Burgers at the restaurant are customizable with 17 toppings and customers also can order vegetable and grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs and fries, Abrams said.

The restaurant is aiming to provide fresh food in a lively atmosphere, he said.

“It’s just all fresh; no freezers or microwaves in the building,” he said.

“Everything is prepared for that day’s sales.”

Five Guys is the only true burger place in the area and will do well, human biology junior Amanda Wright said. Wright said she had seen a location near her hometown, but the East Lansing restaurant was her first taste of the burgers and fries.

“It’ll be successful here,” Wright said. “It’s not McDonald’s, and it’s the only burger place we have.”

Five Guys Burgers and Fries started as a family-owned restaurant in Virginia in 1986 and has now expanded to more than 600 locations nationwide after allowing franchising in 2003, said Molly Catalano, spokeswoman for Five Guys Burgers and Fries.

The East Lansing location replaced Take 2 Authentics, a campus clothing store, and had to be completely remodeled, Abrams said.

“We redid the entire building from the floor to ceiling,” he said. “Everything is brand new.”

Customer service at the restaurant will continue to be a mainstay of the Five Guys Burgers and Fries name, Abrams said.
“Our customer service is traditionally one of Five Guys’ most important things,” he said.

Other positive aspects of the restaurant include the convenient location and filling food, no-preference freshman Alex Colchester said.

The restaurant was very busy on its opening day and people seemed to be enjoying the food, he said.

“The food is really good,” Colchester said. “It’s a reasonable price for a standard burger and fry.”

Five Guys has the “best burger,” general management freshman Zach Edmonds said. He said since he lives nearby on MSU’s campus, the restaurant will be a frequent meal option.

“I’ll definitely be a repeat customer,” he said.

“I’m going to be coming back a lot, once a week at least ­— at least.”