Five Guys - History

History

Five Guys was founded in 1986 by Janie and Jerry Murrell, Jerry and the couple's four sons, Matt, Jim, Chad, and Ben, being the original "Five Guys". The Murrells had a fifth son, Tyler, two years later. Today all five sons, the current "Five Guys", are involved: Matt and Jim travel the country visiting stores, Chad oversees training, Ben selects the franchisees, and Tyler runs the bakery. The first Five Guys was in Arlington's Westmont Shopping Center. Buns were baked in the same center by Brenner's Bakery. This location closed in favor of another in Arlington at the intersection of King and North Beauregard Streets, still in operation today.

More followed in Old Town Alexandria and Springfield, Virginia, making five by 2001. Their success encouraged the Murrells to franchise their concept the following year, engaging Fransmart, a franchise sales organization. Former Washington Redskins kicker Mark Moseley, who had gone to work for Fransmart after his football career, played a key role in Five Guys' expansion and went on to become the company's director of franchise development after it ended its business relationship with Fransmart. In early 2003 the chain began franchising, opening the doors a rapid expansion which caught the attention of national restaurant trade organizations and the national press. The expansion started in Virginia and Maryland, and by the end of 2004, over 300 units were in development through the Northeast. Over the next few years the chain rapidly expanded across the entire United States and into Canada, reaching over 1000 locations by 2012.

In 2010 the company claimed to have used 123 million pounds (55,791 metric tons) of potatoes and enough peanut oil to fill the Jungle Cruise ride stream at Disneyland.