Bites Nearby: Five Guys Burgers and Fries

We know: raving about a national burger chain in Skyway/Swenson’s country is tantamount to making fun of a guy’s girlfriend or mother. Fighting words. But there’s a reason why the Lorton, Virginia-based  has been successful. Their burgers and fries are fresh, consistent and flavorful.

Founded in 1986 by Jerry Murrell and his four sons (the original “Five Guys” in Five Guys), this burger stand is seriously no frills. The burgers and fresh-cut fries stand on their own, and come to you in a grease-soaked bag (grab the napkins).

Because that’s (almost) all they do, you get a thoroughly focused attempt at burger greatness. The ground beef patties taste like 80-20 and they’re cooked to order, so you never get a burger that sat under a heat lamp or on a bun warmer.

If you get behind a newbie, expect a couple-minute delay. Five Guys’ crack staff explains the options and 15 toppings and help you sort out how many people one of their generous orders of fries will serve.

They’ll also explain the “Little” burger (one patty) versus “Regular” burger (two patty), and emphasize that your burgers and hot dogs get garnished to order for no extra charge.

Oh yeah, we almost forgot. They’ve got a “veggie sandwich” and a “grilled cheese,” too. But, well, why bother? No seriously, if you’re traveling with a fussy eater, they’ll definitely scarf up and chow down. If you’re traveling with a vegetarian or vegan, we’d seriously consider taking a pass. 

Amazing burgers, fast and friendly service and free peanuts to nosh on while you wait. This is dude (and dudette) fast food at its level best. Now if they would just serve beer like their burrito contemporaries over at …