Five Guys Defines the New "Fresh"

When it comes to fast food and "fast casual" restaurants my standards aren't usually very high...probably because I've been let down so many times.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries has always been the exception. This isn't the first time I've chronicled my love and passion for Five Guys, however my visit to Five Guys today radically changed my entire view on their restaurant and what we should expect from every restaurant we visit.

Simply said, Five Guys is radically redefining what "fresh food" means.

When you really think about it, every restaurant claims to have something "fresh": Fresh burgers, fresh fish, fresh salad, fresh chicken....everything is "fresh". But what does it really mean? Frankly, I expect all of the food I eat to be fresh. I expect it not to be frozen and I expect that it's made using "fresh ingredients."

Here's what makes Five Guys so special:

Today as I finished ordering my delicious Five Guys double cheeseburger, the cashier turned around to the grill guy (the grill is visible from the front of the store) to call out our order and noticed that there were 3 hamburger patties sitting on the grill. It was obvious that these burger patties weren't too old, they just weren't grilled "fresh" for a customer. So, with these simple words: "get rid of those" the cashier directed the grill guy to throw the 3 patties away and put fresh ones on the grill for our order.

Slowly but surely, Five Guys is defining the new "fresh". What Five Guys does, that other fast casual restaurants don't is this: they make their food, right now, for you. Who else does this? What other fast casual restaurant would willingly, throw food away to make something completely and truly fresh for the customer?

Panera doesn't - their "fresh soup" is delivered in a bag. Even Chipotle, while their food is fresh, it isn't cooked just for you, right at the moment your ordering.

Five Guys is changing the game, and the results are simply remarkable. Better tasting food that's made just for "me". Juicy, delicious and the ultimate in satisfaction.

At Five Guys its more than just "burgers and fries" it's a whole new approach to food.

Local Coffee Inspiration

Local Coffee Shops are hard to come by these days.

Especially if you live in the Tampa Bay, FL area. Unlike the metropolis New York, Seattle, Chicago, etc most of our local coffee shops (the decent ones at least) have been swallowed up by the "big evil corporate brands" of Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and McDonald's.

With the "there are no good coffee shops in Tampa Bay" mentality, you might understand why I was so shocked, excited and curious when we accidentally stumbled upon Indian Shores of Coffee Co.

About 10 min south of the infamous Clearwater Beach, Indian Shores Coffee Company is nothing more than a shack off the side of the road, directly across from buildings/condos that sit beach front on Indian Rocks beach.

In a humble red building with an make-shift patio attached, it appeared to be authentic enough for us to justify stopping. So one u-turn later I found myself in the casual, yet refined coffee shop complete with a hand written menu on a big black chalk board.


The first thing you notice when you walk in Indian Shores Coffee Co is the smell....ah yes the sweet and satisfying smell of freshly brewed coffee/espresso. Local Coffee Shop smell is not the same smell as Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts or Panera. In fact it's strikingly different. Corporate coffee shops smell like...well a corporation that happens to be brewing coffee. A local coffee shop smells like fresh brewed coffee in some one's home.

As a walk up to the counter, I'm greeted by an older gentlemen who appears to have come directly out of the 1970s with a long history of making coffee. We make small talk for a bit and he eventually persuaded me to upgrade from my traditional Cafe Au Late to a Latte. Here's how he convinced me: "I've worked here two years and seriously, I think this is the best coffee/espresso in the entire state of Florida. If you're not going to come here that often...go for the Latte". With those words....I was sold. It's rare to meet an employee at a restaurant that is oozing with passion about the products they're selling....whenever I run across someone like this, I truly treasure it.

Indian Shores Coffee Co has a very compelling personality about it. The front counter contains freshly baked goods along with homemade sandwiches....the sitting area is simple, yet comfortable with big chairs and small tables and chairs. However, the best part of all was the hand written advertisement to "join them on Facebook"

While this may appear to be cheap...it actually came across as genuine and authentic.

My latte was finally ready and just from the looks and smell of it, I could tell that it was going to be sensational. Full of thick foam on top and just the right temperature I was truly stunned when I took my first sips. The 1970s employee was right...this might be the best coffee served in FL. Here's their secret....they get all of their coffee beans shipped directly from Metropolis Coffee Company in Chicago. 

As I walked out of Indian Shores Coffee Co slowing sipping my latte I couldn't help but be just a little frustrated that there aren't more shops like this around...I guess this just means I'll be taking the 25 min drive down to Indian Rocks beach more often...

So tell me....what's your favorite coffee shop?