Wendy's offers faster service, lower prices, and customizable burgers at roughly $8-12 per meal, while Five Guys emphasizes premium quality beef, hand-cut fries, and gourmet toppings at $15-22 per meal. The choice depends on whether you prioritize value and speed or quality and customization.
Wendy's vs Five Guys — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Quick-service burger chain with fresh beef and value-focused pricing.
Premium customizable burger chain with fresh-cut fries and extensive topping options.
Average Burger Price. Average Wait Time. Beef Quality Standard. Topping Options Available. Number of US Locations. Customer Satisfaction Rating. Average Fries Quality Rating
Choose Wendy's if you want affordable, quick meals with decent customization and need accessibility across numerous locations. Choose Five Guys if you're willing to spend more for superior beef quality, hand-cut fries, and a premium burger experience with extensive topping choices.
Wendy's: Never-frozen fresh beef | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Traditional automated systems | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Extensive customization | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Closing hundreds | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Premium improved recipes 2026 | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Fresh, never-frozen beef | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Digital menu boards, traditional operation | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Incremental expansion, undisclosed target | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Future Fresh design with blue aesthetic and digital integration | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Base comparison point | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Never-frozen fresh beef | Five Guys: Fresh never-frozen daily
Wendy's: ~25 seconds per Dave's Single | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Cookie Dough Frosty Fusion (new core item) | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Future Fresh design (2026) with digital ordering | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: 2-3 burger options at £7.99 | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: 5-7 minutes | Five Guys: 12-15 minutes
Wendy's: 3-4 toppings | Five Guys: 15+ toppings
Wendy's: 40+ items | Five Guys: 12 core items
Wendy's: Conventional sourced | Five Guys: Fresh, never frozen, daily ground
Average Meal Cost (Burger + Fries + Drink)
Wendy's: 4.5 hours (6AM-10:30AM typical) | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: Extensive (40+ custom combinations) | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: 6 countries (NA-focused) | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: 480 cal (Dave's Single) | Five Guys: N/A
Wendy's: 70/30 blend | Five Guys: 80/20 blend
Wendy's: 5-7 minutes | Five Guys: 10-15 minutes
Wendy's: Fresh, never frozen | Five Guys: Fresh, never frozen
Wendy's: N/A | Five Guys: 1st place - 15.5%
Wendy's: N/A | Five Guys: Patty count, proteins, toppings, sauces
Wendy's: N/A | Five Guys: 3 (burgers, hot dogs, fries)
Wendy's: N/A | Five Guys: 40+ states plus international
Wendy's: N/A | Five Guys: 15+ customizable options
Wendy's: N/A | Five Guys: Annual seasonal items
How to choose between Wendy's and Five Guys
Wendy's vs Five Guys — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Wendy's vs Five Guys. Contains 88 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Wendy's vs Five Guys — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Wendy's vs Five Guys.
Yes, Wendy's uses fresh beef patties cooked to order, not frozen. However, their beef blend is 70/30 (70% lean), compared to Five Guys' 80/20, which produces a juicier burger with more fat content and flavor.
Five Guys' higher prices reflect premium ingredients: never-frozen 80/20 beef, hand-cut fries cooked fresh daily in peanut oil, and 25+ customizable toppings. Their limited menu allows focused quality control, resulting in higher ingredient costs and labor.
Five Guys hand-cut fries cooked in peanut oil consistently rate 4.6/5 stars, while Wendy's frozen fries average 3.5/5. Five Guys includes complimentary extra fries by default, whereas Wendy's charges separately.
Can I customize my burger at both places?
Both offer customization, but Five Guys provides 25+ premium topping options versus Wendy's 15+. Five Guys' extensive customization (cheese types, cooking temperature, special sauces) justifies longer wait times.
Which is better for families on a budget?
Wendy's is significantly more budget-friendly at $8-12 per meal with 5,800 locations providing convenience. A family of four spends roughly $40-50 at Wendy's versus $60-90 at Five Guys, making Wendy's ideal for budget-conscious families.
How to Choose Between Wendy's and Five Guys
Average Burger Price: Wendy's has $8.99, while Five Guys has $15.49.
Average Wait Time: Wendy's has 5-7 minutes, while Five Guys has 10-15 minutes.
Beef Quality Standard: Wendy's has 70/30 blend, frozen patties, while Five Guys has 80/20 blend, fresh never frozen.
Topping Options Available: Wendy's has 15+ toppings, while Five Guys has 25+ premium toppings.
Number of US Locations: Wendy's has 5,800+, while Five Guys has 1,500+.
Customer Satisfaction Rating: Wendy's has 3.8/5 stars, while Five Guys has 4.5/5 stars.
Average Fries Quality Rating: Wendy's has 3.5/5, while Five Guys has 4.6/5.