A few days ago, I had the pleasure of trying 5 Guys Burgers for the first time. You may have seen the Zagat survey claiming 5 Guys had the best burger in the US. Being a HUGE fan of In-N-Out, I knew I had to check them out. Here is my quick run-down of the facts and who (I personally think) is better.
Note, I bought the 5 Guys equivalent of my normal order from In-N-Out: Cheeseburger (with everything), French fry and small drink.
Quality / Taste: It’s a tough choice on this one. In-N-Out has a unique taste, including their own secret sauce and things like Animal Style and The Flying Dutchman. 5 Guys has more options for add-ons and condiments plus thick beef patties that make you feel like a man. I’ll call it a tie on this one.
Menu: In-N-Out adheres to the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” simplicity of their menu. 5 Guys has a few more options, including Hot Dogs and Cajun fries. Being a simplistic person myself, I’d say In-N-Out wins in this department. If you have burger in your name, you don’t need to sell anything else.
Atmosphere: Both are similar, 50’s-esque diner style kinda places. The thing I noticed about 5 Guys is all the newspaper clippings and awards all over the walls. At In-N-Out, the walls are pretty bare. They know their food is good. They don’t have to prove it to you before you eat it. Winner? In-N-Out.
Price: In-N-Out is the clear winner here. I can eat a full meal there for $6. My meal at 5 Guys? Twice that.
Overall: I’ll give this one to In-N-Out. Barely. From taste to atmosphere, it’s tough to beat. Plus, I really enjoy their message. Don’t be fooled, 5 Guys is really good and I recommend you try it out if you’re nearby one of their locations.
On another note, the best burger I have ever had (and I’ve eaten at plenty of places), was from Nic’s Grill in Oklahoma City. Incredible food.
Links: In-N-Out Burger / 5 Guys Burgers