Five Guys came over from the USA and landed another franchise in England in Leeds, West Yorkshire, a few months ago. From the outside, it comes across as another typical American style burger restaurant with a simple menu and a fast food feel. I ventured in to the restaurant in Cardigan Fields in Leeds to check out what all the hype was about...
I was greeted with bright red and white colours all over the place when I walked up to the restaurant, and even more so when going through the doors. The walls are laden with magazine reviews and quotes from American (an more) magazines, newspapers and critics - which is a little overwhelming, and slightly too pushy on the self promotion part when you realise that magazine stories about the chain are in the toilets also. Still, there's nothing bad about having something to read on their toilet!
My initial impression of the menu was that it was incredibly simple, until you reach the checkout till and are presented with a long list of items to add to your order. Offering burgers, hot dogs and other classic American favourites, you can choose any number of toppings for free (except bacon and cheese, which costs) in two sizes - little or regular. Don't be fooled, however, even the little sized burger (which I ordered) is bigger than anything you will ever find in other fast food chains such as Burger King or McDonald's to my surprise! I also ordered a regular fries and a soft drink. The regular fries, as with the burgers, are anything but normal sized. American portions have definitely not been modified to the British pallet in this instance. You can also add a cajun spice to your chips, which, if you like the spicier food, I would definitely recommend. There is also an option to have 'monkey' nuts for free - yes free when you sit at your table - and free drinks refills - what more could you want from a restaurant?
The burger, which I got with bacon, cheese, mushrooms and mustard was incredibly juicy, with a soft floured bun which was really lovely. The cheese is also really nice - and not the 'plastic' cheese I expect from other burger joints. The bacon is also one of the highlights for me - being proper American bacon, thin sliced and crispy - just how I like it - giving the burgers even more of an authentic American feel. Obviously, other toppings are completely to the eaters preference, and there is so many options, there is something to keep everyone happy! The fries were the next highlight for me. They keep the skins on the fries, which is something that I love to do as it gives a much more gourmet appearance and taste to the food. I also got cajun spice on my fries, which were a little spicier than I was expecting, but really tasty if you like spicy food. They can come as a bit of a shock if you're not a fan of very spicy cajun! What makes this feeling of a burning mouth better, however, is the incredible drinks machines at Five Guys!
The drinks machine was the best feature of the restaurant for me, as I'm a big kid at heart. Upon initial appearance, I was expecting some variety of drink choices, such as Diet Coke, Coca Cola, Fanta and Sprite. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were options for Schwepps Lemonade (and diet), Dr Pepper, Powerade and other options I never expected to find (including a water button). What made the experience even more fantastic is the variety of flavours you can get with each of the drink options. In the UK we are used to seeing Coca Cola flavours of lime, lemon, cherry and vanilla, however, you can also get cherry and vanilla (mixed), raspberry, strawberry and a variety of other weird and wonderful flavours! And, not just in the Coca Cola, also in the Fanta, Sprite, Lemonade and Powerade amongst others. There are also a number of diet options for each drink (including Zero options) and caffeine free options - which was another surprise to see and something I have never seen sold in a restaurant environment before in Leeds.
Five Guys is a really interesting place to eat in both the food and drink options, and the decor. It's really high quality, tasty food that would satisfy anyone and everyone. The only issue that arrises with their menu is the incredibly limited number of items available, and suitable for vegetarians, with only three or four items on the whole menu (apart from fries) that are vegetarian friendly, and only one which is vegan suitable. The fries are also fried in peanut oil, which is used a lot in their cooking processes, meaning anyone with a nut allergy should probably avoid Five Guys at all costs or avoid most of the items on the menu that would go near the fryers! Although, I would happily go back just for the soft drinks!
Five Guys has an really family friendly feel to it, and has a relaxed atmosphere, making the eater feel like they have just stepped into a diner in the middle of America. It's a fantastic place, and I will definitely be going back to sample all the varieties of burger topping combinations and soft drink options!
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