The boss of posh burger chain Five Guys has said the family-owned American group wants to double the number of UK restaurants in the next few years to 300.
Chief executive John Eckbert said the group, which counts former President Barack Obama and singer Adele among its fans, was only ‘halfway done’ with its UK expansion. It already has about 160 British sites.
Five Guys charges about £21 for a burger, milkshake and fries, making it significantly more expensive than rivals such as McDonald’s and Burger King. It also has a much smaller menu.
The firm was founded in 1986 in Virginia by the Murrell family, who still own the business. It opened its first UK branch in London’s Covent Garden in 2013.
Eckbert said the British business had ‘exceeded expectations’ and is now looking at opening sites in airports and train stations.
Posh: Five Guys charges about £21 for a burger, milkshake and fries, making it significantly more expensive than rivals such as McDonald’s and Burger King
It is also keen to open more drive-thrus after its first in Teesside ‘broke every record for first week sales’.
Though drive-thrus are an American phenomenon, the pandemic has underscored a desire for many Brits who feel ‘I’m not leaving my car for this meal’, Eckbert said.
The UK has ‘really embraced Five Guys’, he added, with popstar Adele stopping her concert at the O2 Arena in 2016 to declare her craving for one of its burgers.
New stores in Lincoln, Barton Mills in Suffolk and Bolton in Greater Manchester will open in October, with one opening at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet near Ellesmere Port in November.
#fiveDealsWidget .dealItemTitle#mobile {display:none} #fiveDealsWidget {display:block; float:left; clear:both; max-width:636px; margin:0; padding:0; line-height:120%; font-size:12px} #fiveDealsWidget div, #fiveDealsWidget a {margin:0; padding:0; line-height:120%; text-decoration: none; font-family:Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif} #fiveDealsWidget .widgetTitleBox {display:block; float:left; width:100%; background-color:#af1e1e; } #fiveDealsWidget .widgetTitle {color:#fff; text-transform: uppercase; font-size:18px; font-weight:bold; margin:6px 10px 4px 10px; } #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem {float:left; display:block; width:124px; margin-right:4px; margin-top:5px; background-color: #e3e3e3; min-height:200px;} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem#last {margin-right:0} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemTitle {display:block; margin:10px 5px; color:#000; font-weight:bold} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage, #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage img {float:left; display:block; margin:0; padding:0} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage {border:1px solid #ccc} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage img {width:100%; height:auto} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemdesc {float:left; display:block; color:#004db3; font-weight:bold; margin:5px;} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemRate {float:left; display:block; color:#000; margin:5px} #fiveDealsWidget .dealFooter {display:block; float:left; width:100%; margin-top:5px; background-color:#e3e3e3 } #fiveDealsWidget .footerText {font-size:10px; margin:10px 10px 10px 10px;} @media (max-width: 635px) { #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem {width:19%; margin-right:1%} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem#last {width:20%} } @media (max-width: 560px) { #fiveDealsWidget #desktop {display:none;} #fiveDealsWidget #mobile {display:block!important} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem {background-color: #fff; height:auto; min-height:auto} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem {border-bottom:1px solid #ececec; margin-bottom:5px; padding-bottom:10px} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem#last {border-bottom:0px solid #ececec; margin-bottom:5px; padding-bottom:0px} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem, #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem#last {width:100%} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemContent, #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage {float:left; display:inline-block} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage {width:35%; margin-right:1%} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemContent {width:63%} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemTitle {margin: 0px 5px 5px; font-size:16px} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemContent .dealItemdesc, #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemContent .dealItemRate {clear:both} }
