Five_Guys_Burgers_and_Fries

Five Guys Burgers and Fries: Ingredients for Success In 1986 when Jerry and Janie Murrell started the first Five Guys, they felt as though they would have to focus on the superiority of their product and the happiness of their customers so that they will be able to compete with other knowledgeable fast-food chains. The name Five Guys was established to symbolize the five sons that the Murrell’s had. In 1986 to 2001 Five Guys launched five more locations throughout the Washington DC metro-area. The restaurants had acquired recognition among the community, thus they began to franchise in 2002 and 2003. From 2003 to today, Five Guys has over 500 locations with several more in progress. Jerry Murrell’s marketing philosophy was very plain “Sell a really good, juicy burger on a fresh bun. Make perfect French fries. Do not cut corners” (Welch, 2010). Jerry also made the choice not to waste money on marketing. He acknowledged that they were going to use their food to promote the products. Murrell stated that if you treat that person right, he will walk out the door and sell for you (5 Reasons Why Five Guys is a Big Success, 2010). Murrell suggested that his customers knew that he spent money on excellent products. The Murrell family also does not spend a lot of money on the look of their restaurants. The decorations are kept very simple and have been compared to a military cafeteria or a 1950s diner (Yu, 2009). Five Guys is so successful because though it only sells hamburgers, it does that extremely well. Some of the factors that added to the accomplishments of Five Guy’s in such a short time are Murrell believing that every job at the business was important, knowing what tasks you are good at maintaining and sticking with it because quality is everything, and knowing that giving employee incentives will take them a long way within the company (5 Reasons Why Five Guys is a Big Success, 2010). Jerry Murrell believed that if every employee were treated as if their job was significant they would feel a sense of ownership and be accountable. To encourage his employees, Five Guy’s makes use of auditors which are also called secret shoppers, and he relates pay to accomplishment (5 Reasons Why Five Guys is a Big Success). If the secret shopper established that the restaurant was not clean or up to code, then that particular team would lose money. The team would hold the employee responsible for the area that was not clean. Since none of the members wanted to let their team down, each person would do their best to maintain their particular area. Five Guys tried presenting other products such as coffee and chicken sandwiches but they did not adjust to the customers very well, so the company decided to go back to what they knew would work. They continue to use the best products and did not cut corners in order to save money. Five Guys also does not waste money on the usual 3-5 percent on marketing, instead they gather money from all of the franchises and offer incentives to the crewmembers to keep them inspired. The team of five to six members that achieves the most audits during the week will get to share $1,000 (Gilbert, 2010). Within the last few years, Five Guys have given out millions of dollars in incentives to their employees. Another factor that contributed to Five Guy’s success is satisfying most of the needs and wants of its customers. It provides great quality burgers and fries that are totally trans-fat free (Hayes and Miller, 2011). It provides an enormous assortment in food for a reasonable price by allowing consumers to select limitless toppings for no additional charge and providing free drink refills. In addition, the restaurants are tremendously spotless; the employees are thoughtful, pleasant and easy to talk to. A significant advantage for Five Guys is that it does not make the customers wait as their food is being cooked; customers are given a free share of peanuts to prevent them from getting hungrier. Five Guy’s plain but constant traditions have proven that they are dedicated to giving quality products to their customers. The company did not want to compromise the quality of their products and they did not increase prices in an effort to make more money. Five Guys also did not increase their prices to compete with their competitors; they only increased their prices when it was necessary which was centered on an increase in the cost (Swanson, 2012). This illustrates that they are concerned about their customers and want to encourage ethical and social practices. Since the company does not spend money on advertising, it will help eliminate the customers’ portrayal of a false impression of the foods offered and the thought of making false promises. The staff members are appreciated and treated fairly as well as acknowledged for their commitment, all of which illustrates ethical and social practices as a main part of their culture. Five Guys has developed their small company into one of the top fast-food restaurants throughout the country. Their accomplishment is centered on their business traditions and their ability to appreciate their customers and their commitment to providing excellent food. Based on the trends this business will keep on striving among the main fast food chains. A major part in their decision to continue prospering contributed to the uniqueness and originality of Five Guys (Garrett, 2010). The company’s idea was very unusual and liked very well. Five Guys had the talent to compete with other burger restaurants in the vicinity and make an excellent profit. Their philosophy for success: a simple, virtually modest menu of freshly prepared food, served at almost the pace of a fast-food company. References 5 Reasons Why Five Guys is a Big Success. (2010). Mansueto Ventures, LLC: Inc. Com. Retrieved August 4, 2012, from http://www.mcfr.net. Garrett, J. (2010). Five Guys Burgers and Fries: A fast food success story. Daily Finance. Retrieved August 4, 2012, http://www.scpr.org. Gilbert, S. (2010). What Makes Five Guys the New Burger Masters. Daily Finances. Retrieved August 3, 2012, from http://www.scpr.org. Hayes, David K. and Miller, Allisha A. (2011). Battling the Cheeseburger Mentality: Customer Centric Revenue Management in the F&B Department. Hospitality Net. Retrieved August 5, 2012, from http://www.hospitality.net. Swanson, Abbie F. (2012). Restaurant Workers’ Group Releases Ethical Eating Guide. The Culture. Retrieved August 4, 2012, from http://www.culture.wnyc.org. Welch, L. (2010). How I did It: Jerry Murrell, Five Guys Burgers and Fries. The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 3, 2012, from http:///www.bluemaumau.org. Yu, R. (2009). Five Guys is simply successful. USA Today. Retrieved August 5, 2012, from http://www.usatoday.com.