Exclusive: American Burger Chain Five Guys Likely To Open In Singapore
You heard it from 8 DAYS first. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
By Florence Fong
This has been a fabulous year for burger fans in Singapore. First, came New York-born "fine-casual" burger chain Shake Shack (incidentally, we were the first to break the news of the Shack's opening in Singapore, too) at Jewel Changi Airport in April. Later this month, London's Burger & Lobster will open its doors within the same lifestyle complex. And now, it seems that American burger chain Five Guys, a cult fave among burger fans, is likely to set up shop in Singapore as well. 8 DAYS was informed by a credible F&B industry source (who requested to remain anonymous), that the brand plans to open an outlet in Singapore as well as Malaysia in the last quarter of 2019. So this means somewhere between October to December. This will be Five Guys' second outlet in Asia — its first one opened in Hong Kong last November. We've reached out to a Five Guys PR rep for confirmation and are still waiting for a reply.
Five Guys' history
Five Guys' claim to fame is its "hand-crafted", hearty, sloppy, made-to-order burgers which are customisable with various toppings. Chances, are, you'd probably have eaten at Five Guys only if you've been to the US or UK. While the brand runs over 1,600 outlets in America, Europe and the Middle East (plus one in Hong Kong), most of its restaurants are confined to North America, with the next biggest market in the UK. And it is evidently now expanding its reach into Asia, starting with Hong Kong, and soon, Singapore and Malaysia.
The brand was founded in 1986 in Arlington, Virginia (near Washington DC), by Jerry Murrell and his four sons. Later on, when a fifth son was born, 'Five Guys' then represented each of the Murrell siblings. The company was fully family-run until 2003, when it started offering franchises. They still own and lead the company today.
What's in a Five Guys burger?
The signature beef burgers here all come with two patties, which are hand-formed and griddled (but you can also choose a single patty called a "small burger"). What's unique is that you can customise your burger with one or all of the 15 different toppings available, for free. If you're too lazy to decide, Five Guys suggests "all the way" toppings of mayonnaise, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, mushrooms, ketchup and mustard. Other topping options include jalapeños and steak sauce. Five Guys proudly claims an "ethos of no freezers, no microwaves and no timers" which has allowed them to "consistently deliver premium quality food that is made fresh right in front of you".
President Obama is a fan
Back in 2009, President Obama popped by a Five Guys outlet in Washington DC and ordered this for himself: a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, jalapeños, and mustard. He also bought burgers for his staff, and was reported to have spent about US$80 (SG$109) on the meal.
The first Five Guys branch in Asia opened in Nov 2018
It is located at 60 Johnston Road in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
We tried this Cheeseburger at the HK branch
Five Guys' Cheeseburger at its Hong Kong branch costs HK$85 (SG$14.75), which ain't cheap for a fast food — albeit slightly more upmarket — chain. But it does look like a larger, heartier, more homely and generously stuffed, ahem, Big Mac. In fact, to us, it tasted kinda like a more gourmet Big Mac too — the sesame studded buns were quite sturdy and aren't of the pillowy brioche or potato flour bun variety a la Shake Shack's. The beef (apparently a chilled, not frozen, chuck and sirloin mix), while flavourful, was slightly overcooked in our burger and not the juiciest. Thankfully, the fixings like the sauces, pickles and grilled onions made it quite tasty overall. Maybe the cooking is inconsistent at the HK branch — we've heard from our friends that the Five Guys burgers in the States fare much better.
The Cheeseburger
You can choose to have this with or without bacon.
Special fries
What Five Guys is also known for besides its burgers, is its fries. They're far chunkier than the usual fast food shoestring variety and are mostly made from spuds in Idaho that are grown north of the 42nd parallel — apparently because that area produces superior potatoes. Indeed, the fries which we tried at the HK branch (HK$55; SG$9.50) were delicious: crispy on the outside, fluffy within and fresh tasting. They come simply salted or tossed with Cajun spices.
Free peanuts
Another distinctive trait of each Five Guys outlet: customers get to enjoy complimentary free-flow, extra large roasted in-shell peanuts, while waiting for their burgers. The catch? No tapow please, you're only allowed to snack on 'em in-store.
Hotdogs
Besides burgers, Five Guys also serves hotdogs, including a cheese and bacon one.
Veggie & Cheese Sandwiches
There are a handful of sarnies on offer as well, such as a Grilled Cheese (above) and Veggie Sandwich.
Milkshakes loaded with everything but the kitchen sink
For sweets, there are "handspun" vanilla milkshakes, with as much free mix-ins as you choose, like bananas, cherries, chocolate, peanut butter — and even bacon.
Photos: @fiveguysqatar, Instagram, @fiveguysuae, Instagram, @fiveguysbe, Instagram, @fiveguysuk, Instagram, @fiveguys_bahrain, Instagram, @FiveGuys, Twitter, Five Guys, Facebook, Yip Jieying, Florence Fong
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