Five Guys Burgers And Fries For The Win

[josh052980]

So I emailed Five Guys because there is a brand new one down the street from me, and everyone raves about their fries, and this is what they emailed back:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Josh,

Thank you for taking the time to write in to Five Guys, we appreciate you taking the time to do so. We have received your inquiry in regards to the presence of gluten in our products.

Currently, Five Guys DOES NOT offer a gluten free bun, as we have yet to find a bun we feel meets the flavor of our burger. However, I

[CarolinaKip]

  On 1/3/2012 at 11:09 PM, josh052980 said:

So I emailed Five Guys because there is a brand new one down the street from me, and everyone raves about their fries, and this is what they emailed back:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Josh,

Thank you for taking the time to write in to Five Guys, we appreciate you taking the time to do so. We have received your inquiry in regards to the presence of gluten in our products.

Currently, Five Guys DOES NOT offer a gluten free bun, as we have yet to find a bun we feel meets the flavor of our burger. However, I

[lovegrov]

The fries are also gluten-free and done in a dedicated fryer. At the 5 Guys I went to, when the supervisor heard me ordering gluten-free, he changed gloves and then made the burger for me in a safer area to lessen the chance of stray crumbs. All without me asking.

richard

[josh052980]

  On 1/4/2012 at 4:59 PM, lovegrov said:

The fries are also gluten-free and done in a dedicated fryer. At the 5 Guys I went to, when the supervisor heard me ordering gluten-free, he changed gloves and then made the burger for me in a safer area to lessen the chance of stray crumbs. All without me asking.

richard

Did you have to do anything besides order with no bun for him to know you wanted gluten free?

[joey1011]

  On 1/4/2012 at 6:31 PM, josh052980 said:

Did you have to do anything besides order with no bun for him to know you wanted gluten free?

I always ask them to change gloves. Usually they do it without my asking. Haven't been there in a while though as I'm cutting back on beef. Decent burger, but very greasy.

[lovegrov]

  On 1/4/2012 at 6:31 PM, josh052980 said:

Did you have to do anything besides order with no bun for him to know you wanted gluten free?

I think he took the order and I mentioned I didn't want the bun because I had to eat gluten free. He immediately knew what that meant and what to do to lessen the chance of CC.

richard

[Darn210]

We LOVE Five Guys . . . the first time we ordered and I said that my daughter needed a bunless burger, he asked if it was an allergy. We said yes (as the easy way to answer) and he yelled out "allergy" when he called back her order. They changed gloves. Now we just order "bunless because of an allergy".

Fries are fantastic but here is a hint . . . you don't need to order a serving of fries for each person. Me and my two kids can't finish one order of fries when we've all got a burger as well.

[modiddly16]

I agree. Five Guys is fantastic. I try not to eat there a lot because holy greasy deliciousness....but I've eaten there more times than I can count and never gotten sick!

[MrsVJW]

I've eaten Five Guys both during the gluten-filled days and the gluten-free days. They never had a problem changing gloves when I ask. Their setup does minimize the chances of cross-contamination - buns are heated in a different area than the meats, etc.

I do usually go for as plain of a burger as possible to help cut down on cross contamination (the more toppings you add, the more your chances of cross-contamination, obviously). Ours is close to home so I usually bring it home and put it on my own bun at home. Understandable that they cannot "fix" it for you with your own gluten-free bun if there are local ordanances against bringing in outside food into their prep area (I've heard tales of this).

I react to the most minor of cross contamination and I think only once have I had minor issues (I am a gluten allergy person, got a slight skin rash). I do also watch them while they make my food - if I've ever seen them do something and not been comfortable, they have always been quick to correct the problem or start over.

Last time my husband went and ordered (after a year, he's finally feeling *he* knows the rules well enough to order for me, lol) and they gave him a burger on a bun for me. Sigh. He said no, he needed a bunless one. They suggested taking the bun off the burger. He said no, I have a wheat allergy, I can't do that. They made me up a fresh one, sans bun.

[Katrala]

I ate at a Five Guys for the first time a few weeks ago - in Tampa, I believe.

The cashier rang up the bunless request / allergy and while I was watching the guy make it, I said to my husband, "I wonder if he'll know to change gloves?" He heard me and asked if it was an allergy. When I told him yes he looked at the cashier and said, "You have to TELL me when there's an allergy - it's not OK to just forget."

While that was all good and such, I just wasn't impressed with their other stuff like I had hoped I would be. It was so greasy and the fries were just "OK." I haven't had restaurant fries in so long that I was looking forward to it. They are only seasoned with salt (and not much at that.)

While having them as a gluten-free option is nice, I'd much rather have a burger and fries from home.

[AMBSneakySnack]

  On 1/3/2012 at 11:09 PM, josh052980 said:

So I emailed Five Guys because there is a brand new one down the street from me, and everyone raves about their fries, and this is what they emailed back:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Josh,

Thank you for taking the time to write in to Five Guys, we appreciate you taking the time to do so. We have received your inquiry in regards to the presence of gluten in our products.

Currently, Five Guys DOES NOT offer a gluten free bun, as we have yet to find a bun we feel meets the flavor of our burger. However, I

[MrsVJW]

They've got a good system in place without the bun. I, for one, am happy that they maintain that if they can't do it "right" by offering a gluten-free bun - They get their bread fresh, so they may not have a freezer set-up to stash gluten-free buns to take them out when needed (and it's hard to predict how much "fresh" gluten-free product you'd go thru). They'd need a different way to heat up the bun, and they currently handle all their buns on one single surface with one person manning that station. Couldn't use that same station, and if you had one dedicated grill for the gluten-free buns, that is a lot of real estate in the kitchen, it would either require another person OR you have one person doing both right next to each other... hello, cross-contamination city.

I'd rather be offered something that is 99% safe but somehow a little less than it's gluten-y counterpart than something that is less safe.

[Darn210]

I've seen/read (can't remember where, I'm getting old) where they get suggestions of things to add to their menu and they always turn it down. They do what they do and they do it well, why mess with success . . . that's my take away on their position and quite honestly, I'm good with that. When I walk in there, I know exactly what I'm going to find. For the record, my daughter would order it bun free anyway, she's lost the taste for hamburger and bread together. She says it soaks up all her ketchup

[pricklypear1971]

  On 1/19/2012 at 11:22 PM, Darn210 said:

I've seen/read (can't remember where, I'm getting old) where they get suggestions of things to add to their menu and they always turn it down. They do what they do and they do it well, why mess with success . . . that's my take away on their position and quite honestly, I'm good with that. When I walk in there, I know exactly what I'm going to find. For the record, my daughter would order it bun free anyway, she's lost the taste for hamburger and bread together. She says it soaks up all her ketchup

Sounds like me with In N Out.

And I so get the ketchup thing...my son slathers it in ketchup.

[healing123]

We experienced gluten big time at five guys. I think it depends on how sensitive you are and the training of the staff. We watched the glove change and called out allergy, however, in thinking back, we don't know what was put on the surface area before we came in. We like Five Guys, and hope it works for those who can tolerate. Please know, for those who have severe sensitivity, there are many variables that come into play. We asked the even changed the spatula, still a very bad reaction.

Thank you

[mboebel]

The one by me is very understanding - the cashier (I have seen her there more than once) has a family member with celiac so she really gets it. We've had very good luck at Five Guys & another local chain (Beef a Roo).

[lpellegr]

The spatula is the thing that keeps me from ordering their burgers - when they are done with the burger they slide it off the spatula onto the bun, and there's the point of contact between bun and spatula. But the fries are the only fast-food fries around that I feel safe with, and they are wonderful.

[kareng]

  On 5/27/2012 at 1:43 AM, lpellegr said:

The spatula is the thing that keeps me from ordering their burgers - when they are done with the burger they slide it off the spatula onto the bun, and there's the point of contact between bun and spatula. But the fries are the only fast-food fries around that I feel safe with, and they are wonderful.

I could never eat thier burgers and fries. Way too much food! I get the fries and eat peanuts, too! Then I don't have to worry that they may grill a bun for someone or get crumbs on a spatula.