Five Guys Feels The Wrath As Customers Ask “Why So Expensive?”

Five Guys, the burger chain known for its fresh, customizable ingredients, is facing a growing chorus of complaints that culminate in one question being repeatedly asked: Why is Five Guys so expensive? And the gist of this is that customers are now rethinking their visits to the chain in spite of Five Guys signature double cheeseburgers and overflowing fries.

The crux of the issue lies in the significant price difference compared to traditional fast food chains (although that gap has been steadily closing). While a typical burger combo at McDonald’s might cost around $8-10, the same type order at Five Guys can easily reach $20 and up.

This jump is attributed to several factors as Five Guys likes to point out, they pride themselves on using fresh, never-frozen beef and a plethora of free toppings – then there’s the fries where even a “little” order can end up feeding multiple people.

Viral Posts Rage At Five Guys Prices

Not too long ago a poster on X went viral for uploading their $24 meal for one receipt that ultimately had the same sentiment: Why is Five Guys so expensive?

Now, the latest viral Reddit post asked the same question and were met with almost 4,000 comments on the matter:

Some notable mentions include:

• “They claim their ingredients are higher quality. I have eaten there a few times over the years and the burgers were indeed good, but they weren’t five times the price of an equivalent McDick’s burger good.”
• “Yeah. Five Guys seems to be about %50 more than McDonald’s or Wendy in the area. More, yes. But the quality difference I’d significant.”
• “The other fast food places are the ones that have skyrocketed their prices. To the point I’ll just put in the extra $5-7 for a Five Guys.”

Former and current Five Guys employees also weighed on the thread. Most of them referenced Five Guys usage of fresh, locally sourced ingredients, and larger portions to be the main reasons for the higher price points.

And of course, rising inflation has only exacerbated the situation, forcing budget-conscious consumers to seek out more affordable options which has led to consumers doing more grocery shopping, and cooking at home more frequently than in the past.

Five Guys isn’t the only fast-food chain grappling with customer concerns over affordability. The full gamut; McDonald’s Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Burger King… every single chain has been the target of disgruntled social media posts for a while now. It just so happens that industry-wide price increases are a reality, but Five Guys’ steeper price point makes them a larger glaring target. As a result, the negativity surrounding fast food chains seems to be at an all-time high.

In today’s economic climate, customers are demanding more bang for their buck, and fast food chains like Five Guys may need to find a way to deliver more of it…before it’s too late.