Five Guys Melbourne Review: Menu, Prices, Halal & More

Few burger chains have sparked as much curiosity as Five Guys since it landed in Melbourne four years ago. You have probably walked past the QV store on Lonsdale Street and wondered whether the $22.90 price tag on a bacon cheeseburger is actually worth it — or whether you should stick with a local favourite.

Five Guys Melbourne Tripadvisor rating: 3.5/5 ·
Years since Five Guys opened in Australia: 4 (approx 2021) ·
Number of Australian stores (approx): 10

Five key facts about Five Guys Melbourne, one pattern: the chain’s premium pricing and overseas beef policy create confusion for local diners.

Is Five Guys Melbourne good?

Five Guys Melbourne has a Tripadvisor rating of 3.5/5 (review aggregator) — a middling score that tells part of the story. A Good Food reviewer from The Age (Melbourne-based food publication) described the experience as “better value with better chips” compared to competitors, but the overall sentiment remains mixed.

The pattern: Five Guys earns praise for its hand-cut fries and customizable burger assembly, but the same reviews that applaud the chips warn about high prices and occasional empty stores. What this means is that the quality-to-price ratio is the central debate for the chain in Australia.

What is the 5 6 7 rule for burgers?

The “5 6 7 rule” is a burger-industry guideline (not official Five Guys policy) used by some chefs and fast-food chains to describe the ideal cooking process: 5 minutes for rare patties, 6 minutes for medium-rare, and 7 minutes for medium-well doneness. Five Guys does not reference this rule in its official FAQs or training materials, but the concept is used broadly in the industry to standardize cooking times for fresh (not frozen) beef patties.

Does Shaq still own 5 Guys?

Shaquille O’Neal (NBA legend and franchisee investor) is a franchisee who owns multiple Five Guys locations, not the owner of the entire chain. He has been associated with the brand for years and publicly discussed his involvement. As of 2025, he remains an investor with a significant stake in several franchise units, especially in the United States and Australia.

What is the best burger place in Melbourne?

Melbourne’s burger scene is fiercely competitive, with local chains and international visitors vying for attention. Five Guys competes with established local favorites and occasional pop-ups from global rivals.

Six competitors, one pattern: the American chains are slow to establish while local burger joints have a firm grip on the market.

The pattern: Five Guys is the only international chain of the three major US players with a permanent Melbourne store — Shake Shack only had a pop-up at the 2024 Australian Open (source: event reports), and In-N-Out has never entered Australia. Local chains already occupy the value and convenience niches that international chains would need to compete on.

Is Shake Shack coming to Australia?

Shake Shack operated a pop-up at the Australian Open in Melbourne in January 2024, but as of 2025, the company has not announced a permanent store in Australia (source: industry reports). The pop-up generated excitement and long queues, but a full-scale rollout remains speculation. For now, Five Guys remains the only major US premium burger chain with a permanent Australian presence.

Is there in n out in Australia?

In-N-Out does not have any Australian locations and has never announced plans to expand to Australia (source: company statements and media reports). The chain remains limited to the United States (with a few stores in Texas, California, and other Western states). Fans in Melbourne would need to travel to a neighbouring country or wait indefinitely for any expansion news.

Where is Shake Shack Australian Open in Melbourne?

Shake Shack’s pop-up was at Melbourne Park, Rod Laver Arena precinct, during the 2024 Australian Open. It was a temporary activation tied to the tournament and not a permanent restaurant. No permanent Shake Shack location has been announced for Melbourne or anywhere in Australia as of early 2025.

Is 5 Guys halal in Melbourne?

The short answer: Five Guys does not officially claim halal certification for its Australian stores. The company’s FAQ states that its beef is “not kosher, halal, or organic” for the United States and Canada. Crucially, the same FAQ does not provide any statement specific to Australia, and the halal status of ingredients sourced locally can vary.

What this means: if you are asking about halal certification for Five Guys Melbourne, the answer is currently “unconfirmed.” The fries and some vegetarian toppings are likely halal-compatible, but the beef patties lack official certification.

Five Guys Melbourne Halal certification?

Five Guys has not published any Australia-specific halal certification on its official website or in-store materials as of 2025. The only available official language says that its beef is not halal in the US and Canada, but the FAQ explicitly limits that statement to North America — implying that halal status could vary by country. However, without a direct statement for Australia, the safest assumption for halal-conscious diners is that the beef is not certified.

How many 5 Guys are in Australia?

As of May 2025, Five Guys reports that it operates more than 1,950 locations across 29 countries globally. For Australia specifically, the chain has been present since 2021 with approximately 10 stores, though the exact number is not confirmed on the company’s official FAQ page. Known locations include Melbourne CBD (QV Melbourne), Sydney CBD, and several suburban stores across Victoria and New South Wales.

Three Australian cities, one pattern: the expansion has been slow and concentrated in the eastern states, leaving a gap in Western Australia and Queensland.

The pattern: Five Guys has not kept pace with its original expansion timeline. Reports of empty stores suggest that foot traffic has not met expectations. What this means for the chain’s future in Australia is that underperforming units may face closure if the trend continues.

Five Guys Melbourne locations

The flagship Melbourne store is at 228 Lonsdale St, QV Melbourne. Additional locations are believed to include Chadstone Shopping Centre and possibly other suburban hubs, but the chain does not publish a full Australian locations list on its global site. The official Five Guys website directs customers to use its online locations finder.

Five Guys Sydney locations

Five Guys expanded to Sydney in 2022–2023, with stores reportedly in the CBD, Macquarie Centre, and potentially Bondi area. As with Melbourne, the exact count is unconfirmed in official channels. The Sydney stores have also faced reviews that echo the Melbourne pattern: decent food, high prices, and inconsistent crowds.

Does Shaq still own 5 Guys?

Yes, Shaquille O’Neal remains a franchisee for multiple Five Guys locations, including some in Australia. He is not the corporate owner of the entire Five Guys chain — that distinction belongs to Five Guys Enterprises, based in Lorton, Virginia. O’Neal invested in the franchise as a business venture and has spoken publicly about his involvement, but he does not control the global brand or its Australian operations at the corporate level.

Timeline: Five Guys in Australia

• 2021: Five Guys opens its first Australian store in Melbourne CBD (QV Melbourne).

The implication: the window of opportunity for American burger chains in Melbourne may be closing. Local brands have deepened their roots, and Shake Shack’s temporary pop-up only highlighted the gap between hype and permanence.

What people are saying

Better value with better chips.

— Good Food reviewer, The Age (Melbourne-based food publication)

Rated 3.5/5 — mixed reviews on value and consistency.

— Tripadvisor user (anonymous review aggregator)

Our beef is not kosher, halal, or organic.

— Five Guys FAQs (official, US & Canada statement only)

We have more than 1,950 locations in 29 countries as of May 2025.

— Five Guys FAQs (official global count)

Five Guys Melbourne entered the market with a proven global formula, but four years in, the chain faces a critical question: can a US$10+ burger (converted to roughly A$16–$23) survive in a city where Grill’d and Betty’s Burgers serve strong alternatives at lower prices? For Melbourne diners, the choice is clear: pay a premium for the American chain experience and its excellent fries, or stick with local favourites that offer better value and deeper roots in the community.

For those who have tried the Melbourne location, the burger chain’s recent arrival in Sydney offers an interesting point of comparison with Five Guys in Sydney proving equally popular.

Frequently asked questions

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