Five Guys Copycat Recipes
Five Guys uses fresh beef, peanut oil fries, and an open topping policy to build one of the most customizable fast-food burgers. Our copycats cover the double smashburger, Cajun fries, and hand-spun milkshakes.
4 recipes
Five Guys was founded in 1986 in Arlington, Virginia by Jerry Murrell and his four sons. The chain's identity is built on three things: fresh (never frozen) 80/20 chuck beef, hand-cut potatoes fried in peanut oil, and an extremely customizable order with free toppings. Every standard Five Guys order is a double patty — the 'Little' is the single. The beef is not seasoned before cooking; all flavor comes from the Maillard browning on the flat-top griddle (maximum surface contact creates maximum crust) and the toppings. Cajun Fries are the most-ordered item — freshly cut potatoes cooked in 100% peanut oil and tossed with a Cajun spice blend while still hot. The milkshakes are hand-blended with real ice cream (not soft-serve mix) and an open mix-in menu. Our Five Guys copycats cover the Bacon Cheeseburger, Cajun Fries, Grilled Cheese, and hand-spun Milkshake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Five Guys different from Shake Shack or In-N-Out?
Five Guys uses 80/20 chuck smashed thin on a flat-top for maximum Maillard browning. They never season the beef pre-cook — salt comes entirely from toppings. Shake Shack uses a proprietary blend and a slightly more premium bun setup; In-N-Out uses thicker patties. Five Guys' edge: unlimited free toppings, all fresh ingredients, and the peanut oil fries. The double-smash technique is the key to the flavor — most home cooks make the patty too thick.
Why does Five Guys use peanut oil and can I substitute it?
Peanut oil has a high smoke point (450°F) and a clean, neutral flavor that doesn't compete with the potato. It also produces a crispier exterior. Five Guys cooks fries twice: once at lower temp to cook through, once at high temp to crisp (Belgian double-fry method). You can substitute sunflower or safflower oil (similar smoke point and neutrality) — avoid olive oil (too low a smoke point) or butter (burns immediately at fry temperature).
What's the Cajun seasoning blend on Five Guys fries?
The commercial blend Five Guys uses is paprika-forward. A close home version: 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper. Toss freshly cooked hot fries with the seasoning immediately — the residual oil from frying makes it adhere. If you wait until they cool, the seasoning won't stick as well.
How does Five Guys make their milkshakes?
They use real vanilla ice cream (not soft-serve mix), whole milk, and a spindle mixer. The ice cream is slightly softened — not fully melted — so it blends smoothly rather than leaving chunks. Mix-ins (Oreos, malt powder, strawberries, peanut butter, etc.) go in the cup with the milk and ice cream and spin together. At home: 3 large scoops of good vanilla ice cream + 3 tbsp whole milk + mix-ins, blended 20–30 seconds. Slightly softer than a DQ Blizzard, thicker than a Wendy's Frosty.