FIVE GUYS CERTIFICATION STUDY GUIDE

The following packet contains all the information necessary to pass the Five Guys certification exam.
Study the information below carefully as the exam consists of multiple choice questions taken from this
packet. Additional training materials can also be found on Five Guys University.

CONTENTS
Contents.................................................................................................................................................. 1
History..................................................................................................................................................... 2
Facts........................................................................................................................................................ 2
Atmosphere............................................................................................................................................. 2
Food Safety ............................................................................................................................................. 3
Prep ........................................................................................................................................................ 4
Line Operations ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Bread .................................................................................................................................................... 11
Customer Service ................................................................................................................................... 14
Brand Standards .................................................................................................................................... 15
Closing................................................................................................................................................... 15
Basic Equipment Maintenance ............................................................................................................... 17
Store Management Basics ...................................................................................................................... 17
Food Safety Audits ................................................................................................................................. 19
Secret Shopper Program ........................................................................................................................ 20
Technology Systems .............................................................................................................................. 20
Essays .................................................................................................................................................... 20
HISTORY
1986 The first Five Guys location opens in Arlington, VA.
1986 – 2001 Five Guys opens five locations around the DC metro area, perfects their business,
and starts to build a cult-like following.

2002 Five Guys decides DC metro-area residents shouldn't be the only ones to
experience their burgers and start to franchise in Virginia and Maryland.

2003 Five Guys sells out of franchise territory within 18 months and starts to open the
rest of the country for franchise rights.

2003 - Present Five Guys continues to expand.

FACTS
• There are over 250,000 possible ways to order a burger at Five Guys.
• We use only 100% all-American fresh ground beef, with the exception of Canada and the UK
where the meat is local.
• There are no freezers at Five Guys, just coolers. Nothing is ever frozen.
• We use only peanut oil.
• We use only potatoes grown above the 42nd parallel.
• Our menu is trans-fat free.
• The Five Guys are Jim, Matt, Chad, Ben and Tyler.

ATMOSPHERE
• Customer perception of Five Guys starts in the parking lot. The parking lot and curb in front of
Five Guys should be clean with no debris, trash, cigarette butts, etc.
• There should never be a grease stain in front of the doors.
• During inclement weather you should place wet floor signs and mats at all entrances.
• Doors should be clean and smudge free.
• Every Five Guys should have 2 functioning neon “Open” signs.
• There should be signage with the hours of operation, the store’s phone number, and on-line
ordering visible outside the restaurant.
• Music should be set at an appropriate level. It should be easy to hear the person next to you, but
not the tables across the room.
• Lighting should be bright and inviting. There should never be a burned-out light bulb in Five Guys.
• Trash cans should never be more than half full. They should be wheeled to the back to be
changed. Trash cans should never be changed in front of the customer.
• Potatoes should be stacked “Lincoln log” style. They can be stacked 5 high against a wall or
window and 4 high when free-standing.
• Boxes of peanut oil should never be stacked more than 2 high.

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 • No empty dunnage racks should be in the dining area. Empty dunnage racks should be taken to
an out of the way area in the back.
• There should be 2 open and available boxes of peanuts. They should always be at least ¾ full and
should have a 5 oz. metal scoop and a ¼ sleeve of peanut boats available.
• The comment board should be in an easily accessible location and should be stocked with unlined
comment cards and crayons.
• There should be a laminated toppings card available at each register. This should be available to
the customers.
• A tip jar labeled TIPS with a black sharpie should be available next to the registers. The tip jar
should be spiked with 5 one dollar bills to encourage tipping.

FOOD SAFETY
• Cold foods must be stored between 33° to 41°F / 0.5° to 5°C.
• Hot foods must be stored above 140°F / 63°C.
• Cold foods must return to the temperature safety zone within 2 hours.
• All shelving must be 6” off of the ground.
• Always change gloves after leaving the kitchen or if gloves become dirty.
• Forms of food contaminations in a restaurant:
o Biological – When hazardous microorganisms called “pathogens” are passed on to food.
o Chemical – When cleaning/sanitizing agents contaminate food due to improper use or
storage.
o Physical – When hazardous foreign or naturally occurring objects are introduced to food.
• The six pathogens that require exclusion of a food handler from work are: Shigellosis, Salmonella,
Salmonella (non-Typhoidal), E. Coli, Hepatitis A, and Norovirus. Managers will be asked to list all
five during a Food Alert audit.
• Employees exhibiting symptoms of a foodborne illness should be excluded from the restaurant.
• Food products must be stored at least 6 inches off the floor.
• White buckets are only used to store potatoes, salt, and sugar.
• Three sinks must be used for dishes: wash, rinse and sanitize.
• Black buckets should only be used for grease, fry debris, and empty ketchup and mustard bottles.
• Each store must have at least 2 sanitizing buckets, one located in the prep area and one located
in the kitchen area.
• The only jewelry allowed are plain wedding bands and stud earrings when working in the store.
• Maintenance, MSDS, crisis management control plan, and the red safety binder are the log books
that must be maintained in all stores.
• The temperature of potentially hazardous foods should be taken every 2 hours.
• The red safety binder should contain the most recent local health inspection, Menulink audit, and
pest control report.
• Main components of an effective pest prevention program are the following:
o Prevent access
o Deny food and/or water

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 o Work with a licensed pest control operator
• Time and temperature checks should be performed at minimum every 2 hours.
• The proper concentration range for Quat sanitizer solution is 150 – 400 PPM (UK 400 – 600 PPM).
• The proper concentration range for Kay-5 sanitizer solution is 50 – 100 PPM.
• Chemicals should be stored away from food and prep areas.
• Food contact surfaces cannot be sanitized unless they have been cleaned first.
• All employees must be trained to spot food safety threats.
• Washing and sanitizing are two separate processes. Washing removes surface dirt while sanitizing
reduces pathogens to safe levels.
• Hand sinks should be used for washing hands only.
• The water should be at least 100°F (37.7°C) when washing your hands.

PREP
Overview
• We only prep for the current day at Five Guys.
• Our objective is to have all prep completed by 10:30 AM to allow for breaks and pre-shift
meetings.
• Bacon, grilled mushrooms, and grilled onions should be completed by 10:00 AM.
• After cooking bacon, grilled mushrooms, and grilled onions, the grill should be cleaned and the
grease trap should be emptied.
• All prepped items must be dated. For consistency, all labels should end at either 4:00 PM or
10:00 PM (unless different closing hours apply).
• The received date should be written on all food products.
• The prep forecast worksheet, forecasted sales, and/or 7-day pre-production summary should be
used to determine prep levels for the day.
• All milkshakes are 16 ounces/455 ml.
• The consistency of a properly blended milkshake should have an even thickness (viscosity)
throughout.
• Milkshakes should be able to be consumed through a straw; however, it should not pull easily. No
spoon is required, but is available per customer’s request.

Bacon
• We prep enough bacon for the entire day. We use sales forecasting in the back of house to
forecast prep quantities.
• We only cook crispy bacon.
• Our bacon must stick straight out when held horizontally and shatter when dropped from a
height of 14 inches.
• We only house our prepped bacon in a fry basket.
• We place one sheet of bacon per layer in the fry basket. The layers must be separated by a paper
towel folded in half.

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 • We cook the bacon before the mushrooms and onions.
• When cooking bacon during operating hours, it is to be cooked on the meat grill in the 3rd
section of the grill to prevent cross-contamination.
• The shelf-life of cooked bacon is one day, and it must be thrown out at the end of the day.
• Set the grill to 400F/204C.
• Using the scraper and the red spatula, carefully flip the bacon (only flip 1-2 times).
• A box of bacon should take no longer than 30 minutes to prep.
• In order to be compliant with USDA guidelines, raw bacon can only be stored for 7 days from the
receive date.
• Extra baskets of prepped bacon can only be placed on the bottom 2 shelves of the bread rack or a
clean prep table in the BOH.

Grilled Mushrooms
• Mushrooms are cooked at 350°F/177°C.
• We grill the mushrooms until they are almost done and golden because they will continue to
cook in the hot holding unit.
• The mushrooms are placed in the back of the hot holding unit.
• Pour 9 oz of hot water into the metal warming pan while it is in the hot holding unit, prior to
putting the mushrooms into the pan.
• The mushrooms are housed in the hot holding unit at 140°F/63°C.
• If mushrooms go below 140°F, reheat them in section 3 of the grill until they reach 165°F for 15
seconds.
• The temperature of the grilled mushrooms should be taken every 2 hours.
• The shelf-life of the grilled mushrooms is 1 shift.
• At 4:00 PM, grilled mushrooms must be thrown out, and fresh mushrooms must be grilled and
placed in a new pan.
• Grilled mushrooms are to be cooked before grilled onions to prevent flavor transfer from the
onions to the mushrooms.
• When cooking grilled mushrooms during operating hours, they are to be cooked on the right
hand side of the bun grill.

Grilled Onions
• Grilled Onions are cooked at 350°F/177°C.
• We grill the onions until they are almost done and golden because they will continue to cook in
the hot holding unit.
• Pour 9 oz of hot water into the metal warming pan while it is in the hot holding unit, prior to
putting the grilled onions into the pan.
• The grilled onions are housed in the hot holding unit at 140°F/63°C.
• If grilled onions go below 140°F, reheat them in section 3 of the grill until they reach 165°F for 15
seconds.
• The temperature of the grilled onions should be taken every 2 hours.

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 • The shelf-life of the grilled onions is 1 shift.
• At 4:00 PM, grilled onions must be thrown out, and fresh onions must be grilled and placed in a
new pan.
• When cooking grilled onions during operating hours, they are to be cooked on the meat grill in
the 3rd section of the grill to prevent cross-contamination.

Potatoes
• Potatoes should be cut first thing in the morning.
• All cut potatoes must be submerged at least one inch underneath clear, cold water and for at
least 15 minutes.
• Cold water cleans the potatoes and removes much of the starch.
• The temperature of water for cut fries should not rise above 55°F/12.7°C.
• If the water in the building is not cold, use ice or cool water in the walk-in.
• It is never acceptable to use potatoes that have not been properly soaked for at least 15 minutes.
• Potatoes should be completely submerged during the cutting process. Continue to agitate the
fries and perform sink drains until the water is clear.
• Cut potatoes must be completely submerged in water at night.
• Fries must be submerged at least 1 inch below the surface of the water.
• Black potatoes occur when the potatoes have been out of water too long.
• Black potatoes should be discarded.
• The acid effect occurs when potatoes have soaked in water too long (this may occur after 20
hours). The potatoes will appear eaten away and slimy.
• Buckets containing potatoes with the acid effect should be discarded completely as well as any
others left over from the previous shift.
• Pink potatoes occur when the potatoes have not soaked in water long enough.
• To fix the pink potatoes, soak them again in the prep sink until the pink color goes away.
• Buckets of potatoes on the line should not contain water.
• Each store is required to have 2 potato cutters on site.
• The shelf-life of cut potatoes is 3 shifts.
• Prep time for one bag of potatoes is 5 minutes or less.
• Cut potatoes should rotate in the PowerSoak for a minimum of 3 minutes.

Cheese
• We prep the cheese to help cut down cook time for the grill person.
• We house our separated cheese in a cambro that is dated. When it is ready for the kitchen, the
cheese is housed in a metal 1/3 or 1/6 pan, set inside a metal 1/3 pan filled half way with ice and
water. There should be no aluminum foil around the cheese when it is in the ice bath.
• If the cheese is being stored in the chef-base, it should be in its own drawer above the hot dogs.
• The cheese does not need to be perfect when stacking. Speed is the objective.
• The shelf-life of prepped cheese is 4 shifts.

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 • Prep time for cheese is 30 minutes or less per case.

Hot Dogs
• We prep the hot dogs on the red cutting board.
• We store hot dogs in either a 1/3 pan or in a cambro.
• If the hot dogs are being stored in the chef-base, they need to be in a drawer of their own.
• The shelf-life of prepped hot dogs is 3 shifts and will expire the next day at 4:00 PM.
• Prep time for hot dogs is 20 minutes or less per case.

Lettuce
• Use only cold water to rinse lettuce.
• Lettuce should be shredded by hand into 1-2” pieces.
• One box of lettuce should yield one white tub.
• To avoid temperature abuse, lettuce cannot be prepped directly into the third pans.
• Brown and hard pieces of lettuce are to be discarded.
• All containers of prepped lettuce should be dated and placed in the walk-in.
• The shelf-life of prepped lettuce is 4 shifts.
• Prep time for lettuce is 15 minutes or less per flat.
• Lettuce wrap lettuce, the label will now read “Lettuce wrap” and it will be good for 2 shifts. At the
end of the night (2nd shift), any unused lettuce wrap lettuce will be shredded into 1-2 inch pieces
and placed into the white tub of lettuce that was prepped that morning.

Tomatoes
• Transfer tomatoes into black tub and rinse with cold water.
• Prepped tomatoes are stacked 2 high into a black tub. Tomatoes can be stacked higher in third
pans that go in the dressing station.
• To avoid temperature abuse, tomatoes cannot be prepped directly into the third pans.
• Make certain that all employees know that tomatoes should be placed top down in the cutter
and that the blades are extremely sharp.
• Remove all core pieces and throw them away.
• All containers of prepped tomatoes should be dated and placed in the walk-in.
• The shelf-life of prepped tomatoes is 4 shifts.
• Prep time for tomatoes is 7.5 minutes or less per flat.

Onions
• Onions are prepped on green cutting boards only.
• Only cut the ends of the onions off then cut the onions in half and place them in a white tub.
• Peel the onion, making certain not to peel too deep.
• Cut the onions using the potato cutter, catching the cut pieces into the white tub.
• Date the container of cut onions and place it in the walk-in.

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 • The shelf-life of prepped onions is 4 shifts.
• Prep time for one bag of onions is 1 hour or less.

Meat
• Only prep 1 box of meat with 2 people at a time to prevent time and temperature abuse.
• Meat must be received between 28° to 41°F/-2° to 5°C.
• A patty should be between 3.5 – 3.7 ounces.
• One bag of meat should yield 24 patties.
• One box of meat should yield 96 patties.
• We only smash patties in stacks of 1 high.
• We stack our patties a total of 6 high in our cambros.
• There should be 48 patties per cambro.
• The pack-date is the date when the meat was ground.
• The run time corresponds with the time of day the meat was packed.
• Meat can be accepted up to 12 days after the pack date.
• If you receive meat later than 12 days after the pack-date, you should contact the vendor and
send it back.
• Check the packaging on the meat. The vacuum seal should be intact and the bags should not be
bloated.
• If meat reaches the freeze-by date at FIVE GUYS, it must be thrown out.
• You need to write the received-by date on the box of meat when receiving.
• Meat that has been prepped must be placed in a cambro, dated, and placed in the walk-in.
• The shelf-life of meat is 3 shifts and will expire the next day at 4:00 PM.
• It should take 2 people 10 minutes or less to prep a box of meat.
o The prep time is complete when the entire case is completed, cambro is labeled, and
placed in the walk-in cooler.

Strawberry Marinade
• Rinse 3600gm containers of strawberries in a metal perforated pan with cold water from the 4th
prep sink, let water drain.
• Place next to the green cutting board.
• Cut the stem off each strawberry on a green cutting board and throw the stems away.
• Cut each strawberry in half and place in an 8-quart container.
• Add 1 cup of sugar, 2 teaspoon of lemon juice, 2 salt packet, and 4 pepper packets.
• To properly mix the ingredients, shake the container a minimum of 5 times in a tossing motion
while securing the lid.
• Remove the lid and add 8 cups of simple syrup.
• Secure the lid once more and shake 5 times.
• Place on the bottom product shelf in the walk-in cooler labeled with date, time, and ready-to-use
date (24 hours, not to exceed 5 days, from prep date).

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 • After 24 hours, but not to exceed 5 days, remove from the cooler and pulsate the marinade using
the blender to blend the mixture into a chunky consistency.
• Wash, rinse, and sanitize the blender pitcher, blade, and lid when done.
• Shelf life on the blended product is 5 days.
• Place into a large black mix-in container, cover, date, and place into the fountainette.

Banana Marinade
• Rinse 6 freckled bananas in the 4th prep sink.
• Place the bananas on the prep table next to the green cutting board.
• Cut the ends off the banana and throw them away along with the peel.
• Cut the banana into rings (approximately ¼ inch thickness).
• Place all banana rings into 4-quart container and add 1 packet of salt, 4 cups of simple syrup
• To properly mix the ingredients, shake the container a minimum of 5 times in a tossing motion
while securing the lid.
• Place on the bottom product shelf in the walk-in cooler labeled with date, time, and ready-to-use
date (24 hours, not to exceed 4 shifts, from prep date).
• After 24 hours, but not to exceed 4 shifts, remove from the cooler and pulsate the marinade
using the blender to blend the mixture into a chunky consistency.
• Wash, rinse, and sanitize the blender pitcher, blade, and lid when done.
• Shelf life on blended product is 5 days.
• Place into a large black mix-in container, cover, date and place into the fountainette.

Salted Carmel
• Use one jug of Ghirardelli Caramel and fill large black mix-in container ¾ high.
• Add 4 teaspoons of sea salt into large black mix-in container.
• Using the fountainette pump, stir sea salt into the caramel.

LINE OPERATIONS
Milkshakes
• The Five Guys milkshake is offered with the following mix-ins: bacon, salted caramel, Oreo cookie
pieces, peanut butter, banana, strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, malted milk powder and whipped
topping.
• The milkshakes are made with a proprietary layered vanilla shake mix base, along with premium
and freshly prepared toppings.
• For any combinations of 2 mix-ins, half the standard portion amount (i.e. 1 pump of salted
caramel, 1 ladle of strawberries).
• For any combinations of 3 mix-ins or more, ¼ of the standard portion amount. (i.e. ½ pump of
salted caramel, ½ ladle of strawberries, ¼ pump of vanilla).
• The portion amount for malted milk, coffee, and bacon never change.

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 • Minimum portion for Oreo pieces is 1 spoon, regardless of mix-in quantity.
• Minimum portion for chocolate and fudge is ½ pump, regardless of mix-in quantity.
• Gloves must be changed after bacon is crushed for a bacon shake.
• When the red light comes on, there is enough base mix for approximately 5 – 7 milkshakes.
• 1 box of base mix makes approximately 25 milkshakes. 1 case of base mix makes approximately
50 milkshakes.
• Strawberries, bananas, and whipped cream must be held at a temperature of 33°-41°F/0.5°-5°C.
• Temperature of the product should be checked first thing in the morning and should be between
33°F-41°F.
• In use Oreo Crème can be stored at 70°F (21.1°C) for 6 days. At the end of its shelf life, it must be
discarded.
• The milkshake mixture should be between 24°F (-4.4°C) and 28°F (-2.2°C) after blending.
• Whipped cream will also be placed in the walk-in nightly.
• All prepped mix-ins must be labeled.
• Use the Kleen cup filled with room temperature water, after each shake to clean the spindle and
avoid cross-contamination (water must be obtained from the prep sink in the back of house).
• Replace water in cleaning cup every 2 hours or when water becomes cloudy.
• The milkshake spindle must be sanitized every 2 hours. After being sanitized, the spindle must air
dry for 1-2 minutes (no milkshakes are allowed to be made during this time).
• Disassemble and clean all syrup pumps weekly. Allow to air dry and reassemble.
• The cycle must be broken every Monday night after closing and the milkshake base should be
discarded.
• Milkshakes are not served with whipped cream, the customer should be asked at the register if
they would like whipped cream.
• The milkshake mix feed tube must be in the open position when the store is open and in the
closed position when the store is closed.
Blending Procedure
• First Blend
o Fill 1/3 of cup with shake base by pulling blender handle all the way down, add mix-ins*.
o Mix the shake base and mix-ins using the mix button until the color is consistent through
the mixture. It is important to stop blending once a consistent color is achieved,
otherwise the shake will have a thin consistency.
o This may take more or less time depending on the number and type of mix-ins.
• Second Blend
o Fill cup to 1/2 inch below the rim by pulling the blender handle all the way down.
o While filling the cup, slowly pull the cup straight down to ensure even mixing of the
product.
• Final Blend
o Finish blending by using the mix button for 3-4 seconds at the top of the shake to create
a consistent color throughout the top half of the shake.
o If the shake was blended properly during the first and second blend, it will only be
necessary to blend the top of the shake.

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 o It is not necessary to move the cup up and down the spindle. This will cause the shake to
become over-blended, resulting in a thinner consistency.

BREAD
General Information
• Five Guys bread is the only component of the Five Guys burger that cannot be purchased at any
local store.
• The bread is a proprietary blend that does not contain any additives or preservatives.
• All bread comes fresh from our bakeries.
• Five Guys does not permit bread to be refrigerated or frozen.
• When storing bread under the dressing table, it can only be displayed one bag high because it is
fragile.
• Be sure to periodically check the dates on the bags of bread.

Ordering
• All bread ordering is done through the Five Guys Foods Management System
https://bread2.fiveguys.com.
• Orders can be placed up to 14 days in advance and can be changed until the ordering deadlines
listed for the store’s assigned bakery.
• A store should have enough bread in stock to get through the next delivery date.
• If bread is not ordered, the average of the previous 4 orders for that day will be sent.
• Stores should have no more than two order dates worth of bread in the store at any one time.
This is to promote freshness of product.
• Bread has a shelf-life of 5 days from the date of arrival.
• Product quality incident reports must be reported through the Bread Ordering Subscriber System
(B.O.S.S.) within 3 days of the delivery date (delivery date + 2 days).
• If a store runs out of bread, the district manager should be notified immediately. The district
manager will check with stores nearby for bread supply until the next delivery arrives. If no
nearby store can supply bread, then the store will have to close.

Toasting
• We toast all buns until golden brown at 350°F/177°C on the bread grill to prevent the bun from
becoming soggy.
• Toasted buns that have yet to be used are stored on the aluminum foil covered bun rack.
• Toasted buns ready for use may only be stacked four high on the bun rack.

Dressing
• Dress 1 order at a time.
• Always dress from the bottom to the top of the ticket, beginning with the bottom bun.

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 • We always dress the bottom buns first in case the grill has items ready to serve.
• Place the bottom bun on the right and the top bun on the left.
• “All the Way” sandwiches receive ketchup, mustard, grilled onions, and grilled mushrooms on the
bottom bun. The top bun receives mayo, lettuce, 5 pickles, and 2 tomatoes.
• Ketchup and mustard should be applied in circles.
• We apply more ketchup than mustard (generally speaking, 3 rings of ketchup and 2 rings of
mustard).
• Hot dogs receive the same amount of toppings as burgers.
• When dressing a hot dog, use 3 lines of ketchup and 2 lines of mustard.
• Use 2 strips of bacon, broken in half, on a little or regular burger with bacon.
• When placing bacon on a bun try to make a flat surface.
• Use the following when ordered: 2 tomatoes, 5 pickles, 4 jalapenos, 4 green peppers, level
spoonful of grilled onions, level spoonful of grilled mushrooms.
• If a burger has only mustard, it goes on both sides.
• If a burger has only ketchup, it goes on both sides.
• If a burger has ketchup and mustard, they go on both sides.
• If a burger has only mayonnaise, it goes on both sides.
• Ketchup and mustard never mix with mayonnaise on the same side of the bun.
• If a burger has ketchup (and/or mustard) and mayonnaise, the ketchup (and/or mustard) goes on
the bottom bun and mayonnaise goes on the top bun.
• HP Sauce, Franks Red Hot sauce, and BBQ sauce go on the meat.
• If a cheeseburger gets an extra patty, it will receive an extra slice of cheese.
• Do not charge for extra cheese or extra bacon if it already comes on the sandwich (example:
extra cheese on a cheeseburger does not get charged).
• Generally, if there is a request for extra or lite toppings add or reduce at 50% of the original
amount.
• No-bun bowl and lettuce wraps are alternatives to using bread.

Cooking Burgers
• We cook only well-done, juicy burgers.
• If a customer wants a rare burger, ask them to try one the Five Guys way, on the house.
• The adjective that best describes our finished burger is “juicy.”
• Cook the burgers at 350°F/177°C; however, this is adjustable up to 400°F / 204°C if the grill is not
calibrated correctly.
• If the raw patty does not sizzle when you place it on the grill, the grill is not hot enough.
• The burgers are cooked in 3 sections on the grill. We use 3 sections to prevent cross-
contamination and to remain organized.
• Place initial patties in rows 4 high (5 for high-volume situations) starting at the far edge of section
one, closest to section 2.
• Always change your gloves after handling raw meat.
• All four corners of the Patty Press must touch the grill when evening out a patty.

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 • The purpose of evening out the patties is to break the seal so they can cook evenly.
• Patties are evened out one time only.
• Generally, we flip the patties 2 to 4 times during the cooking process.
• If you are not sure if a burger is done cooking, cut a small slit into the thickest part of the thickest
patty. If the patty is done, the other burgers that were placed on the grill at the same time should
be done as well.
• Burger patties should be cooked to an internal temperature of 167°F/75°C.
• Once a patty is finished cooking, it should be placed on a properly dressed bottom bun.
• Any burger that is not perfect should be thrown in the trash.
• It is not acceptable to save unused, cooked burgers (burgers that are done) on the warm side of
the grill for the next customer.
• Use 1 slice of cheese for the little cheeseburger (melted on the grill) and 2 slices of cheese for the
regular cheeseburger.

Other Sandwiches
• Veggies, grilled cheese sandwiches, and hot dogs are to be cooked at 350°F/177°C.
• We do not serve a veggie burger.
• Our standard veggie contains grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, green peppers (grilled), lettuce
and tomatoes.
• Our BLT contains mayo, lettuce, tomato, and 6 strips (12 pieces) of bacon broken in half.
• If cheese is ordered on the BLT, place 2 pieces of cheese (not melted) on top of the bacon.
• If melted cheese is requested for a BLT, melt the cheese on the bread grill and place on top of the
bacon.
• For bunless burgers, place the bottom bun toppings on the right side of the bowl and the top bun
toppings on the left side of the bowl.
• Always dress the right side of the bowl first.
• A cheese veggie gets 2 slices of cheese.
• A grilled cheese gets 2 slices of cheese.
• The cheese on a grilled cheese goes on the outside of the bun.
• If the grilled cheese does not have toppings, it is cut in half. If it does have toppings, it is not cut in
half.
• Veggies and grilled cheese sandwiches are to be cooked on the back of the bread grill.
• Do not break the bacon in half when dressing a hot dog bun.
• Hot dogs are cooked on the back 4 inches of the meat grill.
• All hot dogs are cooked well-done.
• Hot dogs get one piece of cheese, cut diagonally, and placed next to each other.
• Gloves must be changed after retrieving hot dogs from the chef base for cooking.
Cooking Fries
• Fries should be cooked at 345°F / 174°C.
• The fries must be cooked in a 3-stage process. Never cook the fries straight through.

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 • Our fries are best described as having a firm outer layer and being soft inside, like a mashed
potato.
• We do not cook crispy fries.
• All fries, regular or Cajun style, receive salt.
• Put one ½ topper on the little fries, one full topper on the regular fries, and one heaping topper
on the large fries.
• Shake the fries throughout the cooking process to ensure the fries cook evenly and do not clump
together.
• Shake the fries at least 15 times after the final cook process to remove any excess oil.
• Cooked fries can only sit in the fry dump station for a maximum of 5 minutes. After 5 minutes,
they are to be thrown away.
• It is important to never have empty baskets because it will eventually cause a bottleneck on the
fry station.
• Drop two pre-cook baskets at once. This lowers the oil temperature and allows for a more
thorough and consistent cook for both baskets.
• We never seal a bag that has fries in it as it makes the fries soggy.
• A fry certified manager or crew member should lead the crew in a calibration of the pre-cook and
the final cook fries before each shift to ensure proper fry quality.

Bagging
• The number of items in our bags is as follows: small—2 items, medium—3 items, large—5 items.
• Exceptions: We never place large fries in a small bag, and we never place regular, Cajun fries in
the same bag, and burger in a bowl go in a large bag alone with condiments, fork and knife.
• All burgers should be placed in the bag prior to the fries being placed in the bag.
• Put the fries in the cup first and then place the cup in the bag. Pour the topper on top of the cup
of fries.
• Wrap the burgers tightly.
• Never roll the burgers when wrapping them.
• Never bag incomplete orders.
• Keep fries in the dump station until ready to sell.
• Only tape the order ticket to the bag; never use staples.
• The general rule for napkins is 2 per burger.
• Bags and napkins should be stacked the same height as an open medium bag.
• When in a rush, it is important to call out multiple orders to save time.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
• Every customer should be acknowledged in an authentic way.
• The goal of effective line management is to move customers through the line as quickly and
efficiently as possible.
• If a line begins to form, you should open up additional registers to speed the ordering process.

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 • If customers are standing in line waiting to order, ask them what they are getting and get their
orders on the grill. This shows you care about their time.
• The person working at the register should never greet the customer with mechanical greetings
such as “Hi, welcome to FIVE GUYS.”
• Cashiers should repeat the order back to the customer before completing the order.
• If a customer has concerns about allergens in the food, the employee working register should:
o Provide them with the allergen chart
o Offer suggestions and alternatives
o Keep their order separate from other orders
• If possible, the phone should be answered by the second ring.
• Call-ins and web-orders take priority when the customer arrives.
• When not busy greeting and helping customers, the person on register should assist with handing
out orders, clean tables, and provide help where needed.
• Customer complaints are opportunities to create a customer for life.
• When handling an incorrect order, make certain that the following is being done:
o Politely find out what the issue is and apologize.
o Never take the order behind the counter to fix it.
o If the burger was cooked incorrectly, retake the order using the manual order pads and
serve the next burger off the grill to the customer “on the fly”.
o If the toppings were incorrect, solve the problem by offering to give them the missing
items or remake their sandwich on the fly.
• Remakes always take priority.
• Keep your head on a swivel. If you had no opportunities to go above and beyond for a customer
then you were not paying attention.
• Absence of customer complaints is not evidence of happy customers.
• Ticket times over 8 minutes indicate issues throughout the operations at the moment

BRAND STANDARDS
• The potato board should provide the city, state, and farm where the potatoes were grown.
• The weekly Patty Press has important information and should be posted in the back of the house
each week.
• Each store must have 3 stacks of each type of cup at each register.
• Each store must have at least 2 open boxes of peanuts, at least ¾ full at all times.
• Potatoes and peanuts in the dining room should be no less than two rows high to show our
customers that we are ready for business.
• Five Guys uses First In, First Out (FIFO) to maintain proper food rotation.

CLOSING
• It is not acceptable to begin the close while the store is still open.
• Before the store closes you cannot:
o Take the hood filters to the back

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 o Clean the grills (this includes the bread grill)
o Clean the salad bar
o Clean the milkshake machine
o Turn off the fryers
o Turn off the grills
o Filter the fryers
o Run fry station with less than 6 baskets
o Remove the Cajun bin
o Remove the hot-holding unit
o Scrub or mop the floors
o Put up the chairs
o Focus on back of house or office tasks when dining room and rooms are not perfect
• Ketchup and mustard bottles are to be washed, rinsed, sanitized, and re-filled at night.
• Leftover separated cheese should be wrapped and stored for the next day.
• Lettuce and tomatoes are to be taken to the walk-in and stored overnight.
• Leftover bacon is to be thrown away at the end of the night.
• All grills are to be thoroughly cleaned after the store has closed. However, the meat grill can be
cleaned mid-shift during down times if necessary.
• Hot water is the ONLY acceptable substance to clean the grills.
• It is never acceptable to use chemicals, steel wool pads, or soda to clean the grill.
• It should take no longer than 20 minutes to clean both grills.
• Coke suggests using Kay-5 cleaner to unplug and clear the drain lines.
• Once the fry filter drawer is cleaned, it should be reset with new filter paper and placed
underneath the fry dump station to prevent fires. Never place the clean filter drawer back into
the fryers.
• Floor cleaner should be mixed with cold water in order to work properly.
• Following the daily cleaning calendar posted in the back of house will help you keep your entire
store in good condition.
• The milkshake machine should be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned every Monday and
Thursday night per the Electro Freeze cleaning guidelines.
• Other than Monday and Thursday nights, the milkshake machine needs to be wiped down with a
sanitizer towel.
• Flip the pans of the strawberry, cherry, and banana marinade nightly before placing in the cooler.
• Whipped cream and coffee extract will also be placed in the walk-in nightly.
• Place malted milk and cookie pieces in regular fry cup covered with foil for nightly storage.
• Clean all Fountainette, spoons, teaspoons, rinse cups, ladles, and surrounding milkshake area
nightly.
• No chemicals should be used to clean the grill or fryers.

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BASIC EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
Hoods
• A hood that is not properly balanced can result in:
o Slippery floors.
o Grease buildup in areas outside of the kitchen.
o Smoke buildup in the store.
O Entrance doors that are difficult to open or open on their own.
• Hood vents should be taken down and washed daily.

Fryers
• If the fryers will not turn on, check to make sure the power cord is fully plugged in, the drain valve
is fully closed, and the gas hose is properly connected.
• If the fryer filter returns oil slowly, check to make sure the filter paper and strainer cap are clean,
and that the waffle rack is below the filter paper.
• If the fryer filter pump will not start, check the filter pump circuit breaker and the motor thermal
overload.
• A boil out should be completed every time you change your fryer oil.
• To put out a grease fire you should use a fire extinguisher or the ansul system.
• Water should never be used to put out a grease fire.
• Mid-shift fry filters are important to preserve the oil quality and to set the night crew up for
success.

Grills
• If the grill will not start:
o Check the power cord is fully plugged in.
o Make sure the gas line is properly connected and the gas shut-off valve is open.
o Check to make sure the circuit breaker has not tripped.

STORE MANAGEMENT BASICS

Uniforms
• Five Guys managers are required to wear jeans, khakis, or black pants. They need to wear a one
of the approved management-level (black, gray, red) Five Guys shirt and a red Five Guys hat (the
shirt and hat must be the same color).
• Non-skid shoes are required for all employees.
• We do not wear name tags.

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Scheduling
• Each store needs 4 food safety and Quality Control certified managers scheduled prior to initial
opening.
o It is required to have a Food Safety certified manager during all operating hours.
• It is suggested that any store doing more than £25,000 a week have 4 certified managers.
• There must be a certified manager on duty during all hours of operation.
• The day manager must be at work at or before 9:00 AM.

Operations
• The day manager is responsible for making all food orders and ensuring that the store is prepped
for the entire day.
• The primary purpose of a shift change is to set the next shift up for success.
• The night manager is responsible for ensuring the store is closed (cleaned) properly in advance
for the morning shift.
• Managers should oversee all training and ensure that all daily operations are running smoothly.
• Managers should always have their “head on a swivel.”
• Should submit a product issue form if you notice a problem or defect with product in your store.
• Items that must be included on a product issue form are:
o A comprehensive description of the issue in question
o The exact amount of product in question that credit is being requested for
o High quality pictures of all affected items

Training
• Cross-training is critical to the culture at Five Guys. All employees should be trained on the
register and on every station in the kitchen.
• New employees have 31 days to complete their required courses in Five Guys University.
• For training to be most effective it is important that managers provide trainees with adequate
time to absorb Five Guys’ operational standards and culture.
• On the first day, employees should watch only the core courses needed for onboarding then take
one job skills course such as Dressing. After completing the skills course, the trainee should then
move to the kitchen and begin hands on training on that particular station with the manager. The
next few days should be spent practicing and reinforcing what they just learned before moving on
to a new station. Once the employee shows proficiency and can work without supervision, they
should move on to learn the next station.

Security
• Store security considerations
o Keep doors locked until open for business
o Cash should be counted at the manager’s desk, never in an area that can be viewed from
the outside

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 o Never prop open doors. Enlist the help of employees to open/close doors during
deliveries
o Doors should be shut and locked immediately after business is closed by the manager
• Register/cash security considerations
o Managers should use their manager card to access manager functions.
o Check large bills with a counterfeit detection device prior to accepting payment.
o Count drawers before and after each shift with the employee that worked using that
drawer. Employees should verify contents of their drawers
o Drawers should be assigned to individual employees. No two employees should share the
same drawer
o Never leave unsecured cash unattended

FOOD SAFETY
Employee Health
• Employees should not work in store if they experience the following conditions:
o Vomiting
o Diarrhea
o Jaundice
o Sore throat
o Fever
o Or an infected wound that cannot be covered

Food Safety Audits

• Purpose for food safety audits:
o Brand Protection
o Third party view of our operations
o Lead us toward goal of being safest and best run restaurant system in the world
• Audits cover food safety, health and safety, and brand standards.
• Audits take place once per quarter. New stores will have their first audit date announced 2 weeks
in advance.
• The audit should last approximately 2 hours.
• If not busy, the manager should walk through the store with the auditor for learning purposes.
This is not required, but highly recommended.
• Scoring starts at 100 points minus any deductions.
o Low Risk – Score of 96 – 100 and/or 0 critical violations
o Medium-low Risk – Score of 90 – 95 and/or 1 critical violation
o Medium-high Risk – Score of 85 – 89 and/or 2 critical violations
o High Risk – Score of 84 or lower and/or 3 critical violations.
o Scores in the high risk category will be placed into the CAFFEINE performance
improvement plan.

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 • Once an audit is complete, the store manager should take immediate action to correct all non-
critical and critical violations. Managers should also keep a copy of the complete audit report and
review the audit with the staff.
• Corrective actions must be entered into the store’s audit website and will become delinquent at
midnight on the third calendar day if not completed.

SECRET SHOPPER PROGRAM

• Each Five Guys store will be shopped a total of 96 times per year using an evaluation created by
Five Guys Enterprises.
• For most shopper weeks, stores should expect to be shopped twice per week (a lunch and a
dinner shop); however, there will be some weeks when the store will only receive 1 shop for the
week.
• Secret shopper award payouts for a shop should be distributed equally among all employees
working the shift.
• A store can be shopped anytime the store is open.
• Results are posted every Thursday afternoon.
• The purpose of the program is to:
o Create a culture where each employee feels personal ownership
o Gain customers’ perspective
o Reward employees for exceeding standards of quality and service
• A phantom shop is a night shop that occurs 30 minutes prior to closing to make sure the store is
not performing closing procedures early.
• A store will receive a phantom shop once every quarter.
• Should you ever need to give feedback on the rewards program or a specific shop, contact your
district manager.
• If an error occurs on a shop that is not opinion-based, FIVE GUYS will review the shop and request
an adjustment.

TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS
• Five Guys University – Employee training FGU.fiveguys.com
• Bread Ordering Subscriber System (BOSS) – Bread ordering system https://bread2.fiveguys.com
• Extranet – Company document storage sso.fiveguys.com
• MarketForce – Secret shopper website: https://onlinekmc.com/
• Menulink - Store financial system

ESSAYS
What is the proper technique for cooking burgers?
Place the patty on the grill. Separate the patty from the grill. Wait for the edges of the patty to turn gray.
When the edges turn gray, flip the patty and even it out with the patty press one time only. Separate the
patty from the grill. Wait for blood to rise to the top. When you see a good amount of blood, flip the
patty. Continue doing this until you see clear juice. When you see this, the patty is done.

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What is the proper technique for cooking fries?
Pre-cook the fries until they are slightly hard and there is a slight change in color (approximately 2 ½
minutes). Let the fries sit on the racks or above the oil until they appear dull and become soft and limp (at
least 2 ½ minutes). Drop the fries in the oil until the fries are firm on the outside and like a mashed potato
on the inside (at least 2 ½ to 3 minutes). The color for a perfect FIVE GUYS fry can change from shift to
shift. It is essential that the management team calibrates at least once each shift.

What is the purpose of the sales calendar?

The purpose of the sales calendar is to motivate the crew to increase sales. The management and staff
can also see sales records and trends.

Why do we break down the sales by shift?

The sales are broken down by shift in order to give the staff and management tangible goals that are easy
to see. This also allows the crew to prep accurately.

Why don’t we ask how the food is?

We don’t ask customers how their food is because we should know how their food is before they get it.

How do clean bathrooms help sell burgers?

Clean bathrooms help sell burgers due to perception. If a customer visits a FIVE GUYS bathroom and it is
unclean, this will give them the perception that our employees and food are also not clean, and the
customer will not return.

Why does FIVE GUYS food-cost approach differ from other similar
restaurants?
FIVE GUYS does not emphasize food cost. We do not want our employees to wonder whether or not they
should serve a bun, burger, fries, or any other item, if they are not perfect. If we serve imperfect items,
we will lose customers. We manage food cost in the back of house, but not between us and the
customer.

Why is our secret shopper program so important?

The Secret Shopper program allows FIVE GUYS to protect the brand in a consistent and fair manner
through our primary marketing agent, our employees.

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