Beech Tree News Network

Warning, this will make you hungry. About two years ago, I was introduced to a new burger joint.  I was in Nashville for CMA Fest week.  We had gotten tired of festival food. I was taken to a place called Five Guys Burgers and Fries.  Remember the episode of How I Met Your Mother when the gang was looking for the best burger in New York? Marshall’s first burger in New York was so good but he never could find the place it came from.  That’s how I felt about this place. Each burger I had after that Nashville trip I was thinking, “If only I could get one of those burgers again”.

The first Five Guys location opened in Arlington, Virginia in 1986.  From ’86-’01, Five Guys opened five locations around the D.C.-metro area and perfected their business of making burgers.  They started to build a cult-like following.  In 2002, Five Guys decides that D.C.-metro area residents shouldn’t be the only ones to experience their burgers, and start to franchise in Virginia and Maryland.  In 2003, Five Guys sells out of franchise territory within 18 months and start to open the rest of the country for franchise rights.  From 2003-present, Five Guys expands to over 750 locations in over 40 states and 4 Canadian Provinces.

There are over 250,000 possible ways to order a burger at Five Guys.  My two favorites are 1) cheese, mustard and pickles and 2) burger with barbeque sauce.  They only use fresh ground beef.  Nothing is ever frozen at Five Guys. They use peanut oil and their menu is trans-fat free.

As you enter each location, awards they have won cover the walls. They’ve been rated in the ZAGAT survey from ’01-’11, Best Bargain (Cheap Eats) from ’00-’07, Best No-frills Burger (’07), Fine Dining of Hamburgers (The State, Colombia, S.C ’05) among many more.  If you’ve never been to a Five Guys location, it is an experience you will not soon forget.  Also, once you go, you will want to return again and again. The locations I’ve visited are 2020 West End in Nashville and 2600 Frederica Street in Owensboro.

Are you hungry yet?

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Hello, my name is Andy Sullivan. I received my bachelor’s degree in business from Mid-Continent University in May 2009. I began writing for Beech Tree News in July 2009.  I enjoy playing guitar, the occasional Wii game, writing, and listening to music. I write a sports blog that can be found at http://andy-sportshorts.blogspot.com   If you have a comment, feel free to leave it in the space below.