After hearing loads of hype about Five Guys, I finally had an opportunity to give one a try. I like the concept, and I like the execution, but at the end of the day, it's still a fast food burger, and I think I may even prefer Wendy's (and for the folks in California, the only similarity to In-N-Out is the primary product - the hamburger - and the colour scheme - Five Guys doesn't even have a drive thru).
One thing that I like about Five Guys is how customizable the burgers are. The signs let you know which items the cooks can dress your burgers with. And they're also up-front with their vegetarian options, which include;
a) A veggie sandwich
b) A veggie sandwich with cheese
c) A grilled cheese sandwich.
And I still have no idea what the difference is between a veggie sandwich with cheese and the grilled cheese sandwich. Both apparently customizable with the same fixins as the meaty burgers. Five Guys doesn't offer a veggie patty. Sarah went with the grilled cheese sandwich, which is grilled on an inverted hamburger bun, with mayo slathered on the outsides in lieu of butter.
Fries are fresh, and made from real potatoes. They are delicious, but I wish you could order them in a smaller size.
And let's get to the actual burger. The patties are fairly thin - I recommend the double if you want to feel as if you're eating something of substance. The patties are apparently hand formed, but like all Canadian burgers, are well done and not especially juicy, but still provided that general burger eating thrill.
My one issue with the burger was that the processed cheese wasn't entirely melted. At my beloved In-N-Out, I can always rely on having melted cheese.
I will gladly return to Five Guys, but will never go out of the way to eat at one. Thankfully, this one is located just off of the highway.