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| Customers wait in line to place orders at a Five Guys store on Gangnam-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 28. (Reporter Koo Ye-ji sunrise@) |
Five Guys, one of America's top three burgers, has landed in Korea, sparking a burger war on Gangnam-daero in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Five Guys is fighting for 'American taste', Shake Shack for localization, and Superduper for fresh meat.
At 9:30 a.m. on the 28th, an hour and a half before the store opened, there were already 117 teams lined up out front. With the introduction of tabling (a remote queuing application), there were no long lines like on the first day. After a long wait, we were able to enter the store at 12:10pm.
On the 27th, the second day of opening, the line started at 11:44am and I entered the store at 2:54pm.
I ordered a burger from Five Guys in Korea and compared it to the Five Guys burger, Shake Shack, and Superduper signature items I tried in New York City in January.
The Five Guys burger comes with eight veggies, including lettuce, tomato, grilled onion, and pickles, and a choice of seven sauces: ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and relish. If you choose "All the Way," you get eight of the most popular toppings.
Milkshakes are also available with eight toppings, including strawberry, chocolate, Oreo, and Lotus. Fries come in small, regular, and large sizes. In addition to burgers, the menu also includes hot dogs and sandwiches.
I chose the Little Burger and asked for all the ingredients, but the staff said, "You have to choose the ingredients because it can be salty," so I chose the All the Way. I added Oreos and whipped cream to my milkshake and ordered a small order of fries.
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| On the left, a Five Guys Little Burger, fries, and milkshake purchased by the reporter in New York City in January. On the right, a Little Hamburger purchased at Five Guys Burger in Korea (reporter Koo Yeji sunrise@) |
The Five Guys burger in Korea had the same "juiciness" of the patty and flavor of the fries that I experienced in the US. Compared to Korea, the meat patty is much thicker in the U.S. and the contents of the patty are richer, but the overall flavor is salty. The Korean Five Guys burger was not seasoned strongly enough to suit Korean tastes.
The food was also served in a paper bag instead of on a tray, which is the same as in Korea. Five Guys serves their burgers in a large paper bag with fries on top. The same goes for the non-packaged in-store meals. The fries cover the burger and are large enough to fit in a small paper bag. The smallest size (Little) is enough for three adults to share.
The milkshakes were also smaller than the local ones, but tasted the same. It didn't have a strong milk flavor and didn't flow like water like other milkshakes, but was thick and chunky rather than having something to chew on. Oreos were added, but not in large quantities.
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| (Left) Shake Shack Gangnam's Shack Burger, fries, and vanilla shake (Right) Superduper Gangnam's Bacon Egg on Burger, San Fran Set, and milkshake (Reporter Koo Ye-ji sunrise@) |
Shake Shack's Shack Burger, introduced by SPC Group in 2016, has a meaty patty that lingers too long in the mouth. It also ruins the flavor of other ingredients. It's big enough to bite into.
BHC Group's Superduper emphasizes juiciness, but it's not as rich as described. It's big enough that restaurants provide forks and knives, but it's hard to pick up and eat.
Five Guys' burger patties tend to be juicier than others and blend well with the other ingredients. They're also large enough to be difficult to hold and eat, and forks and knives are provided in the store.
The fries are different at all three locations. Shake Shack's fries are fluffy and taste like boiled potatoes. At Superduper, you can order a burger, fries, and a soda, and the fries are topped with chili sauce and jalapeños. They taste similar to the fries you get at McDonald's and other fast food restaurants. Five Guys fries have a strong potato flavor and are "crispy on the outside and moist on the inside," but they're unseasoned.
Shake Shack's milkshakes come in flavors such as strawberry, chocolate, and salted caramel, but vanilla has a strong milk flavor. Superduper's milkshake has less milk flavor than Shake Shack Burger's vanilla shake, making it more comfortable to eat.
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| People place orders at the Five Guys Gangnam store on Nov. 28. (By Koo Ye-ji (sunrise@)) |
In the U.S., a burger, fries, and milkshake would have cost me $21.96 (about $28,000) in January, but in Korea, the three items would cost $25,700. The price is even higher when you consider that you're ordering the small size, which contains one patty. Five Guys says it's 13% cheaper than in the U.S., but it's hard to tell.
The price of a Five Guys burger in Korea is comparable to Shake Shack burgers and Superdippers. A basic burger, fries, and a milkshake costs 22,600 won at Shake Shack and 21,700 won at Superduper. Even when choosing the cheapest burger, Five Guys has the highest price.
"As the number of young consumers with westernized tastes increases, the domestic burger market will accelerate to become a mid-range and premium market," said Lee Eun-hee, professor of consumer studies at Inha University. "Premium burgers that differentiate themselves in terms of taste, interior, and special experiences will be able to win the competition."
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