Five Guys — Restaurant in Sterling

Five Guys has always been our go-to place whenever we crave for burgers. The food is very reasonably priced and always fresh, and the fries are the best. This review is not about the food, however. Here's why I'm really writing:

Around dinner time today, 9:00 pm on August 31, 2021, my wife and I dined-in and enjoyed a quiet dinner date. We spent about half an hour here, and passed by another store on the way home. As soon as we got home, I realized that I no longer have my wallet with me. I drove back to the Five Guys location in Sterling and got there 10 minutes before the location closed. One of the people behind the counter probably sensed my panicky demeanor and just went ahead and asked me if I was looking for my wallet. I feeling of relief washed over me like nothing I've ever felt before. He said that I'd have to prove my identity first before I can have my wallet back and I agreed. Honestly, I was genuinely impressed that he presented that condition, because it reassured me that the staff at that location knew the importance of the item they were holding and had a process in place for that situation.

After confirming my identity and handing back my wallet, I immediately opened it in front of them to take out the cash I knew I had. The person who handed my wallet to me must have gotten the wrong impression about why I was checking the contents because he calmly said "everything's there, we didn't take anything out". I apologized and thanked him profusely and gave him most of the cash I had to show my appreciation for what all of them did.

To the owner and/or manager of the Five Guys location in Sterling (46220 Potomac Run Plaza, Sterling, VA 20164), the staff that were present today between 9-10 pm on 8/31/2021 are all extremely honest people who chose to do the right thing even when no one was looking. You have a really good set of employees working for you. I hope this write up helps make everyone else aware of that.

And to the person who found my wallet on the parking spot in front of the store and gave it to the Five Guys staff for safekeeping, whoever you are, I hope the kindness and honesty you showed through your actions today come back to you ten-fold. I will do my part and pay forward the kindness and honesty I received from all you people today. Thanks so much...

Five Guys lost a customer tonight.

My dog and I both love Five Guys' burgers. So when I visit Five Guys, I order two "sandwiches:" one with the fixings I like, and one plain in a bowl for him.

The last several times I have visited, my pup's meal has come with plasticware: a knife and fork. Tonight, I explicitly requested that the restaurant omit those, as he - being a dog - cannot use them. I was told by the staff that it was policy to include plasticware with every burger served in a bowl, regardless of customer preference or instruction.

I understand corporate and franchise policies, and I know they cannot be easily skirted. For a meal such as this, for a person, I also understand providing utensils if the customer either specifically requests them or expresses no preference.

What I cannot understand is the requirement to supply tableware if the customer expressly declines them. This makes no sense to me. It is wasteful. It is disrespectful. And it is poor customer service.

I am not returning to Five Guys until I know this policy has been revisited and corrected. Once this has been addressed, I expect to return a happy customer. Until then, I will find other places for the two of us to...

Five is located in the Dulles Town Center area. Nudged against PetSmart and a Hibachi restaurant across from Target. I admittedly have visited this restaurant before and each time the price for a meal has gone up exhorbatantly. The food and service are great, and the restaurant is clean, but a major deterrent for not frequenting this now is the price. I mean, who doesn't like a good hamburger, but for the price, I corks purchase my own and make it myself for half the cost. Sorry, Five Guys, but your prices are online with the highest restaurant, and people aren't willing to past with their money so easily. Like I said, the burger was made to order, and I like it . The Idaho cross is fine, but we're not talking about done dining here. When I visited, it wasn't crowded except for elderly couples who ordered their meals. But the staff is great and very accommodating and the cleanliness of the store is Five-star hands down. So, yes, it could have been rated at five-star, but affordability is rated as well. Hopefully, their prices will go down over time. My apologies for not displaying the burger, but...