Home > Marketing > The “5 Guys” Fries Trick That Will Blow Your Mind (And Sales!)

The “5 Guys” Fries Trick That Will Blow Your Mind (And Sales!)

By: Steve Strauss (Published on 02.09.2013)

For the past year or so, my family and I have been enjoying the occasional meal at 5 Guys Burgers and Fries. If you haven’t heard of the chain yet, don’t worry, you will. An east coast phenomenon consistently ranked among the top burger places by fans and publications alike, 5 Guys is growing like mad by offering delicious, affordable hand made patties (any way you want them), shakes and sodas, and a very generous portion of fries.

While everything is delicious, it is that fries thing that I want to talk about for a moment.

Customers appreciate getting extra value for the same price…

5 Guys does such an amazing thing, such a cool little business trick, that I didn’t catch on until I really thought about it recently. And once I thought about it, I saw what a great idea it is for the rest of us.

Here’s what they do: When you order some fries from the counter, the server dutifully takes their little paper fries bucket, fills it up, and then puts it in a paper bag. Then they take an even bigger scoop of fries and dump it into the bag, on top of the regular order. I always think, and my kids always say, “I can’t believe how many extra fries we get!”

And then it finally dawned on me, we don’t really get any extra fries at all, do we?

The genius of this little show is that for all intents and purposes, it looks and feels like we get extra fries, that the guys and gals at 5 Guys are being cool and generous, but upon a little post-carb reflection the truth is that they planned on giving that amount of fries out anyway, and budget for that. But they package it in such a clever way that you think you are getting this great deal, this something for nothing.

People love getting a deal. We love saving money. And we like to think we are that special customer worthy of the extra fries. Does it cost 5 Guys anything extra? No way. Does it build goodwill? You bet.

It’s a great lesson for all of us.

Examples of how you might incorporate this little magic trick into your business:

  • When I practiced law, lawyer friends routinely offered “free consultations.” And it was free. If the lawyer didn’t’ get the gig, the potential client got a free half hour of advice. And for the lawyer, it was, either way, a marketing write-off. But it sure did bring in business.
  • You can, like 5 Guys, offer something for sale and throw in something extra at the end; just be sure you take into account that extra something when you price it in the first place.

And even beyond that, it behooves us to simply remember the psychology of the extra fries trick: Customers appreciate getting extra value for the same price. For instance, I do a podcast for a client and recently told them that I would like to give them the show for free for a month at the end of the contract, as a way to say thank you (and of course, hopefully as an incentive to get them to re-up for another year.)

Value added: It doesn’t cost, it pays.

Be Sociable, Share!

    About Steve Strauss

    Senior small business columnist at USA TODAY and author of 15 books, including The Small Business Bible, Steve is your host here at TheSelfEmployed.com.


    You Might Also Like:

    • JRoseenberg

      I am going to use this idea!

    • conradshull

      I like 5 Guys, but the reason you get that big pile of fries is because even a “small” order of fries costs a lot.

    • http://www.facebook.com/bltz.krig Bltz Krig

      Great idea! I’m a cardiologist, and I’m going to start giving away a bag of fries at every new patient’s first consultation. Sure to build some goodwill!

      • immykal

        ROFL – now that’s creative, here, have a quad bypass to go…lol

      • http://profiles.google.com/nail.bk Brian Nail

        Best comment ever…

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Les-Legato/100003769040209 Les Legato

        WINNER!

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Bert-Williams/1591756061 Bert Williams

      Yeah, that’s a great trick. Take a look at the menu and see what they charge for those “free” fries.

    • http://www.facebook.com/mike.sokolow Mike Sokolow

      I’ve eaten there, never seemed like extra fries to me. the price for a meal there is really very high for typical burger, fries and soda.The only reason I would go back is to eat the extra 5.00 worth of all you can eat peanuts.

    • Tom Shark

      Personally, I don’t like their fries…I mean I really don’t like them. The fries bag is soaked through with grease even before you reach a table. I tried them one time…no more for me…you can have my portion.

    • BobbyBarker

      Nasty, vile, greasy food, which is why it’s so popular in America. Enjoy your overpriced “free” fries with your overpriced greaseburger.

    • 1eye2open

      My “Sancha,” does that. She gives me an extra shake of her money maker for the same price….LMAO

    • UGADOG

      Sorry, I don’t buy it. The fries are overpriced and oversized as it is. I love 5 Guys but avoid their fries for this reason (if they sold a size half as big for 2/3 the price I’d honestly go for it). If you’ve got a large group it’s not a problem, but for 1 or 2 people their fry model is unappeeling (sic).

    • sanebrain

      Tricking your customers is now the standard business model.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Todd-Meedel/1370837364 Todd Meedel

      In and Out is much better and less expensive than ’5 guys” their model may work in NYC but not out here in Arizona… Their burgers were OK, everything too pricy, not willing to pay $25 to have our family eat there… could get a decent sit down meal for that price…

    • Charles Jensen

      Get a load of the grease slick on the bag and you’ll lose your appetite for those fried artery cloggers.

    • Sheila Moore

      In my home town, Five Guys is right near McDonalds. People go to Five Guys, get the burger, then drive through McD’s and get the fries. Never thought Five Guys fries were all that special – they are usually mushy.

    • http://www.facebook.com/sue.doname.5 Sue Doname

      “affordable hand made patties.” Yes, if all you get is the patty, it’s affordable. They just gouge you everywhere else.

      I heard all the raves about 5 Guys. They opened one near me, so I tried it. Walked in, saw the prices, almost walked right out, but said “Well, let’s try it at least once.”

      The “affordable hand made patties” are affordable because they have no flavor.

      The other nifty trick they try to make it seem like you’re getting more bang for your buck (the theme of this article, presented to praise 5 Guys rather than show everyone how they’re being swindled) is that they show about 10,000 condiments. So it looks like you’re getting a great value…”look at all the condiments you can choose” (although some are premium and cost more).

      However, you’re only paying for choices, and paying for many of them you will never use on the burger you eventually do eat.

      I haven’t been back since and have told everyone who mentions 5 Guys what a rip off it is.

    • BethesdaDog

      Yeah. Great idea. I just got back from Five Guys a few hours ago. I took my extra fries home…with my extra remaining peanuts that I didn’t have time to eat before my food was ready. Yeah, it was great. As I was leaving, i thought about how foolish I was to go there, one magazine called their meals the unhealthiest on the planet. So, thanks for the extra fries. It just reminds me to space out my visits to Five Guys to no more than two or three in a one year period. If that.

    • http://twitter.com/ubruni Dave Cannon

      It is an interesting idea to adapt, but I think in this case it’s done horribly. Five Guys fries come to you saturated in nuclear hot grease, crammed into a paper bag. There’s no way to get them out without burning your fingers, and the steam inside the bag turns the fries soggy. There’s no tray to dump your fries on, so you sit and wait for them to get cold before digging a few out.

    • PhineasPhreak

      I’ve eaten at Five Guys a few times. They’re OK, but nothing to write home about. Seems like just slightly different Wendy’s.