Five Guys' latest burger sparks heated debate

Five Guys has never really been a brand that does quiet launches. Even without shouting about it, anything new from the famously stubborn menu tends to cause a stir, whether it’s a tweak to prices, portion sizes, or just the idea of changing something that its keen customers believe was already perfect.

That tension has been bubbling away again this January, with social media doing what it does best: users picking sides, and turning a new peculiar menu addition into a full-blown debate about the value we’re meant to get from fast food, health, and what Five Guys is supposed to represent in the first place.

This particular menu change definitely has some fans split, with one firing off lines like: “That looks absolutely horrendous. Wtf is wrong with people.”

Others went straight for the wallet, asking: “Is this a joke?? It’s not April’s fools day yet …. £10!!!”

One summed it up a bit more bluntly: “Ten quid for half a burger & coke.”

Specifically, this ‘half a burger’ at the centre of the noise is Five Guys’ new lettuce-wrapped Little Hamburger, bundled with a Coca-Cola Zero Sugar for £10 and marketed as a sub-250-calorie option packing 24g of protein, as the brand mentioned on a recently shared Instagram post.

Along with those protesters, defenders were just as quick to jump in. One wrote: “Love this as it’s my go to as GF here. Don’t forget some loaded fries with that,” while another explained: “My go to meal as a type one diabetic who cannot have carbs.”

The lettuce-wrapped burger has divided fans across social media comment sections (Instagram/fiveguysuk)

Whichever way, for a brand built on pairing those famous patties with buns, fries, and incredibly rich milkshakes, calling anything more health-appropriate was always going to raise eyebrows.

Five Guys Europe CEO John Eckbert leaned into that idea, describing the wrap as the ‘perfect combination of fresh flavours and guilt-free enjoyment, proving that you don't have to sacrifice taste to stay on track.’

While not all UK fans are enthused about the Lettuce Wrap, there’s some positive expert opinion, as well.

Nutritionist Rob Hobson acknowledged some positives, as reported by The Daily Mail, saying: “The lettuce-wrapped burger is often positioned as a ‘healthier’ choice, and nutritionally it does offer some positives like being high in protein and lower in calories and refined carbs than a standard burger, which may suit January dieters and some people using GLP-1 medications.”

Whilst the Lettuce Wrap is a welcome healthy choice for some, experts warn it's not a cure-all solution to diet issues (Manuel Milan/Getty Images)

On the other hand, he also poured cold water on the idea that it’s a silver bullet, warning: “Ultimately it can be a better choice than a full burger and fries, but it shouldn’t be mistaken for a nutritionally complete meal.”

That type of nuance hasn’t stopped the comment sections from boiling over, though. For as many fast food lovers who like the idea of having that extra choice of a healthier action, more negative responses are pouring in. One unhappy burger lover preached: “This is ridiculous. Enjoy your bun."

Another commenter even suggested: “This should be illegal."

Still, others are simply happy to have an option that fits their dietary needs without ditching Five Guys entirely.