Overview
- Five Guys’ two-for-one 40th‑anniversary promotion drew far more customers than planned, overwhelming many U.S. locations and leaving some short on food.
- Founder and CEO Jerry Murrell told Fortune he misjudged demand and apologized to employees for the strain.
- The company issued $1.5 million in bonuses, with about 1,000 workers receiving roughly $1,500 each across many sites.
- Murrell said he diverted money he had planned for a personal purchase to fund the payout and told Fortune he feared for his safety, saying he did not want someone to shoot him in the back.
- Tag24 reported leaders expected about a 20% sales lift but saw roughly 130%, showing how a mass promotion can outstrip franchise capacity at a 1,900‑restaurant chain.