Five Guys founder explains why he tells staff to give customers so many fries with every order
Topics: Food and Drink
Ella Scott
Featured Image Credit: Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Instagram/@fiveguys
Topics: Food and Drink
Five Guys may have initially found fame with its handcrafted, made-to-order burgers, but die-hard fans know it’s the company’s fries that put them head and shoulders above the competition.
Unlike other fast-food joints, Five Guys elect to use peanut oil to fry their double-cooked fries fresh onsite.
The result is a signature melt-in-the-mouth fry with a buttery texture served boardwalk-style - better than those overcooked, crispy fries or soggy pommes frites, right?
Another thing Five Guys has going for it is its massive portions.
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Sometimes you’ll receive so many peanut oil-fried potatoes in your grab-and-go back that you’ll be forced to sit back from your takeaway and admit defeat.
But did you know that is intentional?
In 2022, one of Five Guys founder Jerry Murrell’s sons admitted that customers receiving supersize fries portions aren’t a fluke - it’s a conscious business decision.
Speaking about their signature fries, Chad Murrell said: “Peanut oil is a healthier oil. Lots of people prefer to use hydrogenated oils for a crisper fry, but we want that melt-in-your-mouth buttery taste that non-hydrogenated oil offers.
"There are no trans fats or preservatives, and it's the purest oil available. Since fries are all we cook in it, nothing touches our oil except for potatoes and our fry baskets.”
The fries are served in a 24-ounce cup, much larger than those on offer at fast food competitors, and staff aren’t shy about packing the containers to the brim, even chucking in an extra scoop just for good measure.
“I won't name names, but other restaurants just don't give a satisfying amount of fries,” Chad told Food Republic.
“We always give an extra scoop. I say load 'em up and make sure they get their money's worth."
Chad went on to explain that if customers of the Virginia-based fast-food chain aren’t disgruntled by how many fries they have to get through then they’re not getting enough.
"[Some] people complain that they get too many fries. I just tell them to make hash browns with the leftovers. I teach my managers that if people aren't complaining, then you're not giving them enough."
And did you know there's a secret behind how the fries are prepared, too?
The chain refuses to use dehydrated frozen fries, like some of its competitors, to ensure they don’t absorb oil and go greasy during the cooking process.
“We actually soak our fries in water,” Murrell told inc.com.
“When we pre-fry them, the water boils, forcing steam out of the fry, and a seal is formed so that when they get fried a second time, they don't absorb any oil - and they're not greasy.”