Not Really a Smash Hit

I was raving about Five Guys when someone suggested I try Smashburger.

I did. And I understand the recommendation, I do, if it came from someone who hasn't had Five Guys.

Smashburger has, on the face of it, a more sophisticated menu. But all the options, like a fried egg as a topping, come at a price: I paid $9.75 for a BBQ burger with a fried egg and a side of sweet potato fries.



They have presentation all over Five Guys, but in terms of the gift of flavor, I found the burger wanting, the bacon lifeless and the egg cooked to a hard yolk (a 'fried' egg on a burger should burst hot liquid yolk on the other ingredients).

I give Smashburger marks for menu development but in terms of bang for the buck, Five Guys is the Bomb and Smashburger is a toothless U.N. treaty helpless to control the Bomb. And Five Guys is possibly a little cheaper to boot.

They do use Häagen-Dazs ice cream for their shakes, and that was tempting, but I'd already dropped a sawbuck on lunch and had other priorities to attend to.