Five Guys, Jimmy John's, Chipotle Top America's Fastest Growing Restaurant Chains

Slashfood:

Have you been watching "America's Next Great Restaurant" and thinking it's about time to launch your own dream eatery? Before you quit your day job and take up your toque, you might want to peruse Technomic's annual report on the top 500 restaurant chains in America to see where the restaurant biz is headed.

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Comments

[EvieEve]

02:27 PM on 03/21/2011

Love Five Guys and Chipotle. Hope they open a Noodle and Company around my way soon.

[Js420]

03:50 PM on 03/18/2011

Its easy to grow when you dont pay your employees much. In n out starts off at about $1.50 more an hr than the 5 dudes. 5 guys customers are fatter than in n outs.

[BLACKCAT66]

03:33 PM on 03/17/2011

I have a Five Guys near me. Personally I find them way over rated. I don't eat burgers much but every now and then I get the craving. The actual burger is ok but the bun is a soggy mess...and their fries are also flabby. Overall just a greasy mess. Don't know what the hype was about them.

[FredDerf]

04:58 PM on 03/17/2011

The mess is what makes them grate. Can't say I have ever had a flabby fry.

[Js420]

03:52 PM on 03/18/2011

one opened near me. tried it 2x. never again. too greasy & pricey and the meat taste gross. tasted like an amusement park burger

[French Toast]

11:57 AM on 03/17/2011

None of these places are places I really feel compelled to go.

I'm honestly waiting for some vegetarian/vegan fast food place to start up. Until then, I suppose Panera will do on the few times I choose to dine fast-anything.

[Sandmanj]

09:11 AM on 03/17/2011

Never heard of any of them beyond Panda Express, where I wouldn't eat anyway.

[VeroucaSalt]

02:31 PM on 03/23/2011

Really? You've never heard of Chipotle? Where do you live?

[Jesse P. Steinberg]

08:47 AM on 03/17/2011

Fattest-Growing Restaurant sounds more like it.

[Grandma Koolfinger]

07:44 AM on 03/17/2011

If you eat a 5 Guys, it should be your only meal of the day. One meal is enough for five guys, five big guys.

[Bluedanube]

07:26 AM on 03/17/2011

The U.S. public eating it's way to obesity oblivion.

[veritas88]

02:51 AM on 03/17/2011

Five Guys is great, Chipotle is necessary. I looooooooove Chipotle.

[dblueII]

06:19 PM on 03/17/2011

Yes. Yes. Yes.
They also source there meat from only ranches that use the best industry practices. Grass fed, hormone free, all that.

[Js420]

03:57 PM on 03/18/2011

Only the pork is at chipotle. 5 guys meat is gross factory farm abuse

[mrfreeze]

02:33 AM on 03/17/2011

All fast-food institutions are "filth factories." Patronize them at the expense of your local restaurants, farmers, your personal health and your integrity.

The fact that HP felt compelled to post such an article just goes to show how utterly mediocre we have become........

[French Toast]

11:53 AM on 03/17/2011

Ehhh. Local isn't a guarantee that the place isn't a filth factory. Not by a long shot.

I say that as a guy who doesn't eat out much, period. Let alone am I a fan of fast food.

[VeroucaSalt]

02:33 PM on 03/23/2011

Would you like a soapbox to deliver your dire warning, or did you bring your own?

[Indie5000]

01:20 AM on 03/17/2011

Five guys ripped off In and Out Burger.

[Indie5000]

01:23 AM on 03/17/2011

Same color scheme, same food. The only difference is In and Out started in 1948.

[Phemale]

11:43 PM on 03/16/2011

I just don't get Chipotle.

There are sooooo many better options.

People ranted and raved about them, several years ago; So I tried them and just didn't understand what the fuss was all about.

Particularly living in Los Angeles, where we have Latin food galore.

[LisaCACO]

12:36 AM on 03/17/2011

in los angeles, I'd avoid chipotle. in colorado? chipotle is great. the alternatives aren't really an option. luckily they've got veggie stuff and they're everywhere. love it.

[Phemale]

01:02 PM on 03/17/2011

Awe come on; You've got, La Fiesta
http://lafiestadenver.com/
Los Arcos
http://www.arcosrestaurant.com/
Rio Grande
http://www.riograndemexican.com/
Benny's
http://www.bennysrestaurant.com/
Patzacuaro's
http://www.patzcuaros.com/

Ok, now it's time for me to go make some Chorizo con Huevos for breakfast/brunch
=P

[veritas88]

02:59 AM on 03/17/2011

Funny enough I was in SoCal recently and I did not like the Mexican food at local places compared to the food at Chipotle (I ate at a few local places instead of Chipotle to try them out). Among other things I don't care for guacamole w/ tomato chunks....

[Phemale]

01:13 PM on 03/17/2011

I would love to know where you went, because Chipotle is very much like a more upscale El Pollo Loco.

SoCal has droves of AUTHENTIC mexican food with some amazing margaritas and authentic chips and salsa.
And not all places serve tomato chinks in their gauc.
There are also a lot of places that make the guacamole right at your table. That way you can tell them if you would like tomato, onions or anything else mixed in, or not.
They also make handmade tortillas. And some of the restaurants make them in front of the diners such as, La Cabana in Venice.
They make hand-made tortillas on a brick-layered fireplace that is located in full view of the main dining area.

No Mariachi or Trios at Chipotle either.

In my opinion, Chipotle is so far from that quality that it's not even funny.

[BlueOnBlue]

11:37 PM on 03/16/2011

Just stay away from chains and do the local economy a favor by finding a local favorite. If you're traveling, check Yelp, TripAdvisor or one of the other user rating sites for reviews. We use TripAdvisor when we're in unfamiliar towns and it has not steered us wrong.

Near the top of the list in my home town right now is a small mom-and-pop pasta place that serves nothing but fresh. It blows away anything on that list for value and taste.

[rtaylor352]

12:57 AM on 03/17/2011

One of my favorite things to do in a new city I'm in is to bring up Yelp and have it list all the restaurants by Most reviewed. It gives you the places to go that the city has "adopted" as its own and it has rarely steered me wrong. It's taken me to "The Old Fashioned" in Madison to "Sadie's Dining Room" in Albuquerque and "Hodads" in San Diego. It's always a local place and gets around from the chain rut.

The only letdown I can think of was Pinks Hot Dogs in LA...that line was way too long for a hot dog.

[LegendOfTheBrave]

11:09 PM on 03/16/2011

I've eaten at "Five Guys" a few times. It is delicious to the palate, but your arteries will hate you. But is it good...

[cyoohoos]

05:09 AM on 03/17/2011

Had five guys once. Wasn't impressed with the fries. The burger was OK, but messy. I get a better burger at WholeFoods and they will make it with turkey or bison instead of beef. And their fries are better too. Overall, not a 5guy fan.

[BowlingForRevenge]

10:41 PM on 03/16/2011

Buffalo Wild Wings is just NASTY!
I don't need 50 TV's inside and out to eat wings.
Maybe it's just the one in our town but it smells like they mop to floors with beer.

Wing Stop has much much better wings and sides and atmosphere.
Pamda Express is always good love their string bean chicken and spring rolls. Black pepper chicken is good too.