New Five Guys on King Street Opening Pushed Back Again

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The new Five Guys Burgers & Fries on King Street scheduled to open Monday and rescheduled for Saturday will actually open on Saturday, Feb. 4, a company spokeswoman said Friday.

The new restaurant, which will occupy the space of the former Bertucci's at 725 King Street, will be one of the conpany's largest, at 5,900 square feet. The new King Street location of the popular burgers and fries chain, which got its start in 1986 in Northern Virginia, will be more than twice the size of most Five Guys eateries, according to Lauren, Lewis, senior communications manager for the company.

The iconic burger joint serves up burgers, hot dogs, french fries and milkshakes. See the menu here.
At its new location, Five Guys plans to have 83 seats inside and seating for 12 outside on the N. Columbus side in Old Town. No word on whether the company plans to continue to operate two Five Guys in Old Town; as for now, there are no plans to close the 107 N. Fayette St., Lewis said.

Five Guys has been a Washington, DC area favorite since 1986 when Jerry and Janie Murrell offered advice to the four young Murrell brothers: "Start a business or go to college."The business route won and the Murrell family opened a carry-out burger joint in Arlington. Under the guidance of Jerry and Janie, the Murrell family served only hand-formed burgers cooked to perfection on a grill along with fresh-cut fries cooked in pure peanut oil. The little burger joint quickly developed a cult-like following. Customers voted the burger"#1" in the metro area.

During the 1980s and 1990s the Murrell family perfected their simple system. Five Guys was The Place to get a fresh, juicy burger with all the toppings you could stuff between fresh-baked buns. A fifth brother was born and, as their family grew, so did their business. Four more restaurants with sit-down seating were added to accommodate the growing clientele.

Early in 2003 Jerry and Janie, together with the five"guys" began offering franchise opportunities. In under 18 months, Five Guys Enterprises sold options for over 300 units. The company's franchising made national news with articles in trade publications such as Nation's Restaurant News, Restaurant Business Magazine, and the Franchise Times.

More than 20 years after Five Guys first opened, there are more than 1,000 locations nationwide and more than 1,500 units in development.

PHOTO: Five Guys photo courtesy of company