Will Five Guys overtake In-N-Out? They’re making their move on the west coast:
Like In-N-Out, Five Guys’ menu is focused on single and double hamburgers and cheeseburgers, along with hand-cut fries. And like In-N-Out, Five Guys restaurants are red and white, with perky employees in red-and-white uniforms.
And Five Guys is coming on strong.
The privately held chain, which has 770 locations in the U.S. and Canada, began moving into California two years ago with a handful of shops in Orange County and the Inland Empire.
Now there are 27 locations in the state, but Five Guys has sold the rights to open 200 more in Southern California alone — nearly double the number operated here by In-N-Out. Next up is a Culver City location, set to open in mid-April.
But to really make inroads here, Five Guys will have to get past a major hurdle: the intense loyalty of In-N-Out customers.
Yes, both chains focus on burgers and have red-and-white decor, but Five Guys does not have perky employees — at least not with In ‘N’ Out’s remarkable consistency.
By the way, perky correlates shockingly well with middle-class — in the same way that sullen correlates with not middle-class.
I mentioned to my brother that I found Five Guys’ burgers better than In-N-Out and he replied that he thought that Mexican food chain Del Taco made better burgers than In-N-Out. I was skeptical at first but then I tried a Del Taco burger and it was better.
I refuse to believe that Del Taco sells a high-quality burger.
This is one of those cases where the cost of empirically verifying something for yourself is only about $2.99 (plus applicable local taxes). I was dubious at first since the idea of getting a good burger at a Mexican fast food chain is counterintuitive but my experience speaks for itself. YMMV.
Well, at this point it would be $2.99 plus sales tax and airfare. So, I might have to send my minions to gather intelligence for me.
1. I endorse your Del Taco sentiments
2. I’ll be in LA in a week and some. I’ll run your errands for you.
I fear I ask too much of my loyal subjects. Godspeed, Aretae!