Video: Look Out In-N-Out—Five Guys Burgers and Fries Is in Town

It has a cult following much like and now North County has its first Five Guys Burgers and Fries. The popular burger chain just opened in the Grand Plaza shopping center on Las Posas Road in San Marcos. Lines have been out the door since opening day on Feb. 25, and no one seems to be going home disappointed.

“Just skip In-N-Out and come straight here,” said one fan. “There is absolutely no comparison!”

Five Guys first opened in 1986 in Arlington, VA, and claims there are 250,000 different ways to order one of their burgers. You will only get fresh ground beef and nothing is ever frozen. In fact, Five Guys locations don’t have freezers.

When it comes to building a burger, get creative. There are more than 14 different toppings to choose from (grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, jalapenos. etc.) and all of them are free. It’s a bit pricier than a typical burger joint. The standard size cheeseburger is $5.79 but comes with two hefty patties. The “little” one cost $4.29 and is still a generous portion. My eyes were bigger than my stomach, and I apparently bit off more than I could chew. Next time, I’ll go for the little guy!

The Cajun fries were out of this world—perfectly seasoned and not too spicy. I ordered a large ($4.99) to share with my family, and we ended up with two heaping cupfuls.

For the kiddos who aren’t burger lovers, Five Guys also offers hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches. 

The line was out the door when we arrived at 12:30 p.m. but no one seemed to mind, with free peanuts available to pass the time. About 25 minutes later, we were digging in, napkins in hand.

Count on a bit of a wait while the word gets out about this hot new place. If standing in line isn’t appetizing, consider ordering online. For more information, click here.

Five Guys is also moving into Encinitas and will soon be opening up in the old Daphne's Greek Cafe location near El Camino Real and Encinitas Boulevard.

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