As operating costs rise and consumers curb spending in the wake of an affordability crisis, restaurants of all stripes are feeling the pinch from multiple directions.
Five Guys Burgers and Fries is not immune to such industry-wide headwinds. Even as it has seen its overall U.S. footprint grow in recent years, it has also closed multiple restaurants, including locations in several states so far in 2026.
The recent closures have mostly impacted California, but Five Guys restaurants in Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Georgia, and Nebraska have also shuttered this year, according to a review of local media reports, online review platforms, and the Five Guys store locator tool.
In all, at least 14 locations have closed or will close at some point in the first half of 2026, although that figure may not be a complete count.
It’s also unclear if the closures will amount to a net decline in the chain’s footprint this year. As a privately held company, Five Guys closely guards its financials and does not routinely report store counts.
According to a franchise disclosure document filed last year, as reported by QSR Magazine, Five Guys ended 2024 with a net gain of 37 locations over the previous year, but it also closed 14 corporate-owned and 14 franchised restaurants that year. According to its website, Five Guys has over 1,900 locations worldwide.
Fast Company reached out to Five Guys for comment.
Which Five Guys stores have closed?
According to our analysis, the following Five Guys stores have already closed this year:
California
- 2970 W Grant Line Rd, Tracy, CA 95304
- 2701 Ming Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93304
- 71-800 Hwy 111 Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
- 24201 Valencia Blvd #3672, Valencia, CA 91355
Florida
- 6431 E County Line Rd, Tampa, FL 33647
Illinois
- 2856 S Rte 59, Naperville, IL 60564
Iowa
- 3450 Dodge St Suite B, Dubuque, IA 52003
Louisiana
- 2950 Ryan St, Lake Charles, LA 70601
Georgia
- 3393 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30326
Nebraska
- 2525 Pine Lake Rd, Lincoln, NE 68512
Which Five Guys stores will close later in 2026?
Reports of Five Guys closures in California began to surface last month after local media outlets learned of a handful of state-level Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filings, or WARN notices, which had indicated that dozens of jobs would be lost as a result of the closings.
As first reported last week by local media outlets, the following Five Guys locations in California are expected to close later this month and into July:
- 10140 Carmenita Rd, Whittier, CA 90605 (closing May 25)
- 1552 S Azusa Ave, City of Industry, CA 91748 (closing May 26)
- 3572 G St, Merced, CA 95340 (closing June 26)
- 1693 W Lacey Blvd Suite A, Hanford, CA 93230 (closing July 2)
It’s unclear if additional store closures are expected. We’ve asked Five Guys for more information and will update this story if we hear back.
Why are Five Guys closing?
Restaurants can close for any number of reasons, and it’s not unusual for a large chain or individual franchisee to shutter locations for underperformance or other issues specific to a marketplace. Even chains that may be otherwise growing often optimize their footprint during any given year.
Broadly speaking, the quick service restaurant (QSR) segment continues to face challenges from rising costs and diners being more price conscious.
According to a recent report from Revenue Management Solutions, which tracks spending trends, traffic to fast food restaurants remained negative during the first quarter of this year, down 1.2% for the quarter compared to the same period last year. But net sales were up 2.1%, which represents a rebound of sorts from the fourth quarter.
Five Guys consistently ranks among the top fast food brands in terms of food quality, but the chain is also known for being among the priciest in its competitive set.
