opening. Been open a couple years too and I have not seen one close or go for sale. But thats just in SoCal so obviously your area is different.

In WI we have Orange Leafs and Cherry Berry's (same place really) and you end up paying $6-$7 for a medium size cup filled up with stuff. I avoid those places like the plague with the kids because they load their bowls full of gummy worms and that garbage. I can't imagine getting out of a place like that for $4 a cup. I'm surprised it's that much cheaper in So Cal.

 

[Tau837]

I know we are all about FF in here but I had some really good grits at a place in San Clemente called Iva Lee's. It's remarkable because 1) It is a rare thing to find good grits in California and 2) Well prepared grits are a thing of sublime beauty.

Sorry had to get that off my chest like a post Arby's dump.

Would appreciate recommendations on any good grits in San Diego. As a native of NC, I like them, but they are one of my wife's favorite foods.

There is a place in Solana Beach called Crush that occasionally has a wonderful creamy polenta on the menu but I am not sure where in SD you would go for grits.

San Clemente isn't that far north and Iva Lee's is a really good date place for you and the wife.

Mind you these weren't the 'best grits ever' or anything but they were really good, and probably better because they are hard to find out here.

Thanks, GB. My wife is disabled, and we will be in transition (temporary living, etc.) for a while, which is difficult for her, but once the dust settles, I will plan to take her there and check it out.

 

[avoiding injuries]

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.

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.

Where are people paying $8-$10 for self serve yogurt? My wife pays approx $4 and loads that cup up. I actually find it would be difficult to load it up so you spend $10 on a single cup. Not talking about being able to eat that much, just being able to fill a cup that much. We have two different chains here and both are thriving and new ones are constantly opening. Been open a couple years too and I have not seen one close or go for sale. But thats just in SoCal so obviously your area is different.

In WI we have Orange Leafs and Cherry Berry's (same place really) and you end up paying $6-$7 for a medium size cup filled up with stuff. I avoid those places like the plague with the kids because they load their bowls full of gummy worms and that garbage. I can't imagine getting out of a place like that for $4 a cup. I'm surprised it's that much cheaper in So Cal.

We have Sweet Frog around here. It's about $6 for me and my daughter. Nothing too extravagant, but a good amount of yogurt and toppings in the smaller of the two sizes they have. I saw a teenager fill the large cup up to a point where it wouldn't even be possible to add another sprinkle. His cost was just over $8.

 

[Tau837]

I know we are all about FF in here but I had some really good grits at a place in San Clemente called Iva Lee's. It's remarkable because 1) It is a rare thing to find good grits in California and 2) Well prepared grits are a thing of sublime beauty.

Sorry had to get that off my chest like a post Arby's dump.

Would appreciate recommendations on any good grits in San Diego. As a native of NC, I like them, but they are one of my wife's favorite foods.

When you find some, let me know.

Go for the grits, stay for the biscuits and gravy, go back for the chicken and waffles.

It's my fattest friend in SD's favorite place.

Cool. I'm willing to try anyplace at least once.

 

[B Maverick]

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.

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.

Where are people paying $8-$10 for self serve yogurt? My wife pays approx $4 and loads that cup up. I actually find it would be difficult to load it up so you spend $10 on a single cup. Not talking about being able to eat that much, just being able to fill a cup that much. We have two different chains here and both are thriving and new ones are constantly opening. Been open a couple years too and I have not seen one close or go for sale. But thats just in SoCal so obviously your area is different.

In WI we have Orange Leafs and Cherry Berry's (same place really) and you end up paying $6-$7 for a medium size cup filled up with stuff. I avoid those places like the plague with the kids because they load their bowls full of gummy worms and that garbage. I can't imagine getting out of a place like that for $4 a cup. I'm surprised it's that much cheaper in So Cal.

We have Sweet Frog around here. It's about $6 for me and my daughter. Nothing too extravagant, but a good amount of yogurt and toppings in the smaller of the two sizes they have.I saw a teenager fill the large cup up to a point where it wouldn't even be possible to add another sprinkle. His cost was just over $8.

Thats crazy. We have Yogurtland and Cherry on Top and for three of us are paying approx $12. Of course I don't overfill but my wife and 5 year old daughter go crazy. Mostly yogurt and no really heavy toppings like gummy worms but they do go for the cookie dough, hot fudge, choc chips, m&ms, etc

 

[17seconds]

Just walked by the local Five Guys. Completely empty at 6:30pm. Not a soul in the place. People behind the counter just stared at me walking by. About 40 people in the Chipotle right next door.

I have never seen less than 30 people at an In N Out

Drove by the one on Venice last year and only saw about 6-7 cars in the drive thru line at about 3:30pm. Had to stop and get it even though I wasn't hungry because I'd never have a shot at that small a line again.

And after you got in line I bet it took less than 5 minutes to get your food (with a smile).

 

[Nipsey]

Just walked by the local Five Guys. Completely empty at 6:30pm. Not a soul in the place. People behind the counter just stared at me walking by. About 40 people in the Chipotle right next door.

I have never seen less than 30 people at an In N Out

Drove by the one on Venice last year and only saw about 6-7 cars in the drive thru line at about 3:30pm. Had to stop and get it even though I wasn't hungry because I'd never have a shot at that small a line again.

And after you got in line I bet it took less than 5 minutes to get your food (with a smile).

They don't call it In & out for nothing.

 

[Politician Spock]

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.

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.

Where are people paying $8-$10 for self serve yogurt? My wife pays approx $4 and loads that cup up. I actually find it would be difficult to load it up so you spend $10 on a single cup. Not talking about being able to eat that much, just being able to fill a cup that much. We have two different chains here and both are thriving and new ones are constantly opening. Been open a couple years too and I have not seen one close or go for sale. But thats just in SoCal so obviously your area is different.

In WI we have Orange Leafs and Cherry Berry's (same place really) and you end up paying $6-$7 for a medium size cup filled up with stuff. I avoid those places like the plague with the kids because they load their bowls full of gummy worms and that garbage. I can't imagine getting out of a place like that for $4 a cup. I'm surprised it's that much cheaper in So Cal.

We have Sweet Frog around here. It's about $6 for me and my daughter. Nothing too extravagant, but a good amount of yogurt and toppings in the smaller of the two sizes they have.I saw a teenager fill the large cup up to a point where it wouldn't even be possible to add another sprinkle. His cost was just over $8.

Yep. Here in Ohio, we've got the Orange Leafs, the Cherry Berries, the Sweet Frogs, the Menchies, and even local mom and pop brands that are now in numerous locations around here. Five years ago there wasn't even one frozen yogurt business open here in Central Ohio. There's over 30 now.

I think frozen yogurt never really disappeared in California. In the early 90's TCBY had around 3,000 locations and they were all over Ohio. But after the frozen yogurt industry crashed in the 90's TCBY completely disappeared here. Looks like they droped to around 300 locations focused in states like Califorina and New York.

Then Pinkberry and Red Mango arrived in 2005 with the new "Tart" frozen yogurt and focused on area's TCBY was still surviving in. Then Yogurtland invented the self serve model to compete with Pinkberry and Red Mango, which resulted in a huge number of entrepreneurs copying Yogurtland's self serve model. Orange Leaf, Cherry Berry, Sweet Frog, Menchies, Tutti Frutti, Peachwave, 16 Handles, Yogurt City, etc, etc... are all just Yogurtland copycats.

It's the self serve model that revived interest in frozen yogurt in the midwest again. I say that because the self serve's here rarely sell any "tart" flavors. They're selling the flavors that are pumped full of sugar/HFCS to make it taste like ice cream like TCBY used to sell here. Pinkberry and Red Mango and their tart products don't seem to have much presence in the midwest at all.

As the fad of "self serve" wears off in the midwest, these stores are closing left and right. Around a dozen have already closed and a dozen more are for sale here in Central Ohio. It could fall to zero stores, where it was in 2009. The midwest doesn't care for yogurt. We're fatties who like ice cream loaded with high butterfat content.

 

[5-ish Finkle]

And after you got in line I bet it took less than 5 minutes to get your food (with a smile).

And a Jack Chick tract stuffed into the bottom of your fries.

 

[B Maverick]

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.

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.

Where are people paying $8-$10 for self serve yogurt? My wife pays approx $4 and loads that cup up. I actually find it would be difficult to load it up so you spend $10 on a single cup. Not talking about being able to eat that much, just being able to fill a cup that much. We have two different chains here and both are thriving and new ones are constantly opening. Been open a couple years too and I have not seen one close or go for sale. But thats just in SoCal so obviously your area is different.

In WI we have Orange Leafs and Cherry Berry's (same place really) and you end up paying $6-$7 for a medium size cup filled up with stuff. I avoid those places like the plague with the kids because they load their bowls full of gummy worms and that garbage. I can't imagine getting out of a place like that for $4 a cup. I'm surprised it's that much cheaper in So Cal.

We have Sweet Frog around here. It's about $6 for me and my daughter. Nothing too extravagant, but a good amount of yogurt and toppings in the smaller of the two sizes they have.I saw a teenager fill the large cup up to a point where it wouldn't even be possible to add another sprinkle. His cost was just over $8.

Yep. Here in Ohio, we've got the Orange Leafs, the Cherry Berries, the Sweet Frogs, the Menchies, and even local mom and pop brands that are now in numerous locations around here. Five years ago there wasn't even one frozen yogurt business open here in Central Ohio. There's over 30 now.

I think frozen yogurt never really disappeared in California. In the early 90's TCBY had around 3,000 locations and they were all over Ohio. But after the frozen yogurt industry crashed in the 90's TCBY completely disappeared here. Looks like they droped to around 300 locations focused in states like Califorina and New York.

Then Pinkberry and Red Mango arrived in 2005 with the new "Tart" frozen yogurt and focused on area's TCBY was still surviving in. Then Yogurtland invented the self serve model to compete with Pinkberry and Red Mango, which resulted in a huge number of entrepreneurs copying Yogurtland's self serve model. Orange Leaf, Cherry Berry, Sweet Frog, Menchies, Tutti Frutti, Peachwave, 16 Handles, Yogurt City, etc, etc... are all just Yogurtland copycats.

It's the self serve model that revived interest in frozen yogurt in the midwest again. I say that because the self serve's here rarely sell any "tart" flavors. They're selling the flavors that are pumped full of sugar/HFCS to make it taste like ice cream like TCBY used to sell here. Pinkberry and Red Mango and their tart products don't seem to have much presence in the midwest at all.

As the fad of "self serve" wears off in the midwest, these stores are closing left and right. Around a dozen have already closed and a dozen more are for sale here in Central Ohio. It could fall to zero stores, where it was in 2009. The midwest doesn't care for yogurt. We're fatties who like ice cream loaded with high butterfat content.

We had TCBY and Golden Spoon for along time. Pinkberry and Tutti Fruiti tried but once Yogurtland exploded on the scene the others are losing out. See Golden Spoon locations closing all over. Yogurtland constantly has people coming in. I like it ok. Still not Baskin Robins good but good enough for the occasional treat.

 

[Koya]

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.

 

[Sarnoff]

Just FYI, according to Excel, at yesterday's posting pace in this thread, and the GMTAN posts per day average since its creation, this thread will have more posts than GMTAN by early on the morning of 10/31/2043.

 

[Politician Spock]

Just FYI, according to Excel, at yesterday's posting pace in this thread, and the GMTAN posts per day average since its creation, this thread will have more posts than GMTAN by early on the morning of 10/31/2043.

And Five Guys will still suck.

 

[Chaka]

Gimme a litre o' cola...

Want me to punchasize your face, for free?

 

[tom22406]

News flash:

In & Out fries still are the suck!

Too bad because they have a decent burger but someone forgot to even ask how to prepare them correctly.

WOW!!!!LOOK AT THEM CUTTING UP THOSE FRESH POTATOES!!!!!

THEY HAVE TO TASTE GREAT!!!!!

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Dried horse meat (just a bit) as well as a bite of smoked reindeer and bear pate for me today.

All better than 5 guys

(I'm in Helsinki)

BY ALL MEANS DONT POST A PIC

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

how's the cruise going Bender? does it suck getting on the boat at 4pm every day or whatever?

 

[fantasycurse42]

Gimme a litre o' cola...

Want me to punchasize your face, for free?

Don't spit in that cops burger...

Amazing scene!!

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6753fb4e41/super-troopers-liter-of-cola

 

[Henry Ford]

Just FYI, according to Excel, at yesterday's posting pace in this thread, and the GMTAN posts per day average since its creation, this thread will have more posts than GMTAN by early on the morning of 10/31/2043.

Also according to Excel, Sarnoff has too much ####ing time on his hands.

 

[B Maverick]

ahhhhh, just enjoyed a nice in -n- out burger, fries and a coke. Delicious!

 

[Gr00vus]

Just FYI, according to Excel, at yesterday's posting pace in this thread, and the GMTAN posts per day average since its creation, this thread will have more posts than GMTAN by early on the morning of 10/31/2043.

Also according to Excel, Sarnoff has too much ####ing time on his hands.

Besides, I thought the GMTAN is supposed to become self aware some time in 2034 and take over the planet.

 

[Steve Tasker]

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.

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.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Meanwhile, the new Dairy Queen on 14th Street had a line out the door... Must have been 150 people on that line.

 

[Drifter]

Just walked by the local Five Guys. Completely empty at 6:30pm. Not a soul in the place. People behind the counter just stared at me walking by. About 40 people in the Chipotle right next door.

I have never seen less than 30 people at an In N Out

Drove by the one on Venice last year and only saw about 6-7 cars in the drive thru line at about 3:30pm. Had to stop and get it even though I wasn't hungry because I'd never have a shot at that small a line again.

That's just SoCal though. Phoenix and Vegas locations, while consistently busy, never have the same type of lines that the LA stores do.

 

[Politician Spock]

Meanwhile, the new Dairy Queen on 14th Street had a line out the door... Must have been 150 people on that line.

You should take a picture. Probably never happen again.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Meanwhile, the new Dairy Queen on 14th Street had a line out the door... Must have been 150 people on that line.

You should take a picture. Probably never happen again.

I said that to a coworker... This place will be a ghost town in 3 months...

BTW, completely forgot - The new Dairy Queen is right next door to Five Guys!!!

 

[pollardsvision]

Meanwhile, the new Dairy Queen on 14th Street had a line out the door... Must have been 150 people on that line.

You should take a picture. Probably never happen again.

I said that to a coworker... This place will be a ghost town in 3 months...

BTW, completely forgot - The new Dairy Queen is right next door to Five Guys!!!

Were the people in line holding an 8 pound sack of french fries? Maybe the 5G crowd was just stopping by to get blizzard because 5G won't give'em a milkshake.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

ahhhhh, just enjoyed a nice in -n- out burner, fries and a coke. Delicious!

they sell burners now too? should help out the Barksdale crew.

 

[B Maverick]

ahhhhh, just enjoyed a nice in -n- out burger, fries and a coke. Delicious!

they sell burners now too? should help out the Barksdale crew.

fixed

 

[Henry Ford]

ahhhhh, just enjoyed a nice in -n- out burner, fries and a coke. Delicious!

they sell burners now too? should help out the Barksdale crew.

They have to, so you can take your burger home and cook it the way you like it.

 

[B Maverick]

ahhhhh, just enjoyed a nice in -n- out burner, fries and a coke. Delicious!

they sell burners now too? should help out the Barksdale crew.

They have to, so you can take your burger home and cook it the way you like it.

was waiting for the comment on the burner for the fries.

(i work in the boiler industry so it came out burner not burger)

 

[Koya]

ahhhhh, just enjoyed a nice in -n- out burner, fries and a coke. Delicious!

they sell burners now too? should help out the Barksdale crew.

They have to, so you can take your burger home and cook it the way you like it.

was waiting for the comment on the burner for the fries. (i work in the boiler industry so it came out burner not burger)

What role in the industry? My dad's in the boiler biz as well, though they do far more in baseboard

 

[B Maverick]

ahhhhh, just enjoyed a nice in -n- out burner, fries and a coke. Delicious!

they sell burners now too? should help out the Barksdale crew.

They have to, so you can take your burger home and cook it the way you like it.

was waiting for the comment on the burner for the fries. (i work in the boiler industry so it came out burner not burger)

What role in the industry? My dad's in the boiler biz as well, though they do far more in baseboard

Mfr Rep for a couple commercial boiler lines.

do sales, service, installs, etc...

 

[Wingnut]

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/

 

[17seconds]

That looks like a good burger

Interior is a total smashburger clone though

 

[Politician Spock]

That looks like a good burger

Interior is a total smashburger clone though

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.