The Hawaii franchisee for Five Guys Burgers and Fries arrives on Oahu this month to review possible locations.
"There are a couple of areas that we’ve looked into, and we’re working with the landlords to cement a plan," said Amannda Schneider, franchisee. "We’re in the pencil phase, versus the pen phase," she said.
Your columnist first reported on the family-owned burger chain’s plans to expand to Hawaii in 2010, with an update a little more than a year ago. While none of its restaurants has yet opened here, much has been going on with the Virginia-based company.
"They started a joint venture in Europe" and have deals to expand into Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and other countries, Schneider said.
A franchisee for Hawaii had been approved at the time of the 2010 Five Guys column item, but things happen and the company then planned to open stores here on its own.
Schneider, who owns Five Guys restaurants in Washington state, initially approached the company two years ago about Hawaii but was turned down. She went back to them a year ago, made a presentation and was awarded the franchise in March.
"We just felt that the state of Washington has such a strong connection with Hawaii. …It’s just an arm’s length away," she said. "I’m really grateful that they had faith in us."
Five Guys President Jerry Murrell’s only condition was that she find him a "parking spot for his boat," she said.
Schneider plans to open six to eight stores in Hawaii, including neighbor island locations, depending on logistics and marketplace dynamics, she said.
Founded in 1986 in Virginia, the company became known for its never-frozen ground beef patties hand-formed on site, and for its hand-cut fries, all cooked in an open kitchen, and for the peanut shells all over the floor of the dining area.
"When you come in, you place your order and chose between a burger with one patty or two patties," as well as toppings, "for one price. You choose any or all or none of the toppings that you want," she said.
Because burgers take six to eight minutes to cook, "we have free peanuts in the lobby." Customers snack on the peanuts and toss the shells on the floor.
You’re not alone if you are wondering what effect peanut-shell-strewn floors has on their insurance premiums. "We do keep ’em scooped up pretty quickly," she said.
The menu offers a straightforward selection of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, bacon burgers and bacon cheeseburgers in regular and little sizes, as well as kosher-style hot dogs, cheese dogs, bacon dogs and bacon cheese dogs. Customers also can order sandwiches including a veggie, cheese veggie, grilled cheese and BLTs, and of course the fries, either Five Guys style or Cajun style.
The 15 topping choices run the gamut from your basic red, white and yellow or green condiments to A.1. Sauce or other sauces, grilled mushrooms or onions, or a selection of raw vegetables. Someone did the math and estimated there are more than a quarter-million ways to order a Five Guys burger.
The menu doesn’t change often, she said, however, and this is big news in the Five Guys chain: The stores are adding milkshakes.
"We’re installing eight (milkshake machines) in the month of June in the state of Washington," she said.
As with the burgers, customers will be able to customize their shakes.
"You can have a banana chocolate, or strawberry vanilla or caramel bacon," she said, at which point your columnist gasped.
The company’s secret shopper program helps keep customers’ experiences positive and rewards employees for performance, Schneider said, citing one part-timer who worked 10 or 12 hours a week but served the secret shopper twice in a pay cycle and received "an extra $320 in her paycheck."
"You might guess that a few of my employees have volunteered to come to Hawaii," Schneider said with a chuckle, and it’s likely she will bring some to train local crews.
Customers of Schneider’s Washington restaurants likely have met her, as she works in the stores, in the back of the house as well as in the front. "I want to make sure the quality and consistency is there … and you don’t do that behind a clipboard; you have to be in there, elbow to elbow."
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On the Net:
» fiveguys.com
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Reach Erika Engle at 529-4303, erika@staradvertiser.com or on Twitter as @erikaengle.
