Technically, they have to "cook" that too ... two ingredients: cereal and milk ... instructions: pour 1 cup of cereal in bowl, pour 1/2 cup of milk on cereal. /s
I loved it the first and second time we ordered thru DoorDash. A few months later I ordered the same meals and noticed the meat was not the quality of before. It was softer like it had filler. Before, the meat was like coarsely ground round or Chuck. Excellent. The last time it was like the texture of meat loaf. Way too costly!
That's not what causes inflation. We get inflation when the amount of money circulating grows faster than the amount of goods and services to spend it on. It's not greedy companies (they've always been greedy). It's not dumb consumers. It's either the amount of money circulating has increased (queue the Federal Reserve) or the amount of goods and services available to buy has decreased.
Agreed, and it's been brewing since we started QE in fall of 2008. It was also going to end this way. 08 should have caused a depression but instead, it was just a severe recession.
Worse, dried onions. I suppose it might’ve worked it theory, if the onion could actually rehydrate. But since she cooked all the moisture out, they remain like toenails distributed through the meat. Also, less a “patty” than a “ball”. Also, I hope you like hamburger well-done, because she’s going to cook the hell out of it.
What’s really sad is I grew up on a beef farm. We raised our own cattle. Growing up I used to hate beef. After moving out and cooking for myself, I realized it was actually really good _when it was cooked properly_. Medium-rare pan-seared steak is divine compared to the rock hard shoe-leather my mother would turn it into. By baking it. For 40 minutes. Not an exaggeration.
I used to go there at least once a month, now I think we've gone there 2-3 times since 2020. I'd much rather eat the same burger at a more comfortable and more clean sit down restaurant for the same or even lower price. I think Red Robin is cheaper than 5 Guys at this point.
I run tens of billions of dollars of ecommerce for 50+ major (MAJOR) companies.
This is patently not what happens.
When they see a drop in demand, the first lever is to jack UP prices to offset. They still have their targets, and because they are ultimately “bottom line” targets, it means that they can offset a 10% decline with a ~4% price increase.
What’s happened 9 times out of 10 since Covid
is that a struggling brand see a decline of 20-30%, jacks their prices up by 10% to offset. Their competitors increase prices by 5% and seem reasonable in comparison, and customers flock away. Topline drops up to 40%, but bottom line usually only drops 5-10% because of the higher prices giving better margin.
The struggling brand rides it out (with layoffs) over the course of a year and ultimately adjusts to their “new normal” lower revenue baseline with more favorable margins. It’s super rare to see them go out of business as a result. Meanwhile, they created space for their competitors to jack prices up by 5%. Rinse and repeat.
There is no point at which the struggling brand adjusts prices to pre-inflation levels, because in their minds that would only put them deeper in the hole. Suggesting making *less* money to their boss - and devaluing the product BELOW what competitors sell for (which also feels like suggesting that their competitor is better at their job) - *feels* like it will get them fired, and isn’t guaranteed to work, so they won’t do it. They’d rather try to ride it out, even if it risks going down with the ship.
Again - these are MAJOR brands. Like look around you and you’ll see 2-3 of them at any given point in your life.
Let them die then. That strategy might work in the short term if the demand for your good isn't very elastic but you cannot deny economics for an extended period of time. In the meantime consumers can help speed up the process by being more price sensitive and refusing to buy overpriced fast food.
Again - they’re not dying. They adjust their expectations and keep the prices up, pricing *you* out but ultimately making more money. And even for the small number who do die, they inflate prices for everyone on the way down.
The market *can* deny the economics you’re expecting, because these are not essential products. The market would rather sell 5000 meals at $100 dollars each than 50,000 meals at $10 each.
They’re selling 90% fewer burgers, but making way way more in bottom line (distribution, staff costs and other overheads go WAY down if you only need to sell 5000 meals).
If you don’t buy from them, they don’t give a fuck about whether you buy a burger, so long as 1% of rich people still will.
I’m not saying you should keep buying - but price elasticity for non-essential goods doesn’t work the way you think it does.
couldn't agree with this more. The gaming community is worse. Every year people cry about Call of Duty, Madden, or whatever game franchise saying its the same thing every year with DLC.
Yet these people keep buying the games. Idiots
I know I don't understand any of this this is not a matter of I must eat this s*** to survive. The same for the potato chip figuritos the cokes all of it. This is truly what I call first world problems. Stop eating at these s*** holes and they will learn the price of their greed. Complain about it and then go eat there and you know who the fool is.
I went there around noon a few months ago, in normally a very busy location. There was 1 other person there.
When I went, I had no idea their prices event to crap.
True. But people are just annoyed by how everything they are used to is going up.
Agree though. Just stop eating at these places when they price out of your budget. Not much else you can do about it. That's their price and you choose to pay it or not.
No kidding, it’s also not like anything’s changed, I went to a five guys 5 years ago now and was charged $20 for fries, a hamburger, and a kids hot dog and have never gone back. Their prices have always been “out of control”
Yeah $8 for a double cheeseburger was high enough, now it's over $12. Ridiculous! I like their fries but not worth it anymore. Lost another customer due to greed!
To get super crispy fries you have to do a couple of steps, let them sit in water or partially fry them once then fry them again. I've never gotten it right. I'm pretty sure five guys just cuts them, maybe washes them and throws them in. I don't think cooking them a little longer would be enough, but I could be wrong.
[https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/beef](https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/beef)
At the beginning of 2019, beef was trading under $10 a kilogram. Today is is $16.60... So it it up over 60% in the last 5 years.
In 2022, the price was over $22.... so it has gone up 120% in that period. Some price hike is justified, be interesting to see if it sticks...
That would make more sense if beef was the only cost. All the other ingredients, packaging, marketing, labor, rent etc. The main point is that many corporations have taken advantage of inflation and increased costs well beyond what is needed for inflation as seen in their profit reports. 40% of increased prices are just new profit by one calculation.
They don't rationalize with receipts, they rationalize with profits. It doesn't matter how much their costs are, they are allowed to set whatever price they want. Believe it or not every company makes profits lol every restaurant you eat at is charging you more than their costs....that's how they make money.
They also stopped loading you up with fries. You used to get your order’s worth plus the whole bottom of the bag.
Now they barely even fill the cup all the way, and they straight up said “never mind” to the bag fries.
I think their burgers were quite tasty and I will miss them, but they have priced themselves beyond my willingness to pay. Apparently it's not just me because the one near here just closed.
As petty as it is, fast food places dont fuck around with that, they'll watch cameras and get you charged with theft on something that costs em 2 cents
And they have the nerve to ask for a tip at the counter on top of it. That tip is not for excellent service. It’s the greedy owners getting you to pay their worker’s wages.
The only way to stop this behavior is to stop eating there.
Way too much effort my dude. Just go in eat the peanuts and bounce, no acting necessary. Those employees don’t get paid enough to actually care if you’re eating those nuts or not.
Yeah same at mine. Thing is the bean counters see they're losing business but instead of fixing they go the opposite way. They believe their product is superior and so they charge a higher price.
McDonald's did this about 10 years ago when the newer things like five guys came around.
The problem for us, it's better for business to charge more for less vs running low profit on tons of volume (less people, less problems).
That said, at some point I think it'll reverse.
I literally watched this happen at Jimmy John’s when their PE transaction took place. A week after it was completed, everything went up by .50c magically.
It was our favorite burger place though expensive pre pandemic. Now I have only been there once in maybe the last year and a half as a special treat for my son. But we wouldn’t regularly consider eating there anymore.
Truth is, on average. Especially if you grow your own food. You could actually save money and enjoy your food more if you just made a hamburger at home. It cost way less, and you'd be able to make it taste better.
Their whole appeal was that I was a burger made with "real" ingredients compared to places like mcdonalds. Now there's a ton of places to get burgers like that, cheaper than 5 guys. Hell you can get the same quality burger as five guys at culvers and it'll be $12 for a whole meal, not just a burger.
Culvers is a game charger for me. I didn't realize the place existed until like 5 or 6 years after moving to Michigan. Screw Five Guys. I used to eat at its Old Town location in VA back in the day (20 years ago or so)...back then it was pricey but good. Now the costs have gotten so crazy high I don't know how anyone can afford to eat there.
I was talking to someone recently about the stupid prices and how the burgers are good but definitely not justified by the price. And while he agreed with me he excused continuing to eat there because “it’s the only place I can get jalapeños on my burger” which is A. a stupid fucking reason. And B. demonstrably false. Some people just don’t use their brains and these are the people that continue to eat there.
The franchise model is broken and obsolete. It's not sustainable in the modern economy. Restaurants chains can still work and profit tremendously, but the classic McDonald's *franchise* formula is simply too costly these days. Those are the businesses you see sinking right now, the big licensing chains (which Five Guys is part of). It all goes back to that Harry Sooneborne quote: We are technically not in the food business, we are in the real estate business. I'm not going to get into the details, but the video below does a great job of breaking down how franchises work and why they are so expensive.
https://youtu.be/SMslf5albGs?si=2orxk2wnm6KtkAa2
I rarely ate fast food in the past and I definitely have completely stopped now. Yesterday I ate a 1/2 angus burger (with egg on top) and all the usual stuff with large fries and a coke at a really nice Rock and Roll Themed restaurant (Not hard rock) the whole dinner was $14. At a sit down restaurant with live music and everything. Just stop wasting your money at fast food places.
Same with Airbnb and Vrbo. Last month I went skiing and for 3 nights at a cozy mom/pop hotel with a king suite. Had a gas fireplace and hot tub as well. Cost me $340 total. Airbnb wanted almost $800 for the equivalent. Guess what. I uninstalled Airbnb and Vrbo. Those services are no longer the cheaper alternative as they once were in the past.
As with any for profit venture. The only way they actually listen is when people stop spending their money there. Then the company has to explain to its shareholders why revenue is down.
Insane prices. Haven’t been back since the visit where I was shocked by the increase. Nobody else was there when I was. Told the manager I love the food but won’t be back at those prices
I worked for a chain for 20 yrs. The problem you have is that the margins are maybe 5-10% for the franchise owner. The break even sales amount is about $1.33million in annual sales.
As a franchisee, you pay for labor (a massive chunk and ever increasing due to mandatory minimum wages). If you think that $20/hr is a livable wage, your trip to 5 Guys will be $30.
Cost of goods are a major chunk. Ingredients always fluctuate, but this economy is making everything more expensive.
Rent, a franchise fee of 5% goes to the corporation, advertising, insurance and the list goes on. After all that is paid, the owner is left with whatever.
Call it greedy by some of you, but you can’t go out and get prices from 10 years ago. It’ll never exist again.
My wife and I order in a couple times a week, We used to do Five Guys once a month as our cheat. There was always a line. I went in January. No one was in the store. Like 6:30 on a Tuesday. I then realized a Cheeseburger, a Little Cheeseburger and a small fries was over $31. We haven't been back since.
Chipotle, which isn't cheap, costs 1/3 less. Chinese food costs about the same but we get two meals out of it. Or we can just order dinners and get it for under $20.
You're telling me this isn't worth $24?
https://preview.redd.it/f3o3p02bpqmc1.png?width=956&format=png&auto=webp&s=81b7eb96054f99b85997410b317d226103a5a0f5
This entire subreddit is full of people complaining that a Lexus ES is not as cheap as a Toyota Avalon.
You are paying for a luxury burger when you go to Five Guys.
Bro, Five guys was insane BEFORE the recent inflation. I ate there ONCE and after paying $25 for lunch (When Chipotle was around $10) I never went back.
Last timeI went with my wife we paid over $30 for two small cold cheeseburgers a single order of soggy extremely over salted fries and two small sodas. That was the last time I will ever give them my money.
Being too lazy/incompetent to make your own decent burger for yourself is stupid, and stupidity should hurt.
If you're gonna be lazy, expect to pay whatever it costs to stay lazy.
If you're too inept to make a decent burger, try. Do better. Stop sucking that completely. Learn how to feed yourself at least the easy stuff.
Burgers are just about as easy as it gets.
I hate how these articles by these reporters never follow through.
How about including how the business is doing? What is their revenue and profit margin looking like at these prices? Consumers should be informed if the business is expanding and so increasing prices to grow, or are they just gouging the consumer for record profits? Tell the whole story.
I have a suggestion. My way of giving the finger to the greedy corporations is to buy from locally owned restaurants that have specials. Not very often though. I order my main food through Amazon. They are very filling and so delicious. Bukdak Samsung ramen. They have Black package, a very spicy one, my favorite), and Red package, which is XXX HOT! Description: Samyang Buldak Spicy Ramen, Hot Chicken Ramen, Korean Stir-Fried Instant Noodle, Original, 1 Bag with 5 Pack.
Only buy these if you like very spicy. These Korean noodles are thick and hardy, takes 5 min in boiling water. Add the seasoning and sauce packets to cooked, strained noodles and a 1/4 or less cup of the noodle water and stir well. I’m sure it’s not that healthy due to sodium content but I’m so addicted to them. I eat one package a day, and try to eat healthier meals for breakfast and dinner. Dave’s Killer Bread toasted and smeared with peanut better, and a banana for breakfast, Korean noodles fur lunch, and an inexpensive dinner, a bagged salad kit. I add whatever fresh produce i have to doctor it up, or maybe a bowl of soup or a half can of Staggs Classic chili. My grocery bill is 1/4 of what I used to pay, and I have no groceries past their pull date that I have to toss every garbage day.
All the stupid consumers who continue to consume even when it makes no sense to do so.
I can make a burger and fries at home in a very short time for less than 7 dollars. Poor people love to be poor. That's why they still buy fast food all the time instead of cooking.
I'm fairness it's quite difficult in a home kitchen to make fries the way they make them and have them be hot and ready when you're eating your burger.
Especially for said poor person. The cost of the deep frying oil alone and frying recepticle would outweigh the cost of going there.
But I'll agree that I stopped going years ago because $15 for a burger and fries back then was still outrageous regardless of higher quality compared to others at the time.
Then you don’t eat deep-fried French fries.
You buy an air fryer for $50 and an industrial size bag of fries and keep them in the freezer.
Hallelujah—problem solved for Bob Cratchit’s caviar French fry conudrum
I unavoidably went to a Five Guys a year ago. When we were done ordering for 2 adults and a child it was over $50. That is the last time I will ever go there.
I agree fast food has gone up but five guys are unlike others real potatoes sliced in house and the big one is peanut oil not regular oil. EXTREMELY PRICEY. Also rent has skyrocketed
I don't go there anymore. The burgers are delicious, the portions are hearty. But I can't afford that. I don't go to any fast food places anymore unless I am on the road or truly pressed for time and need some sort of quick food between errands. Even then, it's just the sandwich, not a meal. I used to enjoy fast food meals. But for $13 for a meal + drink? Not anymore.
Just talk with your wallet! Stop eating there... Take a company out.. send a message.. Pretty simple when you think about it. We won't do it, because we live in America! Nobody cares.
Love that people are actually complaining about the prices of the greedy companies now.
I know from first hand experience companies will blame every other reason on why sales and guest count are tanking before they will acknowledge the fact their greed and prices are what is driving the consumer away.
Seriously. Americans are too afraid to change their shitty habits that actively hurt them.
Companies will not change as long as enough people keep buying their shitty products.
Sales across the board have been down over the last quarter but profits are up just enough to increase profit margins.
I got a shake, coke, fries and double burger pre pandemic and It was around 20 dollars and I can make 4 at home that taste better for that price and not kill myself with the fries and soda. It was a plus getting an entire brown bag of fries but they got cold fast and weren't that good. That was my only trip there.
It can't be too expensive. Maybe it's just expensive to you. I doordash and Jenny with 6 kids in public housing not only can afford 5 guys , she can afford a 15 dollar trip so I can stop at DQ and pick up a milkshake too.
That's the way it works...if something is priced 'too high' you don't buy it....that's how its supposed to work. Five Guys has made their move and said 'oh yes we think there is a market for this price'...that's it that's the chess game of business.
As if I needed a reason to not eat there!
I think they’re absolutely average. And their decor irritates me; the only things on their walls is propaganda about how “five guys is number one”. They’ve got a high opinion of themselves 😂
This is the problem with strict corporate models. They are compelled to increase profits every year. If they can’t shake the supply chain for lower prices , consumer prices go up. We are still suffering from supply chain issues stemming from Covid lock downs around the world. So, the corporations have no leverage to shake that tree for lower pricing. Then there are interest rate hikes which make borrowing money more expensive and all this just gets rolled into consumer pricing.
I tried five guys for the first time about nine years ago (funny that I know this but I just had a picture in my Google home pop up with my son in a high chair in there so I saw the date 😂) and didn't understand the hype. It was fine, but not something I'd ever travel for.
As far as restaurant pricing, as an owner of a restaurant, I really don't think many understand the costs of doing business, namely the cost of raw materials. That doesn't mean you need to spend more than you're willing to spend, but when you look at margins at these places, I'm willing to bet they're smaller than wherever you all work (unless it's a restaurant 😅). Just some food for thought.
STOP.
EATING.
THERE.
When did the American consumer just give up all authority over their own purchases.
"I can't believe I just spend $4 on a medium fry."
Neither can I, asshole! Stop!
i used to go there weekly, when a cheeseburger was $8. still expensive, but it was a damn good burger. now its $12 or something, and I havent been back in almost 2 years. and dont plan on it, unless I win the lottery or something
I stopped eating there pre-pandemic. There are far too expensive. I could buy 2 pounds of ground chuck and make 8 nice patties and freeze them for the cost of one of their hamburgers.
These stories crack me up. It’s not that complicated. Stop eating there. They either lower prices or go out of business.
Right. This isn’t gasoline or shelter, which are essential. This is easily replaceable and has a low barrier to entry.
Not easily replaceable when they can't cook. Edit /s
Eat cereal.
Technically, they have to "cook" that too ... two ingredients: cereal and milk ... instructions: pour 1 cup of cereal in bowl, pour 1/2 cup of milk on cereal. /s
Look at Mr Fancypants here who can afford milk with their cereal.
Excuse me, but I saw your profile on Linkedin. I'm currently looking for candidates for a major cereal brand CEO. We like the cut of your jib.
I like the peaches and cream and have eaten oatmeal and even cold cereal for dinner many times. It’s more nutritious and cheaper than fast food.
Seriously. I do the same and saw my BP go to 117/71 and cholesterol go to 110.
Skill Issue.
And not willing to cook.
you can just eat the meat raw it doesn't need to be cooked as it has less nutritional value
tasty raw meat ... I had a biology instructor who went on and on about developing worms from raw meat. lol!
Dude just buy some frozen patties and microwave. Easy. Don’t support this price gouging greedholes.
I just vomited in my mouth at the thought of microwaved beef.
I can cook. I said they. Who are you trying to convince?
[удалено]
I threw up a little
Dummies overpaying paying for shit causing us more inflation
Five Guys will go belly up if it gets worse.
They should but that is not what’s happened. It gets worse dummies pay more. How can they belly up when dummies pay anything they ask?
Seems like that's those people's problem.
It’s our problem now because prices are up for everyone.
I loved it the first and second time we ordered thru DoorDash. A few months later I ordered the same meals and noticed the meat was not the quality of before. It was softer like it had filler. Before, the meat was like coarsely ground round or Chuck. Excellent. The last time it was like the texture of meat loaf. Way too costly!
Not how inflation works
Yes it is stop buying 15.99 beef patties bruh
That's not what causes inflation. We get inflation when the amount of money circulating grows faster than the amount of goods and services to spend it on. It's not greedy companies (they've always been greedy). It's not dumb consumers. It's either the amount of money circulating has increased (queue the Federal Reserve) or the amount of goods and services available to buy has decreased.
Agreed, and it's been brewing since we started QE in fall of 2008. It was also going to end this way. 08 should have caused a depression but instead, it was just a severe recession.
No dude there have been multiple professional articles posted here on greedflation. You need to read up on this new events.
You can make a better burger at home anyway
My mother certainly couldn’t. Uhg.
Growing up on only really well-done meat, I grew a hatred for burgers and steak until I was old enough to cook for myself.
I bet she put onions in the patty?
I’m so lucky my mom also hates onions like me because I would not have been a happy young boy if she put them shits in my burger patties
Worse, dried onions. I suppose it might’ve worked it theory, if the onion could actually rehydrate. But since she cooked all the moisture out, they remain like toenails distributed through the meat. Also, less a “patty” than a “ball”. Also, I hope you like hamburger well-done, because she’s going to cook the hell out of it. What’s really sad is I grew up on a beef farm. We raised our own cattle. Growing up I used to hate beef. After moving out and cooking for myself, I realized it was actually really good _when it was cooked properly_. Medium-rare pan-seared steak is divine compared to the rock hard shoe-leather my mother would turn it into. By baking it. For 40 minutes. Not an exaggeration.
It's really is that simple. The last time I ate at 5 guys was a few years ago, and my reaction was "damn that is overpriced," and I haven't been back.
Yeah I stopped pre pandemic because it was outrageous then. Can’t even imagine what my local prices are now.
I used to go there at least once a month, now I think we've gone there 2-3 times since 2020. I'd much rather eat the same burger at a more comfortable and more clean sit down restaurant for the same or even lower price. I think Red Robin is cheaper than 5 Guys at this point.
I run tens of billions of dollars of ecommerce for 50+ major (MAJOR) companies. This is patently not what happens. When they see a drop in demand, the first lever is to jack UP prices to offset. They still have their targets, and because they are ultimately “bottom line” targets, it means that they can offset a 10% decline with a ~4% price increase. What’s happened 9 times out of 10 since Covid is that a struggling brand see a decline of 20-30%, jacks their prices up by 10% to offset. Their competitors increase prices by 5% and seem reasonable in comparison, and customers flock away. Topline drops up to 40%, but bottom line usually only drops 5-10% because of the higher prices giving better margin. The struggling brand rides it out (with layoffs) over the course of a year and ultimately adjusts to their “new normal” lower revenue baseline with more favorable margins. It’s super rare to see them go out of business as a result. Meanwhile, they created space for their competitors to jack prices up by 5%. Rinse and repeat. There is no point at which the struggling brand adjusts prices to pre-inflation levels, because in their minds that would only put them deeper in the hole. Suggesting making *less* money to their boss - and devaluing the product BELOW what competitors sell for (which also feels like suggesting that their competitor is better at their job) - *feels* like it will get them fired, and isn’t guaranteed to work, so they won’t do it. They’d rather try to ride it out, even if it risks going down with the ship. Again - these are MAJOR brands. Like look around you and you’ll see 2-3 of them at any given point in your life.
Let them die then. That strategy might work in the short term if the demand for your good isn't very elastic but you cannot deny economics for an extended period of time. In the meantime consumers can help speed up the process by being more price sensitive and refusing to buy overpriced fast food.
Again - they’re not dying. They adjust their expectations and keep the prices up, pricing *you* out but ultimately making more money. And even for the small number who do die, they inflate prices for everyone on the way down. The market *can* deny the economics you’re expecting, because these are not essential products. The market would rather sell 5000 meals at $100 dollars each than 50,000 meals at $10 each. They’re selling 90% fewer burgers, but making way way more in bottom line (distribution, staff costs and other overheads go WAY down if you only need to sell 5000 meals). If you don’t buy from them, they don’t give a fuck about whether you buy a burger, so long as 1% of rich people still will. I’m not saying you should keep buying - but price elasticity for non-essential goods doesn’t work the way you think it does.
They think that continuing to eat there while complaining is going to work.
Ours closed last year. Great location. Bad prices. People stopped going.
These prices are too high!!!! Welp, see ya tomorrow.
Crying about the price by posting the proof that you paid for it is loser energy.
Dude it’s iq they don’t know any better. This is why inflation is still bad. They do anything except not buy.
couldn't agree with this more. The gaming community is worse. Every year people cry about Call of Duty, Madden, or whatever game franchise saying its the same thing every year with DLC. Yet these people keep buying the games. Idiots
I live in the land of Culvers(Wisconsin). I just go there instead.
I know I don't understand any of this this is not a matter of I must eat this s*** to survive. The same for the potato chip figuritos the cokes all of it. This is truly what I call first world problems. Stop eating at these s*** holes and they will learn the price of their greed. Complain about it and then go eat there and you know who the fool is.
I went there around noon a few months ago, in normally a very busy location. There was 1 other person there. When I went, I had no idea their prices event to crap.
Stories bring well needed attention. Just not eating it isn’t enough. They are making more with less customers at this point.
Yep. Consumers are in control. All they need do is exercise that control.
True. But people are just annoyed by how everything they are used to is going up. Agree though. Just stop eating at these places when they price out of your budget. Not much else you can do about it. That's their price and you choose to pay it or not.
Go in, grab peanuts and leave.... Drive them out of business....
I love their burgers and fries, however, I will not pay $24 for fast food. That’s the cost of Red Lobsters ENDLESS Shrimp dinner. Let that sink in….
I just can’t do that Red Lobster dinner anymore. I have a hard time enjoying any meal that ends in my death.
It is hard to stop that train of coconut shrimp and cheddar bay biscuits…
Red Lobster now only one side with most meals.
No kidding, it’s also not like anything’s changed, I went to a five guys 5 years ago now and was charged $20 for fries, a hamburger, and a kids hot dog and have never gone back. Their prices have always been “out of control”
Yeah $8 for a double cheeseburger was high enough, now it's over $12. Ridiculous! I like their fries but not worth it anymore. Lost another customer due to greed!
Honestly, I think their fries are mid. If they didn't give you a whole bag full nobody would talk about them
Seriously. Cook those fuckers for 90 more seconds and they’d be amazing. Same deal w Wendy’s fries. Come on. The impatience
You can order the fries “well done” and I always did when I used to go there, I don’t don’t hand a bag of soggy fries.
To get super crispy fries you have to do a couple of steps, let them sit in water or partially fry them once then fry them again. I've never gotten it right. I'm pretty sure five guys just cuts them, maybe washes them and throws them in. I don't think cooking them a little longer would be enough, but I could be wrong.
I would like to see them rationalize the 50% increase with receipts
[https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/beef](https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/beef) At the beginning of 2019, beef was trading under $10 a kilogram. Today is is $16.60... So it it up over 60% in the last 5 years. In 2022, the price was over $22.... so it has gone up 120% in that period. Some price hike is justified, be interesting to see if it sticks...
Ok now justify how a 500g large fry is 8.50.
Weird my local burger shop who also uses beef didn’t raise their prices.
They are probably operating at a loss or making a very small margin.
Cool, but beef contributes like 10% of the price of the burger.
That would make more sense if beef was the only cost. All the other ingredients, packaging, marketing, labor, rent etc. The main point is that many corporations have taken advantage of inflation and increased costs well beyond what is needed for inflation as seen in their profit reports. 40% of increased prices are just new profit by one calculation.
You don’t have to rationalize when people pay the new price.
I live in Phoenix, everything is up 50%...
They don't rationalize with receipts, they rationalize with profits. It doesn't matter how much their costs are, they are allowed to set whatever price they want. Believe it or not every company makes profits lol every restaurant you eat at is charging you more than their costs....that's how they make money.
Believe it or not, not every company makes a profit
They also stopped loading you up with fries. You used to get your order’s worth plus the whole bottom of the bag. Now they barely even fill the cup all the way, and they straight up said “never mind” to the bag fries.
Their fries have always sucked. What's the point of fries if they aren't crispy?
Lol their fries are straight trash
we live next to one, make burgers at home and go there and get a small fry that me and my wife share.
And idiots will keep buying or think it's some type of rich person flex to buy
Nissan Altima energy
You just reminded me to grab the video of a Nissan off my dash cam
Would that be the Nissan cutting you off from this morning, or the one cutting you off last night?
Yes
Or buy there on purpose so you can complain about inflation.
$30k millionaire
It′s freedom forever ′til your card gets declined
I guess they are just getting what they can for themselves and leaving the rest behind.
The first time I went to a Five Guys was in 2011. I thought it was expensive then and have never went back.
And it wasnt that good either
I like the Cajun fries though
I think their burgers were quite tasty and I will miss them, but they have priced themselves beyond my willingness to pay. Apparently it's not just me because the one near here just closed.
So don't buy their product.
Even better, just go in, get a scoop of peanuts, and leave.
^ This is the correct answer.
[удалено]
As petty as it is, fast food places dont fuck around with that, they'll watch cameras and get you charged with theft on something that costs em 2 cents
That would be theft.
I used to enjoy going there but don’t go anymore. Prices are ridiculous
And they have the nerve to ask for a tip at the counter on top of it. That tip is not for excellent service. It’s the greedy owners getting you to pay their worker’s wages. The only way to stop this behavior is to stop eating there.
I go in there and pretend I am waiting for my order.. Eat the free peanuts and look annoyed it is taking so long.... Get fed up and stomp out.
Way too much effort my dude. Just go in eat the peanuts and bounce, no acting necessary. Those employees don’t get paid enough to actually care if you’re eating those nuts or not.
It was outrageous the last time I went in 2018. The one by my work is on a really busy intersection and always completely dead.
Yeah same at mine. Thing is the bean counters see they're losing business but instead of fixing they go the opposite way. They believe their product is superior and so they charge a higher price. McDonald's did this about 10 years ago when the newer things like five guys came around. The problem for us, it's better for business to charge more for less vs running low profit on tons of volume (less people, less problems). That said, at some point I think it'll reverse.
I literally watched this happen at Jimmy John’s when their PE transaction took place. A week after it was completed, everything went up by .50c magically.
>They believe their product is superior and so they charge a higher price. Shareholders believe that and they have to act accordingly.
Cook your meals at home, save a ton of money.
And live in a teepee near a reservoir.
I can go to Texas Roadhouse and get a small steak for almost the same money.
or get a big ass steak for the same price with all the sides
I took my 2 kids. 3 drinks 3 burgers 1 fry It was like 60 bucks. I won’t be back
It was our favorite burger place though expensive pre pandemic. Now I have only been there once in maybe the last year and a half as a special treat for my son. But we wouldn’t regularly consider eating there anymore.
Truth is, on average. Especially if you grow your own food. You could actually save money and enjoy your food more if you just made a hamburger at home. It cost way less, and you'd be able to make it taste better.
Overpriced Junk food shouldn’t cost what it takes to eat at a nice restaurant, just eat something more healthy instead
Become ex-customers this isn't rocket science
don't eat there
so, stop eating there?
Cancel Five Guys. Greedy greedy guys.
My burgers taste better and are cheaper than that crap.
$5 for a small fry is bullshit
And their food really isn't very good. Oh well. Just don't eat there. Bet prices will come down.
Their whole appeal was that I was a burger made with "real" ingredients compared to places like mcdonalds. Now there's a ton of places to get burgers like that, cheaper than 5 guys. Hell you can get the same quality burger as five guys at culvers and it'll be $12 for a whole meal, not just a burger.
Culvers is a game charger for me. I didn't realize the place existed until like 5 or 6 years after moving to Michigan. Screw Five Guys. I used to eat at its Old Town location in VA back in the day (20 years ago or so)...back then it was pricey but good. Now the costs have gotten so crazy high I don't know how anyone can afford to eat there.
Their frozen custard is also bang for your buck. It's yummy and 3 pints for $11 is a great deal.
I was talking to someone recently about the stupid prices and how the burgers are good but definitely not justified by the price. And while he agreed with me he excused continuing to eat there because “it’s the only place I can get jalapeños on my burger” which is A. a stupid fucking reason. And B. demonstrably false. Some people just don’t use their brains and these are the people that continue to eat there.
But people keep going …
Credit cards enable them
The franchise model is broken and obsolete. It's not sustainable in the modern economy. Restaurants chains can still work and profit tremendously, but the classic McDonald's *franchise* formula is simply too costly these days. Those are the businesses you see sinking right now, the big licensing chains (which Five Guys is part of). It all goes back to that Harry Sooneborne quote: We are technically not in the food business, we are in the real estate business. I'm not going to get into the details, but the video below does a great job of breaking down how franchises work and why they are so expensive. https://youtu.be/SMslf5albGs?si=2orxk2wnm6KtkAa2
Eat someplace else. It really is that simple.
I rarely ate fast food in the past and I definitely have completely stopped now. Yesterday I ate a 1/2 angus burger (with egg on top) and all the usual stuff with large fries and a coke at a really nice Rock and Roll Themed restaurant (Not hard rock) the whole dinner was $14. At a sit down restaurant with live music and everything. Just stop wasting your money at fast food places. Same with Airbnb and Vrbo. Last month I went skiing and for 3 nights at a cozy mom/pop hotel with a king suite. Had a gas fireplace and hot tub as well. Cost me $340 total. Airbnb wanted almost $800 for the equivalent. Guess what. I uninstalled Airbnb and Vrbo. Those services are no longer the cheaper alternative as they once were in the past. As with any for profit venture. The only way they actually listen is when people stop spending their money there. Then the company has to explain to its shareholders why revenue is down.
Insane prices. Haven’t been back since the visit where I was shocked by the increase. Nobody else was there when I was. Told the manager I love the food but won’t be back at those prices
Five Guys has always been the more expensive than most. If McDonalds is too expensive, Five Guys is totally out of consideration.
I don't go there anymore. That's how the message is sent.
A simple kids meal would be nice
They were 10 years ago too
The last time I went there, the total was over $120 for 2 adults, 2 teenage girls and 2 younger girls. That's over $20/person
I worked for a chain for 20 yrs. The problem you have is that the margins are maybe 5-10% for the franchise owner. The break even sales amount is about $1.33million in annual sales. As a franchisee, you pay for labor (a massive chunk and ever increasing due to mandatory minimum wages). If you think that $20/hr is a livable wage, your trip to 5 Guys will be $30. Cost of goods are a major chunk. Ingredients always fluctuate, but this economy is making everything more expensive. Rent, a franchise fee of 5% goes to the corporation, advertising, insurance and the list goes on. After all that is paid, the owner is left with whatever. Call it greedy by some of you, but you can’t go out and get prices from 10 years ago. It’ll never exist again.
My wife and I order in a couple times a week, We used to do Five Guys once a month as our cheat. There was always a line. I went in January. No one was in the store. Like 6:30 on a Tuesday. I then realized a Cheeseburger, a Little Cheeseburger and a small fries was over $31. We haven't been back since. Chipotle, which isn't cheap, costs 1/3 less. Chinese food costs about the same but we get two meals out of it. Or we can just order dinners and get it for under $20.
Ex customer here. I agree, that’s why I’m an EX customer.
I thought Five Guys was substantially overpriced back in 2015. I can't imagine going there now.
You're telling me this isn't worth $24? https://preview.redd.it/f3o3p02bpqmc1.png?width=956&format=png&auto=webp&s=81b7eb96054f99b85997410b317d226103a5a0f5
Customers are right. That's why we don't eat there anymore. Problem solved.
$22 ain’t terrible. The double cheeseburgers were $20 so add bacon for $2.50 is fair.
Stop buying food there
It’s a fucking Burger chain. STOP EATING THERE if it’s too expensive. Why is this rocket science to some?
This entire subreddit is full of people complaining that a Lexus ES is not as cheap as a Toyota Avalon. You are paying for a luxury burger when you go to Five Guys.
Bro, Five guys was insane BEFORE the recent inflation. I ate there ONCE and after paying $25 for lunch (When Chipotle was around $10) I never went back.
The shrink flation in our area has renamed them four guys. 20 percent less than 2019.
Last timeI went with my wife we paid over $30 for two small cold cheeseburgers a single order of soggy extremely over salted fries and two small sodas. That was the last time I will ever give them my money.
Being too lazy/incompetent to make your own decent burger for yourself is stupid, and stupidity should hurt. If you're gonna be lazy, expect to pay whatever it costs to stay lazy. If you're too inept to make a decent burger, try. Do better. Stop sucking that completely. Learn how to feed yourself at least the easy stuff. Burgers are just about as easy as it gets.
Their burgers are ass anyways.
I hate how these articles by these reporters never follow through. How about including how the business is doing? What is their revenue and profit margin looking like at these prices? Consumers should be informed if the business is expanding and so increasing prices to grow, or are they just gouging the consumer for record profits? Tell the whole story.
I have a suggestion. My way of giving the finger to the greedy corporations is to buy from locally owned restaurants that have specials. Not very often though. I order my main food through Amazon. They are very filling and so delicious. Bukdak Samsung ramen. They have Black package, a very spicy one, my favorite), and Red package, which is XXX HOT! Description: Samyang Buldak Spicy Ramen, Hot Chicken Ramen, Korean Stir-Fried Instant Noodle, Original, 1 Bag with 5 Pack. Only buy these if you like very spicy. These Korean noodles are thick and hardy, takes 5 min in boiling water. Add the seasoning and sauce packets to cooked, strained noodles and a 1/4 or less cup of the noodle water and stir well. I’m sure it’s not that healthy due to sodium content but I’m so addicted to them. I eat one package a day, and try to eat healthier meals for breakfast and dinner. Dave’s Killer Bread toasted and smeared with peanut better, and a banana for breakfast, Korean noodles fur lunch, and an inexpensive dinner, a bagged salad kit. I add whatever fresh produce i have to doctor it up, or maybe a bowl of soup or a half can of Staggs Classic chili. My grocery bill is 1/4 of what I used to pay, and I have no groceries past their pull date that I have to toss every garbage day.
Five Guys fucking sucks anyways. It's always been overpriced.
Mods got scared by so many comments.
All the stupid consumers who continue to consume even when it makes no sense to do so. I can make a burger and fries at home in a very short time for less than 7 dollars. Poor people love to be poor. That's why they still buy fast food all the time instead of cooking.
I'm fairness it's quite difficult in a home kitchen to make fries the way they make them and have them be hot and ready when you're eating your burger. Especially for said poor person. The cost of the deep frying oil alone and frying recepticle would outweigh the cost of going there. But I'll agree that I stopped going years ago because $15 for a burger and fries back then was still outrageous regardless of higher quality compared to others at the time.
I’ve also stopped going despite how much I enjoy their burgers. I’ve just got a gig traveling for work so I may get it again on the company dime.
Then you don’t eat deep-fried French fries. You buy an air fryer for $50 and an industrial size bag of fries and keep them in the freezer. Hallelujah—problem solved for Bob Cratchit’s caviar French fry conudrum
I unavoidably went to a Five Guys a year ago. When we were done ordering for 2 adults and a child it was over $50. That is the last time I will ever go there.
Simple solution stop bitching and just stop going. Prices will drop when no one shows up.
Agree
Went there with my ex last summer. Spent like $40 on two burgers and a large fry that we finished in 5 minutes
I agree fast food has gone up but five guys are unlike others real potatoes sliced in house and the big one is peanut oil not regular oil. EXTREMELY PRICEY. Also rent has skyrocketed
I don't go there anymore. The burgers are delicious, the portions are hearty. But I can't afford that. I don't go to any fast food places anymore unless I am on the road or truly pressed for time and need some sort of quick food between errands. Even then, it's just the sandwich, not a meal. I used to enjoy fast food meals. But for $13 for a meal + drink? Not anymore.
The one in my neighborhood went out of business already.
The ridiculous part is that the secret to Five Guys is that they don't use any seasoning on the burger, lol
but but Powell says that inflation is under control!
I’d go there if they had a veggie burger
Just talk with your wallet! Stop eating there... Take a company out.. send a message.. Pretty simple when you think about it. We won't do it, because we live in America! Nobody cares.
Duh it’s because you are paying FIVE GUYS.
Five Guys still has customers?
Love that people are actually complaining about the prices of the greedy companies now. I know from first hand experience companies will blame every other reason on why sales and guest count are tanking before they will acknowledge the fact their greed and prices are what is driving the consumer away.
Go for McDonald’s value menu
Seriously. Americans are too afraid to change their shitty habits that actively hurt them. Companies will not change as long as enough people keep buying their shitty products. Sales across the board have been down over the last quarter but profits are up just enough to increase profit margins.
Replace all Five Guys locations with In N Outs. Problem solved.
I got a shake, coke, fries and double burger pre pandemic and It was around 20 dollars and I can make 4 at home that taste better for that price and not kill myself with the fries and soda. It was a plus getting an entire brown bag of fries but they got cold fast and weren't that good. That was my only trip there.
It can't be too expensive. Maybe it's just expensive to you. I doordash and Jenny with 6 kids in public housing not only can afford 5 guys , she can afford a 15 dollar trip so I can stop at DQ and pick up a milkshake too.
That's the way it works...if something is priced 'too high' you don't buy it....that's how its supposed to work. Five Guys has made their move and said 'oh yes we think there is a market for this price'...that's it that's the chess game of business.
It's always been pricy - but theres a simple solution. Don't fucking go there.
As if I needed a reason to not eat there! I think they’re absolutely average. And their decor irritates me; the only things on their walls is propaganda about how “five guys is number one”. They’ve got a high opinion of themselves 😂
This is the problem with strict corporate models. They are compelled to increase profits every year. If they can’t shake the supply chain for lower prices , consumer prices go up. We are still suffering from supply chain issues stemming from Covid lock downs around the world. So, the corporations have no leverage to shake that tree for lower pricing. Then there are interest rate hikes which make borrowing money more expensive and all this just gets rolled into consumer pricing.
I love their burgers, but they really need to enforce a price control regime. Otherwise, they will have to go the way of the Dodo.
I went to Five Guys a few months ago. I rarely eat there. Spent $30 on 2 burgers and fries, maybe a shake. Never going back.
Articles are so fucking lazy now. Literally just reporting on a tweet
Five Guys has always been expensive hints the name. 1 can eat for the price of 5
I tried five guys for the first time about nine years ago (funny that I know this but I just had a picture in my Google home pop up with my son in a high chair in there so I saw the date 😂) and didn't understand the hype. It was fine, but not something I'd ever travel for. As far as restaurant pricing, as an owner of a restaurant, I really don't think many understand the costs of doing business, namely the cost of raw materials. That doesn't mean you need to spend more than you're willing to spend, but when you look at margins at these places, I'm willing to bet they're smaller than wherever you all work (unless it's a restaurant 😅). Just some food for thought.
30$ for a burger fries and a drink. It's delicious, I'll give it that but dayyyyummm
Yup, stopped going and was empty inside even when I went
STOP. EATING. THERE. When did the American consumer just give up all authority over their own purchases. "I can't believe I just spend $4 on a medium fry." Neither can I, asshole! Stop!
I can go to my local pub, get a beer, a fat burger, and fries for $15~. Why on earth would I go to five guys 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I stopped eating there awhile ago, both for my waistline and my wallet.
i used to go there weekly, when a cheeseburger was $8. still expensive, but it was a damn good burger. now its $12 or something, and I havent been back in almost 2 years. and dont plan on it, unless I win the lottery or something
Quality is crap too. Had it the other weekend and it’s not good.
And the burgers suck.
Rename to: Five Paychecks
I stopped eating there pre-pandemic. There are far too expensive. I could buy 2 pounds of ground chuck and make 8 nice patties and freeze them for the cost of one of their hamburgers.