Five Guys (1986-2003)
Jerry and Janie Murrell opened a single burger shop in Arlington, Virginia, in 1986. For years they refined the menu and built a loyal local following. In 2003 they began franchising, and the chain eventually grew to thousands of locations nationwide.
The franchise model let the couple expand without outside investors.
Five Guys became one of the largest fast-casual burger chains in the U.S., showing that a single-location cult favorite can scale via franchising.
Like Love & Honey, Five Guys started as one beloved local restaurant and used franchising to grow — the same path the Philadelphia chicken brand is now testing.
