Service without slogans

Rather than asking "Where’s the Beef?" Five Guys looks to show it

BY MAT BOES of the VBJ

If you've ever heard of Five Guys, a franchise "hamburger store" opening a location on 78th Street in Hazel Dell this week, it is a testament to word-of-mouth. According to Ron Marble, operations manager for the Portland-Vancouver metro area, corporate policy doesn't allow for any money to be spent on advertising.

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-Courtesy of Five Guys-
Franchisee Ron Marble plans to open a Five Guys hamburger store like this one in Renton on 78th Street in Hazel Dell this week.

"We've already gained notoriety in Vancouver just by relying on people. It's how things used to work," Marble said.

That "back to the basics" mentality sets Five Guys apart from the competition. By focusing on fresh products and a small menu, Marble says they can provide something which has been missing in modern quick-dine eateries - quality.

Five Guys, founded in 1986 in Arlington, Va., has always been focused on simplicity. Marble, a 40-year veteran in the restaurant business, said this is what caused him and his brother, Bill Marble, to uproot from their Georgia homes and move to the Pacific Northwest to spread the Five Guys brand. In that time they have opened four stores - including the Hazel Dell location - and plan on building 23 more.

In total, Five Guys has 400 locations throughout the U.S.

Marble has owned many restaurants, dating back to a time when now-ubiquitous McDonald's and Burger King establishments were just "little burger stands and stores, independent of anything."

"Now every piece of meat they serve tastes like cardboard," Marble said.

Not so at Five Guys, he says, where employees come in three hours early to slice and de-starch potatoes, press patties and hand-tear lettuce. From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. customers can watch their food cooked to order thanks to Five Guy's open kitchen, which offers burgers, hotdogs, sandwiches, fries and 17 toppings.

Much like Vancouver-based Burgerville, Five Guys doesn't consider itself a fast-food restaurant, though wait-times are comparatively short at both establishments.

"When a customer comes in, places their order, we start cooking it. It should be done in less than eight minutes," Marble said.

To ensure quality, every Five Guys location employs secret shoppers, who are familiar with procedures and test stores on 100 areas of quality twice a week. According to Marble, this not only ensures a great experience for the customer, but also has added benefits for employees.

"As for the money we don't spend advertising: if a store gets two perfect secret shopper visits in a month, the employees get $1,300 to split amongst them. Our Beaverton store was awarded nearly $7,000 in October," he says.

Even President Barack Obama has boosted the store, dropping in for a cheeseburger with jalapenos at a Five Guys in Washington, D.C. last May.

Shortly, Vancouverites will be able to have the same luxury.

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