I also worked at five guys, it was my first job in high school. It was cool getting free burgers and it tasted so much better than the typical food available to me at the time. I recently went back and it was a mistake. I don't know why they don't salt the burgers it would make them much better. I remember working the register and people getting angry when told their order was $100. I don't blame them.I use to work at five guys and some people would buy a burger (around 10 bucks), and then want a refund when they realized it didn't come with fries or a drink.
Sometimes people would come in, look at the prices and walk right back out.
The place has a weird cult following. Some dude saw my hat on my dashboard and offered me 20 bucks for it.
I've seen people drop over two hundred dollars in one sitting which is insane for a fast food place. I can't believe parents would spend that much money for a burger and a grilled cheese. Like either of those two things are that hard to make.
Plus the meat isn't seasoned at all. I think people just think it tastes better than other fast-food because they're so use to place that freeze their meat which is basically the only thing that sets them apart from other fast food. (And I guess the fries but again, not super hard to make them at home. Just gotta soak the starch out of them. Which is the only thing they do different plus the potatoes are fresh and not covered in like 40 different chemicals.)
Sorry for the rant. I worked there for a long time and I completely agree how overrated they are.