Five Guys, Leeds.

Last Friday afternoon, I went to Leeds Trinity shopping centre to buy trousers. Afterwards, I started to feel peckish so thought about treating myself to an early tea but didn’t want anything too fancy. Burger King, McDonald’s and Nando’s didn’t appeal. Further down the road Five Guys was bustling so I popped inside for a look.

The name might not be familiar because Five Guys are a relatively new addition to the UK fast food market with just 46 locations. Their original restaurant was an instant hit with the locals when it opened thirty years ago in Arlington, Virginia. Expansion inevitably followed. Covent Garden in 2013 was their first UK store and the Leeds branch arrived in 2014.

Five Guys made a good first impression. Walking in, the restaurant was clean and spacious with a retro-feel red and white colour scheme. Stacked up potatoes complimented their fresh cooking regulations. A sign on the wall about their source offered a pleasant local touch, very similar to quality fish and chip shops. Positive publicity from both sides of the Atlantic adorned the walls and I hoped my meal would live up to the hype.

The gentleman at the till was enthusiastic, patient and guided me through the various burger customisation options. His customer service touches made a big difference. In general, all employees looked cheerful and motivated; that’s what happens when businesses pay their staff more than minimum wage.

I ordered a cheeseburger (£8) and little Cajun fries (£2.75). All toppings were free so I added ketchup, relish and barbeque sauce, two types of onions, lettuce and green peppers! Apparently there are over 25,000 combinations so definitely something for everyone. The waiting time was longer than lower-end fast food outlets but you can watch your meal being prepared with real care and attention as the sound system plays a worthy mix of genres.

Sitting down onto a comfy bench, I unwrapped what turned out to be a double cheeseburger and smelt an eruption of flavoursome goodness. This creation was messy, monstrous and magnificently satisfying. Compared to other so-called ‘gourmet’ burger chains it was on a totally different level. My ‘little’ portion of fries was extremely generous and the Cajun spice topping had a brilliant kick but possibly too much for some to handle.

Overall, Five Guys is a highly recommended fast food force to be reckoned with and will likely have continued success with new branches popping up at regular intervals. The pricing on paper will undoubtedly put some off but this is a classic example of paying a bit more and getting the quality to go with it. Everyone should try a Five Guys burger at least once and if you do, I’ll bet it won’t be your last visit.

Pros: Excellent customer service, atmosphere and food. Online pre-ordering is available.

Cons: Higher price than USA. No ‘meal deals’. Not suitable for people with peanut allergies. 

Five Guys
9/11 Duncan Street
Leeds
LS1 6DL
0113 245 5099