Five Guys

I had heard quite a bit about the famous Five Guys French fries. There was a TikTok video of a Five Guy employee showing how they prepared fries that garnered a lot of views and positive comments. So when driving to Roanoke on the day before Thanksgiving and (you guessed it) spending hours in traffic, when we saw a Five Guys sign we decided to check out their fries. This was my first visit to their place. Being lacto vegans we rarely visit burger places. As can be seen from the pics, the inside are a bright red and white. The place has an interesting motif of peanuts - a nod to the fact that they their cooking is in peanut oil which tends to be healthier for high heat cooking. They had a prominent sign advertising that they needed help and paid up-to $23 per hour. But I digress. The fries were great! We could see clearly that they were being cooked in a separate container so there is no meat cross contamination that happens in typical fast food places. For instance the vegan burgers in Burger King clearly say that they have been prepared in a facility that processes meat. This means they will be using the same oil, cooking instruments and surfaces for both. In Five Guys care is taken to isolate them. This is crucial for people like me who are vegan for religious purposes. The fries are certainly not cheap. An order to large fries were $7.40! But the quantities were generous. Unlike the typical fries that are thin and crisp these fries are on the thicker side with crisp skins and softer insides. I am guessing they get this consistency by flash frying the potatoes in very hot oil. They use only peanut oils and their potatoes (also on display) are supposedly specifically sourced for their fries. All in all we enjoyed the fries. Highly recommended!

This place was CLEAN! Everything looked brand new even though they've been here for years. The burgers were perfect (and messy like I like em.) The fries were fresh and tasted great. They have a coke products soda fountain that you can make your own (non-alcoholic) drinks. Staff were all energetic and super friendly. We were greeted at the door with a friendly "hello," and the cashier spoke to us like we were old friends. Everything was great. Even the restrooms were super clean. Great job overall with everything. I highly recommend this burger joint to anyone in the area!

This place is definitely pricey. I mean $11 for a cheeseburger?! Once you get that juicy, drippy burger with unlimited toppings, the first bite makes you say, "dang this is one of the best burgers I've ever had!" The milkshakes, which are $6 are made with real ice cream and also have unlimited toppings. So as far as value goes, the quality of the flavors definitely make the food worth buying but if you're on a limited budget, it's best to find another burger restaurant...

Waited 30+ minutes for a dbl cheeseburger & fries. They let the original order sit behind the counter for 20 mins or more while handing out other orders. When I inquired about my food they asked if I wanted them to remake the order… No, I like my $20 burger plus tip served cold. 2 pm, not crowded, 4-5 people working - Not a staffing issue. Capped off with “Sorry you had to wait…”. I’m sorry my food order interfered with your social time. My bad. Won’t happen again.