There's One Burger Request You'll Never Be Able To Make At Five Guys

Although Five Guys is primarily known for its burgers and fries, this fast food chain is also known for making a few curious and sometimes unusual decisions. From the huge amount of toppings available at Five Guys to the free peanuts that are dished out in every restaurant, Five Guys has a lot of interesting aspects to it. One that has puzzled some customers is that they are not able to specify how done they would like their burger to be. At Five Guys, beef is always cooked the same way: well done. Not only will employees not ask customers how they would like their burger cooked, but any requests regarding doneness will likely be turned down. This policy is the same across all Five Guys locations.

It isn't that Five Guys doesn't want customers to customize their burgers. In fact, the opposite is true — just look at how many customization options the chain offers. Instead, this policy is in place to encourage consistency as well as food safety. Although there are not many who would ask for a medium rare burger at a fast food joint, the fact you're not able to order one should be added to the list of Five Guys secrets that are worth knowing about.

According to Five Guys, cooking burgers well done accomplishes two goals simultaneously. Firstly, by not allowing customization on doneness, burgers can be made as consistently as possible across all locations at all times. This means that, no matter where you are in the world, a Five Guys burger should taste the same. The other, and arguably more important reason, is to do with food safety.

Cooking the burgers well done is part of a bid to eliminate the risk of consuming certain bacteria that can be found in undercooked or raw meat, such as salmonella or E. coli. Properly cooking the beef, and reaching certain temperatures, helps to ensure that the food is safe to eat. The Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends that ground beef reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (which is defined as well done) before being consumed. At this temperature, the aforementioned bacteria and others like them are killed, helping to ensure that the meat is safe to eat.

Food safety is something Five Guys takes very seriously. Back in 2016, the chain had wireless temperature sensors installed to monitor the temperature of meat, produce, and other ingredients that were being stored prior to cooking. Given the chain's dedication to using fresh meat rather than frozen and cooking it all fresh to order, both storing the meat safely and cooking it thoroughly remain a priority.